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Indigenous Governance Toolkit Indigenous Governance Toolkit
Understand Indigenous Governance
MG Corporation: How their governance works
Mar 01 2023
Understand Indigenous Governance
MG Corporation: How their governance works

Helen Gerrard, MG Corporation Board Director (2012), explains how MG Corporation is governed She talks about how it’s changed over time and how it represents different groups through the Dawang Council “Wi...

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Understand Indigenous Governance
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In the attached document, you will find questions to discuss about your governance in the 8 areas Knowing the answers to these questions can help you keep your governance on track...

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Nyamba Buru Yawuru (NBY) is a not-for-profit company owned by the Yawuru Native Title holders through a corporate group structure The company was the Category A Winner in the 2018 Indigenous Governance Awards In t...

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Effective Indigenous governance
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Effective Indigenous governance

  Effective governance means having rules, structures and processes capable of achieving your objectives We look at AIGI’s principles for effective Indigenous governance, and 3 other models that can be...

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AIGI / Resource Hub / WALPIRI YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ABORIGINAL CORPORATION
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WALPIRI YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ABORIGINAL CORPORATION
  • Home triangle
    • Home
    • About the Toolkit
    • How to use the Toolkit
    • Toolkit Topics Overview
  • 01 Understanding governance triangle
    • 1.0 Understanding governance
    • 1.1 The important parts of governance
    • 1.2 Indigenous governance
    • 1.3 Governance in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations
    • 1.4 Case Studies
  • 02 Culture and governance triangle
    • 2.0 Culture and governance
    • 2.1 Indigenous governance and culture
    • 2.2 Two-way Governance
    • 2.3 Case Studies
  • 03 Getting Started triangle
    • 3.0 Getting started on building your governance
    • 3.1 Assessing your Governance
    • 3.2 Mapping your community for governance
    • 3.3 Case Studies
  • 04 Leadership triangle
    • 4.0 Leadership for governance
    • 4.1 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership
    • 4.2 The challenges of leadership
    • 4.3 Evaluating your leadership
    • 4.4 Youth leadership and succession planning
    • 4.5 Building leadership capacity to govern
    • 4.6 Case Studies
  • 05 Governing the organisation triangle
    • 5.0 Governing the organisation
    • 5.1 Roles, responsibilities and rights of a governing body
    • 5.2 Accountability: what is it, to whom and how?
    • 5.3 Decision making by the governing body
    • 5.4 Governing finances and resources
    • 5.5 Communicating
    • 5.6 Future planning
    • 5.7 Building capacity and confidence for governing bodies
    • 5.8 Case Studies
  • 06 Rules and policies triangle
    • 6.0 Governance rules and policies
    • 6.1 What are governance rules?
    • 6.2 Governance rules and culture
    • 6.3 Running effective meetings
    • 6.4 Policies for organisations
    • 6.5 Case Studies
  • 07 Management and staff triangle
    • 7.0 Management and staff
    • 7.1 Managing the organisation
    • 7.2 The governing body and management
    • 7.3 Managing staff
    • 7.4 Staff development and training
    • 7.5 Case Studies
  • 08 Disputes and complaints triangle
    • 8.0 Disputes and complaints
    • 8.1 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous approaches
    • 8.2 Core principles and skills for dispute and complaint resolution
    • 8.3 Disputes and complaints about governance
    • 8.4 Your members: Dealing with disputes and complaints
    • 8.5 Organisations: dealing with internal disputes and complaints
    • 8.6 Practical guidelines and approaches
    • 8.7 Case Studies
  • 09 Governance for nation rebuilding triangle
    • 9.0 Governance for nation rebuilding and development
    • 9.1 What is nation rebuilding?
    • 9.2 Governance for nation rebuilding
    • 9.3 Governance for sustained development
    • 9.4 Networked governance
    • 9.5 Kick-starting the process of nation rebuilding
    • 9.6 Case Studies
  • Governance Stories
  • Glossary
  • Useful links
  • Acknowledgements
  • Preview new Toolkit triangle
    • Understand Indigenous Governance Overview
    • Defining Governance
    • Indigenous Governance
    • Governance Lingo
    • Self-determination and Governance
    • Effective Indigenous Governance

WALPIRI YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ABORIGINAL CORPORATION

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WALPIRI YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ABORIGINAL CORPORATION

Culturally appropriate governance

The ‘Mt Theo Program’ was established as a grass roots community outstation rehabilitation program in 1993. In early 2000, the ‘Mt Theo / Yuendumu Substance Misuse Aboriginal Corporation’ was incorporated. In late 2008, the incorporated name was officially changed with ORIC to ‘Warlpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation’ (WYDAC) to reflect their current role in delivering youth services within the wider Warlpiri region.

Some of WYDAC’S achievements over the past 5 years include:

  • The elimination of petrol sniffing in the community
  • Increased employment opportunities leading to more Warlpiri with regular salaries – 52% of WYDAC employees are Indigenous.
  • The achievement of certification against the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Systems standard in 2010.
  • The Order of Australia Medal awarded to Peggy Brown and Johnny Miller, program founders, and Andrew Stojanovski, first program manager.
  • New facilities in Yuendumu, including the Youth Centre in 2010, the Community Pool in 2009 and new program office in 2008.
  • Expanding programs into the Willowra, Nyirrpi and Lajamanu communities, including major infrastructure.

Keeping the lines of communication open- “talk story”

At WYDAC the lines of communication are always open.  Everyone in the organisation knows that the key to effective governance lies in the close working relationships between the people on the ground delivering services and the members of the Board.

One of the ways WYDAC ensures that close working relationships are established is by encouraging  the Chairpersons and other Directors to come into the organisation regularly to ‘talk story’.  Some of the things that might be discussed are the progress, strengths or weaknesses of different programs, issues in the community, and ideas about the future direction of WYDAC.

This process means that the Board are closely connected and involved in the daily workings of the organisation in an informal capacity. It also means that the Board are not making decisions about services and programs from the boardroom table without first getting into the organisation and having a yarn with the people who are delivering the services or managing the programs on a daily basis.

Developing culturally appropriate governance

WYDAC has always been an organisation that does things its own way; rather than relying on a traditional board structure which comprises of only having one chairperson, WYDAC has decided to have two Chairs.

“WYDAC has two Chairs – one male and one female. This is an appropriate board structure in the Warlpiri cultural context. Each chairperson will take it in turns or decide between themselves as to who shall chair Board meetings. If neither person is available nor wishes to chair the meeting; the deputy chair shall chair the meeting. If the deputy chair does not wish to chair the meeting the members can select a chair for that particular meeting. The CEO co-chairs the meetings”

The WYDAC Executive Board is made up of members who are fluent in both Warlpiri and English, and often have strong English literacy skills. As such, they act as interpreters for other members who may have less understanding of written English, governance, or policy and procedures.

Both the Warlpiri and non-Warlpiri staff of WYDAC work closely with each other and the Board in a bilingual and cross-cultural environment; WYDAC is about Warlpiri and non-Warlpiri working together in all aspects of the consultation, development and delivery of appropriate programs for young people and the wider community.

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