The Flourish Collective Commitment to First Nations People
We acknowledge the Larrakia People as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live, learn, and work in Garramilla (Darwin). We pay our deepest respects to Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the lands where our work reaches.
We honour the enduring and unbroken connection that First Nations peoples have to land, water, language, kinship, community, and culture. We recognise that sovereignty was never ceded — this always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land.
At Flourish, we are committed to creating and upholding culturally safe environments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This means ensuring that First Nations clients, students, and community members feel respected, supported, heard, and valued in every aspect of our work.
We are guided by the concept of Dadirri — a spiritual and cultural practice of deep listening and quiet still awareness, shared with the wider world by Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann, a Ngangikurungkurr Elder from the Daly River region. We acknowledge and thank the Ngangikurungkurr people for generously allowing this wisdom to be shared beyond Country. Dadirri invites us to listen with more than our ears — with presence, patience, respect, and humility for what is not always immediately spoken. We strive to practise deep listening in this spirit, embedding it into our ways of working, relating, and learning.
We also recognise the strength, generosity, and leadership of the First Nations children, families, staff and communities we walk alongside — from whom we continue to learn.
We commit to:
Ongoing learning and deep listening with humility and respect
Continual reflection and cultural humility in our practice
Strengths-based, culturally affirming therapeutic support
Supporting culturally safe practices and meaningful connections with First Nations communities
Embedding awareness of intergenerational trauma and resilience in our therapeutic work
Celebrating and amplifying First Nations voices, perspectives, and leadership
We walk alongside First Nations peoples with respect, curiosity, and courage, acknowledging that healing, justice, and reconciliation are ongoing and shared responsibilities.
We acknowledge the pain and wisdom carried through generations, and honour the cultural knowledge and lived truths that First Nations peoples continue to share with great generosity.
As part of this commitment, we will continue to seek guidance from Elders and community leaders, embracing their knowledge to inform our practices and policies. We are committed to being part of the healing journey, by fostering a culture of empathy, truth-telling, and accountability. Through consistent and meaningful action, we aim to support the empowerment, wellbeing, and self-determination of First Nations communities.
These are not just words — they are responsibilities we carry, grounded in relationship, reflection, and respect.
