Checklist: Where does power lie in a partnership?

August 2024

Download Checklist: Where does power lie in a partnership? PDF

The aim of this multi-part checklist is to assess where power lies in a relationship between a mainstream funder – government, NGO or business – and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service provider. The tool can be used by both parties, or by an external agency.

Both parties should make their own assessment by recording the most appropriate response to each question, according to the number at the top of the column. For example, if the answer to the first question is “sometimes” then you would write “1” in that column then move to the next question.

Scores for each section can be added at the end.

If it is safe to do so, and there is a commitment to building the relationship, then both parties can discuss their respective assessments.

Contractual arrangements

Funding

History

Deliverables

Meetings

Reporting

Scoring

Add the section totals and see how you score against the possible total of 48. The analysis takes into account that:

mainstream organisations generally possess more resources than Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations
funder generally possess more power than service providers.

In accordance with Closing the Gap priority reforms, such as building the ACCO sector and changing the way governments do business, and regarding the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to self-determination, individual partnerships should vest power in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.

This checklist was developed by Yulang based on its experience of examining and experiencing relationships between Indigenous and mainstream organisations, and draws on the substantial work of SNAICC (Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care) on partnerships.

Recommended citation

Williams, M. & Ragg, M. (2024). Checklist: Where does power lie in a relationship? Yulang Indigenous Evaluation. https://yulang.com.au/starburst-indigenous-evaluations/power-tool/

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About rights, we rely on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous peoples’ cultural and intellectual property rights, research ethics, and legislation about work health and safety, including cultural safety.

About Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, we actively work with mobs’ holistic concept of health and wellbeing – all the social, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and environmental elements of life that affect individuals, families, communities, workforces, services, sectors and systems at which change is required. We are strengths-based, addressing deficit discourse, bias and racism. We are healing informed and trauma aware, and work on culturally relevant measures for success. Being community-led where possible we act in accordance with local protocols and ways of knowing, being, and doing. Respecting the diversity within and between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, we also think intergenerationally, being accountable by sharing knowledges and tools for others’ benefit.

About collaboration, we develop shared agreements to guide our work, often using tools we have developed for transparency and power-sharing. We often work in action cycles, to share insights early, adapt to change, and generate outcomes that partners can use to guide their ongoing work.

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