Managing Indigenous Organisations

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander organisations are constantly dealing with crises and organisational stress; more than most other not-for-profit organisations and commercial businesses. At the edge of financial viability, they face funding pressure, changing Government policies, the weight of community expectations, and the pressure of “walking two worlds” in governance and management. Many Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander organisations operate in remote locations for constituents whose first language is not necessarily English, where finding and retaining capable staff is a constant struggle, let alone training local community members in the administrative, financial and management jobs. It is not surprising then to hear that as an organisation, they struggle with resilience and sustainability. A resilient organisation should be able to withstand shock, crisis, pressure, and stress, and bounce back quickly to effective performance levels. Many have developed characteristics that allow this to happen. (more…)...