The Western Australia Aboriginal Leadership Institute (WAALI) is delighted to announce the creation of a five-year partnership with BHP, with the clear objective of expanding its charter of delivering powerful leadership education for the benefit of Aboriginal Peoples across Western Australia.
The partnership will provide operational and scholarship support to WAALI and future program candidates, ensuring that employer support is not always required to access these educational opportunities.
WAALI’s programs are based on a carefully curated and authorised mix of Aboriginal wisdom and knowledge, joined together with Western research and methodology that focusses on self-leadership and creation of a leadership intention based on clarity of purpose and values.
WAALI’s programs have been operating since 2017 and have celebrated the graduation of over 200 women from its flagship program Yorga Djenna Bidi (Aboriginal Women’s Leadership Program). The program design is a testament to the commitment, created by Aboriginal People, for Aboriginal People, and is all about inspiring and supporting individuals to embrace leadership opportunities that strengthen their families and communities. WAALI’s leadership development offers significant benefits to business, organisations and community by providing the individual with increased self-confidence and leadership skills that grows from their cultural identity.
BHP has engaged with WAALI as an employer supporting program funding for Aboriginal People employed by the company and has now entered into the Partnership agreement to support WAALI’s expansion across regions of Western Australia. The partnership also supports the development of WAALI’s Men’s Leadership program, which is expected to be released for application early in 2025, and the creation of an Elder engagement process, ensuring that Aboriginal Elders and Leaders are at the forefront of authority and guidance for WAALI’s courses.
WAALI will support the intended regional expansion with the guidance of esteemed Eldership supporting the organisation, who will maintain active participation in the co-design of programs. Their involvement ensures that the programs remain firmly rooted in the traditions, values, and knowledge systems of the community. By preserving cultural continuity and intergenerational wisdom, WAALI fosters a profound sense of cultural identity and resilience.
This partnership will enable WAALI to continue to develop and deliver our flagship Leadership programs whilst providing an opportunity for growth through enhancing the capability and capacity of the organisation to deliver programs more broadly across WA regions.
