Aboriginal Community-Led Project Design and Delivery in the NT - Collective Impact Initiative
Tracks
Concurrent Room 1
| Thursday, August 6, 2026 |
| 2:50 PM - 3:10 PM |
| Concurrent Room 1 |
Overview
Elouise Calma, Aboriginal Investment NT
Details
1. Aboriginal-led decision-making drives stronger, more sustainable development outcomes.
When Aboriginal voices guide priorities, design, and governance, initiatives are more effective, culturally grounded, and aligned with community aspirations.
2. Trust, relationships, and cultural safety are essential for genuine partnership.
Long-term relational accountability built through on Country engagement, yarning, and respectful collaboration; creates the foundation for successful cross-sector work in the North.
3. Flexible, community-driven approaches strengthen collective impact.
Allowing time for cultural protocols, community rhythms, and local authority ensures that development efforts deliver meaningful benefits and build future community capacity.
Speaker
Ms Elouise Calma
Community Project Officer
Aboriginal Investment Nt
Aboriginal Community-led project design and delivery in the NT - Collective Impact Initiative
Presentation Overview
This presentation shares the journey for our work supporting Aboriginal communities through the Collective Impact Initiative programmed by Aboriginal Investment NT.
Guided by the principle “nothing about Indigenous Peoples, without Indigenous Peoples,” our approach centres Aboriginal leadership, cultural knowledge, and locally driven priorities at every stage.
As a proud Aboriginal Community Project Officer, I work alongside families, Elders, local organisations, and community members to create meaningful, respectful pathways for participation. This includes yarning circles, on‑Country consultations, co-design workshops, and ongoing relationship-building that ensures decisions reflect community-defined strengths, challenges, and aspirations.
Our work demonstrates how culturally responsive methods and community-led governance strengthen collective impact frameworks. Rather than imposing solutions, we focus on empowering Aboriginal voices to shape project planning, implementation, evaluation, and long-term strategy. This includes supporting community, ensuring cultural safety for partners, and embedding local ways of working into cross-sector collaborations.
The presentation will highlight practical examples of how Aboriginal community members have influenced priorities, shaped program directions, and guided service alignment. It will also explore lessons for organisations seeking to work respectfully with Indigenous communities, including:
• the importance of investing time in trust and relationships
• recognising community authority and cultural obligations
• creating flexible processes that honour cultural protocols
• ensuring benefits flow back to community
This work reflects a commitment to respectful partnership, shared decision-making, and strengthening Aboriginal-led solutions that create lasting change for children, young people, families, and communities across the NT.
Guided by the principle “nothing about Indigenous Peoples, without Indigenous Peoples,” our approach centres Aboriginal leadership, cultural knowledge, and locally driven priorities at every stage.
As a proud Aboriginal Community Project Officer, I work alongside families, Elders, local organisations, and community members to create meaningful, respectful pathways for participation. This includes yarning circles, on‑Country consultations, co-design workshops, and ongoing relationship-building that ensures decisions reflect community-defined strengths, challenges, and aspirations.
Our work demonstrates how culturally responsive methods and community-led governance strengthen collective impact frameworks. Rather than imposing solutions, we focus on empowering Aboriginal voices to shape project planning, implementation, evaluation, and long-term strategy. This includes supporting community, ensuring cultural safety for partners, and embedding local ways of working into cross-sector collaborations.
The presentation will highlight practical examples of how Aboriginal community members have influenced priorities, shaped program directions, and guided service alignment. It will also explore lessons for organisations seeking to work respectfully with Indigenous communities, including:
• the importance of investing time in trust and relationships
• recognising community authority and cultural obligations
• creating flexible processes that honour cultural protocols
• ensuring benefits flow back to community
This work reflects a commitment to respectful partnership, shared decision-making, and strengthening Aboriginal-led solutions that create lasting change for children, young people, families, and communities across the NT.
Biography
Elouise is a proud Aboriginal community advocate and Community Project Officer dedicated to strengthening culturally grounded initiatives across the Northern Territory. She works alongside families, organisations, and Elders to support community-led decision‑making and design programs that reflect local priorities. Through her role with the Collective Impact Initiative and Aboriginal Investment NT, Elouise helps drive collaboration across sectors to improve outcomes for Aboriginal children, young people, and communities. She is committed to building respectful partnerships, amplifying First Nations voices, and creating safe, inclusive environments where culture, connection, and community leadership guide sustainable change.
