Cultural considerations and the Unify story

​​​​​​​Culture and Diversity is central to the design, development and delivery of Unify. The Unify Program team is invested in ensuring we apply a cultural lens to everything we do on the program. This includes ensuring accountability to Culture through culturally appropriate representation at all levels of governance and engagement.

 

 

"Unify, it’s all about enabling connections for children, young people and families. We enable this by bringing them back together to thrive and strengthen their family, community and cultural connections."

 

 

 

Embedding a dedicated Cultural Advisor within the program.

Engaging with

 

  • First Nation's Council

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Regional Practice leaders

  • Youth Justice First Nations Action Board

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander focus groups - staff, young people

  • Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak.

 

Applying the Respectful Language Guide for all communications artefacts.

 

Ensuring all decisions made about an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander child are aligned to the five elements of the Child Placement Principle - Partnership, Connection, Prevention, Participation, Placement.

 

Utilising the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' knowledge lens for all program activities.

 

Establishing a Cultural Reference Group which involves our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues from around the state. They meet on a regular basis to chat about all things Unify and to resolve any questions or issues of a cultural nature that arise. Their guidance helps ensure all aspects and elements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are considered for each product.

 

 

Want to have a yarn?

Reach out to Deme Kelly, the Unify Program’s dedicated Cultural Advisor on 07 3097 5749 or UnifyCulturalConnection@csyw.qld.gov.au.

 

 

Waba Yumbin Gare

The Unify Program is privileged to have a striking and unique piece of cultural artwork 'Waba Yumbin Gare' (translation: together all of us go home) that depicts the Unify story of enabling connections for children, young people and families.

The artist, Rowella Franks a Wakka Wakka / Juru woman from the Burnett region, created this artwork specifically for the Unify program to depict the Unify story from a cultural perspective in a visual way. Rowella is a Cultural Practice Advisor based in Ipswich, the fact that Rowella will be impacted by the Child and Family products being delivered by Unify adds a lovely symmetry to the artwork.

 

 

A little more about the piece

 

  • At the centre of the painting is a family that has been Unified.

  • The jarjums in the painting represent the children and young people in the care system.

  • The green and blues lines with the dots in the middle is the path taken for our jarjums to be unified back to family.

  • The left and right sides of the painting represent the ups and downs of working with Child Safety to have our jarjums unified back to family.

  • Around the painting are the meeting places and connections. Without all of these connections and meetings we wouldn’t be able to have the jarjums unified back to family.

 

And a little more about the artist...

Rowella Franks identifies as a Wakka Wakka / Juru woman from the Burnett region, having grown up in Murgon with close familial ties to Cherbourg through her paternal grandfather, a Wakka Wakka man and traditional owner and her paternal grandmother, a Juru woman from the Birri-Gubba language group of Ayr in North Queensland. About her painting, Rowella says, "With my art I use a mixture of contemporary designs with bright colours whilst using traditional symbols through my pieces. ​When I am doing my art I feel connected to to my culture and have a sense of belonging, feel calm and relaxed around painting."