What's happening?
As part of Council’s first Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), we are conducting a listening project to engage with our First Nations community and stakeholders. The objective of the project is to build a stronger understanding of the perspectives of First Nations people living and working in the City of Canada Bay.
Council has appointed Indigenous facilitators and cultural educators, Koori Kinnections, to work with our community directly, with support from Council's Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group.
The intention is not to approach this project with any preconceptions or expectations from the community, but to act as a welcome, safe listener of issues, concerns, aspirations, and priorities for our community.
Project scope
We invite our First Nations community to come and have frank and honest conversations about issues affecting them in our area in a culturally safe environment. Council is not looking to gather cultural intellectual property, but is hoping to foster trust and connection so that we can be guided on programs and priorities for Council to undertake in our next RAP. Our vision is that our next RAP is informed by our First Nations community.
The listening project will run from October 2023 to mid 2024, giving the community several opportunities to engage with Council and with one another.
Get involved
How to get involved
Meet Koori Kinnections
https://koorikinnections.com/
Koorikinnections is an Aboriginal cultural education organisation with over a decade of experience working across Greater Sydney.
Jess Sinnott (lead facilitator Koori Kinnections),Yuin and Wailwan woman with strong ties to the Laperouse Aboriginal community and Northern Sydney community. Trent Kelly (lead facilitator Koori Kinnections)- Yuin and Wailwan man with strong ties to the Laperouse Aboriginal community.
If you would like to reach out directly, please feel free to contact them:
- Trent Kelly - Operations Manager for Koori Kinnections
- 0487 102 861
- Available Mon- Thurs 9am-3pm
- or via email koorikinnections@outlook.com
About our Koori Kinnections facilitators
Koori Kinnections offer a range of Aboriginal educational tours, catering and programs for people of all ages. From bush food cooking classes to school incursions, guided bushwalks, culturally interpretative tours, resource talks, weaving workshops and more.
Yuin and Wailwan woman, Jess Sinnott is the Founder/Managing Director of Koori Kinnections – a 100% Aboriginal owned and operated Cultural Education business, offering education programs and tours for all ages. Growing up and living on Wangal and Dharug lands (Sydney), Jess gained a wealth of knowledge about Aboriginal culture, history, and heritage from her family, community and co-workers.
Trent Kelly is a proud Yuin and Wailwan man.
Trent was born and raised in the LaPerouse Aboriginal community in South Eastern Sydney on Dharawal country. He draws his cultural knowledge from his family, community and co-workers and strives to extend and deepen this knowledge as he believes that cultural education is a lifelong endeavor.
Trent has worked in education for many years including both high school and primary school. He has worked at schools with high populations of indigenous students and otherwise.
Trent took part in The Aboriginal Cultural Residents Program which is an initiative by The University of New South Wales that is attempting to install Aboriginal cultural educators into primary schools as part of the standard curriculum.
“I believe that ignorance breeds prejudice, so as an educator i believe that it is my duty to share my cultural knowledge and insight with a broad audience in order to widen our understandings of one another and close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.”
Questions
FAQ
What we've done so far
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Survey
A survey was shared with Listening Project participants to understand key priorities for our next RAP.
The survey was open from 2 - 28 July 2024.
Workshop 2
Monday 13 May 2024, 6-8pm
Collaborative workshop for First Nations people, facilitated by Koori Kinnections. This workshop discussed ideas raised at workshop 1.
Family Fun Day
Sunday 28 April 2024, 11am-2pm
A family friendly event open to anyone interested in learning more about First Nations heritage in the City of Canada Bay. Aboriginal cultural activities run by Koori Kinnections.
October Meet Up
This meet up was held at Concord Oval on Sunday 22 October 2023.
Workshop 1
Thursday 16 November 2023, 6pm
Collaborative workshop facilitated by Koori Kinnections.
The City of Canada Bay is a local government area in Sydney. We acknowledge the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, in particular the Wangal people of the Eora nation, as the first inhabitants of the nation and the traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.
Contact
Customer Service
9911 6555
Waste hotline (8am-5pm weekdays)
1300 551 659
Locations
Civic Centre
1A Marlborough Street, Drummoyne
8:30am-4pm weekdays
View map/Get directions
Postal address
Locked Bag 1470, Drummoyne NSW 1470
Website
Why are we engaging
Council is committed to ensuring those that live, work and play in the City of Canada Bay are part of the decision making process and are engaged with Council in an effective two-way flow of information.
Collaborate Canada Bay is our online tool for a dynamic and successful feedback loop.