Aboriginal Health Partnerships funding
Enabling equality
Through our Aboriginal Health Partnerships, we partner closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led community organisations that support better health and wellbeing outcomes for First Nations communities.
The story so far
From 2020 nib foundation made a new funding commitment of $1 million over the coming four years to enable us to expand our work in the area of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ health and wellbeing. Our Aboriginal Health Partnerships program was established following a donation from nib Group, made possible through unclaimed dividends from nib's shareholder base.
We recognised the importance of providing holistic support that builds emotional and social wellbeing in youth through connection to country and culture. Our Aboriginal Health Partnerships program supports community-led organisations to deliver strengths-based and culturally safe initiatives designed to build emotional and social wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth.
Why Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' health?
First Nations peoples experience, on average, 8-years less in life expectancy. Inequality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities remains widespread across many areas that impact health and wellbeing including education, housing, employment, and access to services.
First Nations communities are rightly concerned about the impact these inequalities have on their youth. As a business deeply committed to reconciliation and with a purpose of better health, nib, and nib foundation share this concern.
Every health outcome is linked with the environment in which we are born, grow, live, work, play and age – and this is especially so for First Nations people. We recognise that racism, socioeconomic disadvantage, intergenerational trauma, opportunity to develop skills and ability to find work, all influence our health and wellbeing. By working to reduce these inequities through our Aboriginal Health Partnerships and through our Reconciliation Action Plan, we strive for better health outcomes for First Nations communities.
How did we develop our area of focus?
We drew on the collective wisdom of our colleagues and networks including First Nations stakeholders, local community groups, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, past partners, and other experts in this field to help build our understanding of current community needs and best practice responses and determine how we can have the most impact.
We believe that the most impactful and successful Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health initiatives are those that are conceived by the community, designed in collaboration with the community, and community-led.
We believe that the most impactful and successful Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health initiatives are those that are conceived by the community and designed in collaboration with the community.
That's why we partner with community-led organisations who specialise in working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth and young adults to provide holistic, wrap-around support.
We work with experts in their field who are strength based and culturally safe in their approach.
About the funding
Application by invitation
Funding is allocated through proactive approach and partnership development.
More than just funding
In the spirit of offering more than funding alone, we seek to work with our partners long term. Our approach is to be respectful, responsive and flexible to their needs. We are guided by what they tell us is important.
Strong local presence
Our ideal partners have a strong local presence where our offices are located. They are respected leaders in their community and offer a variety of ways for nib to engage with and add value to the partnership now and into the future.