CBA has partnered with two not-for-profit organisations to accelerate innovative responses to help address financial abuse in First Nations communities.
The organisations selected to be Next Chapter Innovation Partners will be provided with financial support as well as a range of other non-financial support measures over the next 18 months. This year's partners are located in Queensland and Western Australia and are First Nations-led and Aboriginal Community Controlled. Our partners and their work complement the CBA's Reconciliation Action Plan commitments.
This follows the bank's inaugural Next Chapter Innovation program last year.
The focus on First Nations communities follows CBA research which shows that First Nation communities experience a higher exposure to financial abuse than others. According to the research, those who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander are almost three times as likely (58 per cent) to have experienced financial abuse from a partner as those who don't (20 per cent).1
CBA Head of Community Investment Nathan Barker said: "CommBank's Next Chapter Innovation program allows us to share our experience in delivering innovation as well as to provide practical support and accelerate action for these community organisations. With a focus this year on developing innovative responses to support First Nations communities, we hope that this will help direct resources and capability where it can provide meaningful help and impact."
CBA's Indigenous Advisory Council Chair Sean Gordon added: "Through the latest cohort of Next Chapter Innovation Partners the Bank will deepen its understanding of the issue even further and support place-based initiatives that show promising outcomes and driving positive change."
The latest cohort of Next Chapter Innovation partners are:
- Strong Women Talking is a First Nations-led local organisation that is helping to break the cycle of domestic and family violence in First Nations communities. Strong Women Talking will deliver mobile domestic violence education and awareness sessions, which are trauma-informed and culturally safe, tailored and client centred.
- Council of Aboriginal Services WA (CASWA) is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation and peak body established to increase the capacity of Western Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations involved in service delivery to Aboriginal people in WA. CASWA will develop its "Empowered Pathways" project that will provide First Nations people impacted by financial abuse with the tools to achieve economic independence, personal empowerment and cultural resilience through financial literacy programs, employment pathways and culturally aligned economic activities.
Next Chapter Innovation offers successful organisations:
- access to grants of up to $200,000
- executive support and mentoring from CommBank
To further drive awareness of financial abuse in First Nations communities, additionally CBA is collaborating with the First Nations community to develop resources and education materials that help to raise awareness and understanding of financial abuse.
By collaborating on culturally appropriate content, we hope to empower individuals, families, and community leaders with the knowledge and tools to identify, prevent, and address financial abuse.
