Leaders learn about Reconciliation from First Nations Organisation Black Card

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with disability often experience intersectional disadvantage. This means they’re more likely to face violence, psychological distress and trauma than the general population. This is just one of the reasons we launched our first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in 2024 and why we’re deeply committed to reconciliation in general.

As part of that journey, Afford leaders recently attended a Cultural Capability Program, hosted by First Nations organisation Black Card. Black Card is a leading provider of cultural training and consultancy grounded in Aboriginal knowledge systems. Guided by Elders, it aims to empower organisations to build ethical, inclusive practices.

The day revolved around deep truth telling, cultural integrity and strategies to ensure Afford staff members continue to show up for the First Nations community with consistency, respect and purpose. Hosted by Proud Wiradjuri woman Renee Thomson (pictured below centre), the session left team leaders feeling inspired and importantly, also hopeful. And Renee was left feeling hopeful too.

Afford leaders pose in front of the Indigenous flag and a map of Australia showing First Nations peoples geography.

“Respect is at the heart of everything we do,” says Renee. “We honour the diverse perspectives, experiences, and cultural backgrounds of everyone we work with. We create spaces where people feel seen, heard and valued.”

All of this occurred during the Cultural Capability Program Afford leaders attended and everyone left moved and inspired and determined to do more.

The Facts, The Figures

In 2018 the Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) found that there were 581,400 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia living in households (excluding those in very remote areas and discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities). Of these people, almost a quarter (24 per cent or 139,700 people) had disability, similar to 2015 (23.9 per cent or 125,000 people).

Of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (within this analysis):

• the proportion with disability was similar for males and females (23.7 per cent and 24.3 per cent respectively)
• disability generally increased with age, with more than half (53.5 per cent) of those aged 55 years and older having disability.