Indigenous Australia
National Australia Bank's first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was launched by The Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, Prime Minister of Australia on 1 December 2008. This plan aims to build on what a financial services organisation can bring to address areas of Indigenous disadvantage.
Learning from the experience of our first RAP and informed by continued consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, organisations and communities, we have reviewed and updated our RAP. Our second RAP summarises our efforts to date and details more ambitious goals in 2010.
Our strategy continues to focus on three areas that play to our strengths as an organisation and aligns with our goal to build strong, sustainable and more inclusive communities. These are:
- Provide greater access to financial products and services to promote financial inclusion.
- Build access to real long-term jobs in a sustainable way.
- Support greater organisational understanding of and respect for Indigenous Australians, their culture and aspirations.
To learn more about our progress and future plans, please read our second RAP.
NAB’s Reconciliation Action Plan (2010)
NAB’s Reconciliation Action Plan (2008)
Indigenous Advisory Group
NAB has brought together Indigenous leaders and senior NAB executives to advise on NAB’s engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the Reconciliation Action Plan.
The members of the NAB Indigenous Advisory Group are:
- Dr Chris Sarra (Co-Chair) Director, Indigenous Education Leadership Institute
- Danny Gilbert (Co-Chair) Managing Partner Gilbert + Tobin Lawyers, NAB Director
- June Oscar, CEO Marninwarntikura Fitzroy Women’s Resource Centre
- Fred Chaney, Chair of Desert Knowledge Australia, Board Member, Reconciliation Australia
- Bev Manton, Chairperson, NSW Aboriginal Lands Council
- Michael Long, Patron of the Long Walk, Essendon Football Club
- Terri Janke, Solicitor Director, Terri Janke and Company
- NAB - Tim O’Leary (General Manager, Community & Corporate Responsibility)
The IAG meets half yearly and first met in June 2009. An honorarium is paid to members of the group, excluding the NAB representatives.
Terms of Reference of the Advisory Group
Promoting financial inclusion
Indigenous Money Mentors
To promote financial inclusion, NAB is piloting an Indigenous Money Mentor (“IMM”) network as we believe many Indigenous people on low incomes are often financially marginalised as a result of specific cultural and geographic challenges. As a result of such challenges, it is often difficult for Indigenous people to access culturally appropriate financial literacy information and assistance with money management issues.
The IMM role is being piloted in a number of communities with high Indigenous populations, in the belief that these challenges can be significantly reduced when face-to-face support is made more accessible.
The primary functions of an IMM are to:
- provide ongoing financial literacy education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities using culturally appropriate materials and education techniques.
- engage in casework with clients to improve the clients’ financial wellbeing (including assistance when in financial crisis and supporting the client to adopt preventative strategies).
- provide a supported referral service to help clients obtain assistance from other service providers to address broader issues which may be impacting on a clients’ financial wellbeing (eg. consumer protection agencies, health, housing, employment and education services).
- provide access to microfinance products (No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS), StepUP Loans and AddsUP Savings Program) in circumstances where the client identifies that such products will improve their financial wellbeing.
NAB helping Traditional Credit Union expand services
NAB is providing Traditional Credit Union Limited (TCU) with interest free loans to enable them to open branches in remote locations in the Northern Territory, providing access to financial services for more Indigenous customers.
In addition, NAB has created a grant, to the value of $200,000 for TCU to fund activities as the new branches are opened such as advertising, legal costs, development of brochures and website upgrades.
NAB employees also have the opportunity to work with the TCU through secondment.
More information
Indigenous Entrepreneurs – Microenterprise Loans
In partnership with Indigenous Business Australia (IBA), NAB has developed an Indigenous Business Entrepreneurs program based on the award-winning Microenterprise Loan. NAB provides the capital and IBA helps each client with their business plan and advice through their Australia wide network of business consultants.
NAB is also working in partnership with the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) to make Microenterprise Loans available in the Torres Strait.
View some of our success stories:
No Interest Loans Scheme
Since 2006, NAB has provided capital to expand No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS®) throughout Australia. Developed by Good Shepherd Youth & Family Service (GSYFS) nearly 30 years ago, NILS offers small, no interest loans for people on low incomes for the purchase of essential household goods.
