Working with Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander People

SDN formally acknowledges the unique position of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Australians and custodians of the land. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present.

SDN is committed to including Aboriginal perspectives and practices throughout our organisation, working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, children and families. SDN’s Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan is our public statement that formalises elements of our Ngara Nanga Mai strategy.

Ngara Nanga Mai strategy
Ngara Nanga Mai (pronounced ingara nanga my) is a word from the Gadigal language of the Eora (Sydney) Nation that means listen and dream. SDN’s Ngara Nanga Mai strategy stems from our underpinning philosophy and our vision for a world where the promise and potential of every child is realised, and families and communities are strong and caring. It reflects our mission to address inequalities faced by children, and our values of inclusion and respect. 
SDN’s Ngara Nanga Mai strategy involves:

• listening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and acknowledging the inequalities they face and their preferred ways to address these
• providing high-quality inclusive and integrated early childhood education and child care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
• delivering services and programs that are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific
• developing resources and pathways with and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.

Early childhood scholarships
SDN offers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Early Childhood Scholarships in response to the fact that many Aboriginal children do not access mainstream child care and preschool due to costs and cultural barriers. Our scholarships cover the cost for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child from a family facing challenges to attend an SDN Children’s Education and Care Centre for two days a week. This helps the child to be ready to start school on an equal footing with other students. Each scholarship is funded through donations, philanthropic grants and SDN’s own staff giving fund. Find out how you can personally help a child by contributing to a scholarship.

Working with our Aboriginal staff
SDN employs Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff who are skilled professionals with a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with the children and with other staff. Our commitment to two-way learning is reinforced through cultural awareness training for our staff, as well as an Aboriginal staff professional development program. 

Download our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Strategy for more information or visit our careers page to see our latest job opportunities.

Read Ngara Nanga Mai- SDN's strategy for working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.