Ten principles when undertaking engagement with First Nations communities (IAP2)
Start well – At the start of an engagement activity, always share an Acknowledgement, Welcome or Statement of Country. Make it meaningful to people in the room, Country and project.
Early engagement - Approach First Nations communities at the earliest project planning stage.
Recognise diversity - Seek out diversity within the First Nations communities. Meet with groups individually.
Be mindful of language – Use respectful and inclusive language. This includes using English terms that may be culturally insensitive for some.
Cultural load – Be aware of the cultural load on First Nation team members. They carry more community expectations than others.
Appropriate tools - Select your techniques wisely, use the telephone, host small meetings, and carefully consider locations.
Relevance – Not all engagement will be relevant to all First Nations groups. Accept that some individuals or groups may not want to participate.
Build relationships – Approach as an ongoing relationship, not a transactional or project-by-project approach.
Time – Recognise that First Nations engagement takes time and build this into your program.
Openness – Create an openness and opportunity to share in the engagement. This may include things that are not directly related to your topic or project.