In April 2009, NAB, Anglicare NT and GSYFS launched the first NILS program in Alice Springs and NAB will continue to provide funding, to support NILS programs specifically for the needs of Indigenous consumers. We are also funding two community development workers in areas of high Indigenous population to help make NILS accessible to more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
AddsUP Savings Program
In May 2009, NAB in collaboration with Good Shepherd Youth & Family Service (GSYFS) launched the AddsUP Savings Plan for people who are living on low incomes and have repaid their NILS® or StepUP loan. Once an individual has saved $300, they have the opportunity to have these funds matched by NAB dollar for dollar up to a one-off amount of $500.
This program will specifically target areas of high Indigenous population.
Sustainable Indigenous employment
NAB is providing training opportunities for Indigenous Australians. This will be challenging as NAB’s experience in this area is limited and the retail and corporate work environment is not necessarily for everyone. We are also conscious of setting employment targets and building a sustainable program with appropriate mentoring and capacity development within the organisation to retain Indigenous employees.
School-based trainees
NAB offers school-based traineeships for students in Years 10 – 12. These trainees study Business Administration Certificate II and receive on-the-job experience and mentoring from senior NAB employees and external partners.
As at 30 June 2010, there are 52 Indigenous school-based trainees working at NAB in New South Wales, Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria and the Northern Territory. The December 2010 intake will see South Australia and Tasmania come on board.
Scholarships
NAB in collaboration with the Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre in Canberra, is providing scholarships in Indigenous Leadership for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
In conjunction with the Melbourne Business School, NAB also provides an Indigenous scholarship The NAB MBA scholarship enables Indigenous Australians with a track record of leadership in entrepreneurial, community, business, artistic and/or sporting activities to fulfil their personal and professional potential. It provides financial assistance with tuition fees, books and living expenses while completing the MBA.
A similar scholarship is in place at Charles Darwin University to support an Indigenous student completing a business-related degree.
Apprenticeships
In partnership with Local Training Groups, NAB provides finance apprenticeships to support the training and development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders interested in a career in business banking.
In April 2009, one of NAB’s first apprentices – Anthony Lew Fatt, Associate Business Banker in the NT was awarded Indigenous Apprentice of the Year in the Group Training NT Awards.
Longitudinal Study
As part of the Reconciliation Action Plan, NAB is committed to following the progress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people employed through the Indigenous Employment Program for three years. This first year of research was undertaken in 2009 by the Centre for Labour Market Research University of Canberra.
More information
Creating understanding and awareness
Welcome to Country Protocol
NAB has developed a protocol to guide employees in how to organise a welcome to country and acknowledge traditional owners and custodians of the land.
Protocol for Acknowledging Traditional Owners
Volunteering in Indigenous communities
NAB provides two days paid volunteer leave each year for its employees. In collaboration with Indigenous Community Volunteers (ICV), NAB is working to identify skill-based volunteering opportunities for employees to volunteer in an Indigenous organisation and learn more about Aboriginal people and their culture.
Cultural Awareness Training and Cultural Experiences
As part of NAB's Accelerate program - a 12 month program for NAB senior leaders, NAB has partnered with Tangentyere Council in Alice Springs. As part of the program, leaders spend a day in the life of a Tangentyere manager, getting an insight into their world.
Tangentyere Council was established in the 1970's to assist Aboriginal people living in and around Alice Springs to gain some form of legal tenure of the land they were living on, in order to obtain essential services and housing.
While there is no specific outcome to this experience, participants tend to give something back in terms of their time, expertise or charitable donation.
NAB employees working in regions of high Indigenous population are also offered cultural awareness training and cultural experiences. Staff involvement is voluntary with the purpose to provide opportunities for our employees to gain a greater understanding of the local Aboriginal communities in which they work.
Yachad Accelerated Learning Project
NAB is involved in a range of initiatives that help to build social capital and empower local communities, including The Yachad Accelerated Learning Project (YALP).
YALP is a three-year educational intervention program aimed at raising the scholastic achievements of students in remote and rural locations in Australia, particularly Indigenous students.
The program is based on whole of community educational approaches developed by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. YALP is working in consultation and cooperation with schools, parents, Indigenous elders and community organisations in five locations: Alice Springs (NT), Aurukun (QLD), Halls Creek (WA), North Adelaide (SA) and Shepparton (VIC).
As a partner of YALP since 2005, NAB is committed to helping young people in these rural and remote locations.
For more information visit the YALP website.
