Australian Unity – Living Libraries Part 2
Australian Unity
Who funded the project
Karabena Consulting was engaged by Australian Unity to deliver the second phase of the Living Libraries cultural immersion program.
The project aimed to strengthen reconciliation commitments within Australian Unity by providing non-Indigenous staff with opportunities to engage directly with Aboriginal leaders and community organisations. Sessions were held at Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place and the Kinaway Chamber of Commerce, followed by a joint debrief workshop at Australian Unity’s Melbourne office.
This work built on the success of the first Living Libraries program and contributed to Australian Unity’s Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan, embedding reconciliation, Aboriginal procurement, and workforce development into everyday business practice.
Summary
This project aimed to:
Provide non-Indigenous staff with opportunities for cultural immersion and direct engagement with Aboriginal leaders.
Strengthen Australian Unity’s commitments to reconciliation, cultural safety, and Aboriginal workforce participation.
Explore opportunities for procurement partnerships and social enterprise investment.
Embed reconciliation practice into Australian Unity’s organisational objectives.
Project Aims
To complete this project, Karabena Consulting:
Designed and facilitated two Living Library sessions with Aboriginal leaders and community members.
Partnered with Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place and Kinaway Chamber of Commerce to host dialogues on community priorities and procurement pathways.
Delivered a final joint workshop and debrief with Australian Unity staff.
Ensured direct financial contributions to community partners for their role in hosting.
Methodologies
Outputs
The key outputs for this project were:
Two Living Library sessions (Mullum Mullum and Kinaway).
A joint debrief workshop at Australian Unity’s Melbourne office.
Contributions of $3,300 to Mullum Mullum and Kinaway to support community programs.
The project delivered the following outcomes:
Increased cultural awareness among Australian Unity staff.
Strengthened corporate–community relationships with Aboriginal organisations.
Commitments to increase Aboriginal workforce participation from 0.6% to 1%.
Expanded use of Kinaway suppliers in Australian Unity’s procurement systems.
Pathways identified for culturally safe aged care, housing, and employment initiatives.
Tangible support for community programs, including Mullum’s 20-year Gala celebration.
Project Outcomes
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