First Nations Foundation was established in 2006 with the vision of enabling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to make informed decisions about their financial wellbeing, in turn securing a sound economic future for themselves and their communities.

The development of a sound economic base in the Indigenous community is paramount to the future of Indigenous people. In order to be in a position to protect the things that we value and to sustain our culture and sense of identity we need to build the capacity to be equal players in the mainstream economy–and we can’t do that if we are living on welfare.

A key part of this work is about Indigenous Australia visioning their futures in line with Australian society. We need to identify what we want our future to look like, in order to feel safe, to feel connected and to have a sense of ownership and control over our destiny.

Knowledge and confidence in using money, the financial system and its products are key to managing a tight budget, planning a work career, running a business or building long term assets such as houses and superannuation.

‘Closing the gap’ in critical areas of financial and economic participation is also a key to improved health, employment and education outcomes, enabling Indigenous Australians to live full and productive lives – living, learning and earning.

Following the success of My Moola in Shepparton, the First Nations Foundation has support from its project partners Rio Tinto Aboriginal Fund, FaHCSIA and DEEWR to explore how the financial literacy program with its unique focus on personal development could be adapted to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities around Australia - starting with Roebourne and Melbourne. My Moola is not a fixed program delivered by outsiders to communities. Rather, it is community led and uses a community development approach to develop an appropriate program, employing and training local facilitators. Click here for more information

In August, our new My Moola team from Yaandina Family Services in Roebourne visited Shepparton to run through the program and learn how they've adapted and developed the program for the needs of the community. Roebourne are now in full swing talking to the community about what the program should look like in Roebourne, and adapting the content and delivery due to kick off in early 2012! Watch this space for more updates!