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| Healing Foundation | |
|---|---|
| Name | Healing Foundation |
| Formation | 2009 |
| Type | Non-profit |
| Headquarters | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory |
| Region served | Australia |
| Leader title | Chief Executive Officer |
Healing Foundation
The Healing Foundation is an Australian national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation focused on addressing the intergenerational trauma caused by the Stolen Generations and colonial policies. It advocates for community-led healing, funds local healing initiatives, conducts research into social and emotional wellbeing, and engages with federal, state and territorial bodies and Indigenous representative organisations. The Foundation works across urban, regional and remote communities to support culturally grounded responses linked to broader Indigenous rights and health systems.
The organisation was established in 2009 following recommendations from inquiries into Indigenous welfare and reparations such as the Bringing Them Home Report and national dialogues involving Australian Human Rights Commission stakeholders. Early governance drew on leaders with experience from institutions including the Lowitja Institute, Reconciliation Australia, and state Aboriginal legal services like the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT). Initial programs expanded during the administrations of the Rudd government and Gillan government eras when federal funding priorities shifted for Indigenous affairs. The body consolidated practice-based evidence during major events such as the centenary commemorations tied to the Centenary of Federation and national forums convened by National Congress of Australia's First Peoples.
The Foundation’s stated mission centres on healing from trauma rooted in historical policies including child removal, assimilation and cultural suppression exemplified by legislation like the Protection Acts (Australia). Objectives include promoting culturally appropriate healing models, supporting community capacity, informing policy debates in venues such as the Parliament of Australia, and contributing to national frameworks like the Closing the Gap strategy. It aims to influence service systems including state health departments (e.g., New South Wales Health), Indigenous peak bodies such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation (jurisdictional)—operational peers—and international forums including the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
Programs typically fund on-country and community-led healing projects in partnership with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations such as the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives and land councils including the Northern Land Council. Services include grants for cultural camps, training for local healers, workforce development with institutions like Charles Darwin University and evaluation support drawing on methodologies used by the Lowitja Institute. The Foundation also provides policy advice to agencies like the Department of Health and platforms for knowledge exchange at conferences hosted with partners such as the Australasian Society for Indigenous Health Research.
Research portfolios combine qualitative community narratives with quantitative indicators from sources such as the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Published work has influenced inquiries by commissions like the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody follow-up discussions and submissions to the Productivity Commission. Impact claims include improved community access to culturally safe services, documented by collaborations with universities such as the University of Melbourne and the Australian National University, and by contributing evidence to iterations of the Closing the Gap reports.
Governance arrangements involve a board with Indigenous and non-Indigenous directors drawn from sectors including academia, law and health—often connected to organisations such as the Law Council of Australia and the Australian Medical Association. Funding has blended federal grants, philanthropic support from entities like the Ian Potter Foundation and charitable trusts, and partnerships with state governments including Victoria and Queensland. Financial oversight aligns with reporting obligations to bodies such as the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.
The Foundation collaborates with a broad network of Indigenous peak bodies including the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and cultural institutions such as the National Museum of Australia for public education initiatives. It has convened joint projects with research centres like the Menzies School of Health Research, service providers including Anglicare Australia, and international partners linked to the United Nations mechanisms. Collaborative advocacy has intersected with campaigns led by groups like the Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association.
Critiques have addressed funding sustainability amid changing federal priorities under successive administrations such as the Howard government and debates over the best balance between healing and structural reform promoted by bodies including the Australian Institute of Criminology. Some commentators from conservative think tanks like the Institute of Public Affairs and policy analysts associated with the Centre for Independent Studies have questioned program efficacy and measurement frameworks. Indigenous leaders and community groups have sometimes debated program priorities with the Foundation over issues of local autonomy versus national coordination, a tension also seen in disputes involving entities like the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care.