Update for NSDC Members and Supporters

April 2013

This update is to let you know that NSDC is back on track in its work for recognition, justice and healing for the Stolen Generations, their families and communities.

The Court case over governance has been resolved, and the Executive elected by our members at the 2012 Annual General Meeting has been recognised by the ACT Supreme Court.

Now certainty has been achieved regarding the Executive, the Australian Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) has restored our funding.

For the rest of 2012-13, we will focus on the commemoration of National Sorry Day 2013, advocacy to government, raising awareness, and ensuring that our governance is as strong and relevant as possible.

Within this framework, our immediate service delivery priorities are:

Strengthening our engagement with the Stolen Generations and with organisations that support them or work on their behalf
We are continuing to build our membership and broader support base generally, and are developing strategies and materials to support that work. We are particularly keen to increase membership from the Stolen Generations, and from organisations that work in their interests, so that our advocacy can reflect Stolen Generations views as accurately as possible.

Building relationship with organisations across all sectors that can support NSDC
We are building relationships throughout the wider community and building a broader support base. Our aims are to strengthen education about the Stolen Generations history and to develop meaningful relationships which will support the shared goals of NSDC members. There are more than 350 organisations that have made a commitment to reconciliation through action with Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs). RAPs have three components: Respect, Relationships and Opportunities.These organisations include schools, community organisations, universities and training organisation, peak organisations, government departments (Federal, State and Local) and companies within the private sector.

Responding to the Discussion Paper on Renewing the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Mental Health and Social Emotional Wellbeing
NSDC is currently developing a response to the Discussion Paper, part of which will emphasise the need for the Framework to recognise the needs of the Stolen Generations as particular groups within First Nations Peoples. (The Discussion Paper can be found from the links here.)

Participating in the next Stolen Generations Working Partnership Forum
These Forums provide direct access for both NSDC and the National Stolen Generations Alliance to Australian Government departments whose work affects the Stolen Generations. The 2012 Scorecard on the Partnership is available here, and NSDC will continue to advocate at the proposed June 2013 Forum for action on priority issues for the Stolen Generations.

Releasing our Schools Resource on the Stolen Generations
This resource aims to ensure that schools can safely introduce children to the history and continuing impacts of the separation of Aboriginal children from their families and communities, and to assist them in planning events to mark days of significance to the Stolen Generations. When finalised, this resource will be available from our website.

Strong Governance
We are currently reviewing our governance so that we can be sure that it is strong enough to take us into the future. If this review identifies elements in the NSDC constitution that would best be amended, we will take the recommended changes to the membership at a Special General Meeting, most likely held in conjunction with the 2013 AGM.

Last year, in accordance with good governance practices, NSDC adopted a Code of Conduct. This will continue to be refined in the coming months and will be aimed at ensuring an environment based on respect and fairness which will better support all members and staff.

And in other news, we bid farewell to longstanding member Helen Moran who has indicated that she is severing ties with the Association. We thank her for her efforts over the past decade and wish her all the best in her new endeavours.