Working with our Communities

Engagement is a foundational principle for several CASS research, teaching and outreach initiatives. CASS is committed to strengthening community engagement with First Nations peoples, communities and organisations through a range of public events and research and teaching practices. For example, the CASS Annual Public Lecture on Future Directions in Indigenous Research furthers understanding of, and respect for, First Nations peoples, cultures, histories and contributions to Australian society.

• Dr Lawrence Bamblett’s project on the Protection Board involves partnerships with 65 Aboriginal communities, NSW Aboriginal Affairs and the NSW State Land Council. Dr Bamblett and other researchers in the School of History have modelled new ways of developing and presenting collaborative research projects – moving well beyond the traditional book or scholarly article to produce films, web-sites, oral history archives, museum exhibitions, cultural maps and other resources adapted to community and educational use.
• Associate Professor Deirdre Howard-Wagner, Associate Professor Janet Hunt and Annick Thomassin from the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR), along with Associate Professor Karen Soldatic at Western Sydney University, are engaged in a partnership with seven First Nations organisations in New South Wales to improve public policy understandings of the distinct role urban First Nations organisations play in society, particularly in relation to rights to self-determination and community development, and ways to reconfigure public administration to accommodate these roles. 
• The Two-Way Project, led by Dr Kirrily Jordan (CAEPR), is facilitating collaborative engaged research that draws in researchers and practitioners across CASS to work with First Nations communities in the ACT and region on a series of creative arts projects. The CASS academic team (across CAEPR, the School of Art & Design and the School of Music) has partnered with several Traditional Owner families to produce two public murals in north Canberra. It has also run a series of arts outreach projects in collaboration with Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service, delivered by Alison Alder and Adele Cameron at the School of Art & Design.
• The School of Archaeology and Anthropology Collections Management Advisory Committee have given priority in the conservation, conservation, security, accessibility and engagement with significant Australian Indigenous collections, as part of their initiative to provide oversight on the management of significant collections within CASS and the ANU.
• CASS has been working on initiatives with the Drill Hall Gallery to identify, consolidate and catalogue Indigenous artwork within the College. This RAP project has also been prompted by the upcoming building works of RSSS and RSHA.
• The College HR team made a successful application to the inaugural ANU Indigenous Professional Staff Grants Program in 2018. The funding will support a new Indigenous Traineeship Program which is at implementation stage; two trainees will be hosted on a rotational program across different work areas for a twelve-month period with placements to be coordinated through an expression of interest process.
• Established in 2017 by Dr Christopher Sainsbury of the School of Music, AMPlify: Indigenous Composer Initiative supports and mentors emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander composers in new music and jazz. The program is a collaboration between the Australian Music Centre, Moogahlin Performing Arts, The Australian National University and Ensemble Offspring.