The winner of the Special Award for Strengthening Indigenous Communities in the 2003 National Awards for Local Government was the Mapoon Council in Queensland. Mapoon Dreaming involved a comprehensive and participatory strategic planning process that recognised and respected local culture and aspirations, and built upon community strengths and assets to find workable solutions.
Effective strategic planning has contributed to a strengthening of community governance to ensure that new initiatives are in keeping with community priorities and aspirations. Mapoon Dreaming was successful in engaging the majority of Indigenous residents in identifying needs, building a vision, setting priorities and planning strategies.
Achievements from the project include a variety of new business enterprises, training initiatives, and social and environmental projects which attest to the success of the process. Issues being addressed are similar to those experienced in other Indigenous communities, including the difficulties of operating in a remote location.
Particular attention has been paid to identifying barriers to development, including infrastructure, staffing, training and resource needs. Mapoon Dreaming is an excellent example of participatory community visioning and planning processes in a community with a history of disadvantage and difficulties. Employment and income generating opportunities have increased significantly, and individual, organisational and governmental capacities have also grown.
Mapoon Council’s experience in effective Indigenous community engagement in both planning and implementing a variety of linked strategies provides an excellent example from which other councils could benefit. For details contact Jason Pfingst on (07) 4090 9124.
