This NAIDOC Week, we acknowledge and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, communities, Elders and leaders past and present. The 2026 theme, 50 Years of Deadly, recognises the strength, resistance, creativity and leadership that have shaped NAIDOC over five decades.
At The Shepherd Centre, our work is centred on listening, communication and connection. We also know that listening must mean more than hearing. It means being willing to learn, to reflect, and to do better.
Ear and hearing health inequities continue to affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities across Australia. As an organisation working in hearing health, we have a responsibility to be part of respectful, inclusive and culturally safe care.
Through First Voice, The Shepherd Centre is connected to STORM — the Systematically Together Overcoming Racism Model — an Indigenous-led national research project focused on eliminating institutional and systemic racism in the ear and hearing health care sector.
As First Voice has shared: “First Voice and its members acknowledge and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia and commit to advancing reconciliation through listening, learning, and action. We reject racism and embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion in everything we do.”
We know this work extends beyond one week or one post. We are committed to continuing to listen, learn and strengthen the way we welcome, support and walk alongside all families and individuals in our care.
Ways to get involved:
- See local NAIDOC Week events near you: Local NAIDOC Week events | NAIDOC
- Explore educational resources here: Educational resources | NAIDOC
Artwork elements used in web banner: Community Connections by Rob Naylor, commissioned by The Shepherd Centre in 2025 to celebrate community, connection and the many ways people communicate and belong.
