Governance in Our Hands
Larrakia Country
Governance In Our Hands
Governance in Our Hands celebrates the governance strength that already exists within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing organisations. Governance has always been part of who we are – grounded in culture, kinship, and accountability to community.
This program was developed to bring that strength together with legal and corporate governance responsibilities, ensuring that organisations are confident, connected, and ready for the future.
University of Adelaide Recognition
Governance in Our Hands is recognised by the University of Adelaide as a micro-credential towards their MBA. This affirms the strength of governance in our sector and creates clear pathways for participants to continue their leadership journey through further study.
Whole of Organisation approach
Governance is not confined to the boardroom. It lives in the daily decisions made by frontline staff, managers, CEOs, and directors. Governance in Our Hands brings people across all roles into the same conversation, creating a shared governance language that strengthens clarity, trust, and accountability.
Grounded in culture, prepared for change
The program embeds cultural governance throughout every module, recognising that cultural authority and community accountability are the foundation of strong organisations. At the same time, it builds confidence in legal and financial responsibilities, preparing housing organisations to navigate a shifting policy and political environment.
What the Program Covers
Cultural governance was embedded throughout every module, recognising cultural authority, relationships, and responsibility to Country, Kin and Community as central to good governance.
Directors' Duties
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Strong governance already runs through our organisations — shaped by cultural authority, collective decision-making and responsibility to community. This module builds on that strength by helping everyone understand what directors are legally responsible for, and how those responsibilities connect to the work happening every day across the organisation.
It gives teams a shared language for governance, so frontline staff, managers and directors can see how their contributions uphold the same high standards of care, diligence, good faith and integrity.
Related Party Benefits
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In our community-controlled housing organisations, relationships are a strength — and they can also create complexity in decision-making. This module supports whole teams to understand how related party relationships work, and how to stay transparent while honouring cultural connections.
It shows how good processes — like clear registers, open disclosures and accountable decision-making — can protect both organisations and the people who lead them, while keeping trust strong across community and funders.
Financial Governance
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Financial stewardship is everyone’s business, not just a board responsibility. This module brings teams together to build shared confidence in understanding budgets, reports, funding agreements and risks.
It shows how everyday actions — from frontline data entry to executive reporting — all contribute to the financial strength of the organisation, helping ensure resources are managed wisely so housing services can continue to grow and deliver for community.
Emerging Trends
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Our housing sector is navigating constant change — from policy reform to shifting funding models and evolving regulatory expectations. This module gives space for whole teams to step back from the day-to-day and look ahead together.
It helps people across roles understand what’s coming, connect the dots between sector-wide changes and their own work, and plan how their organisation can adapt while staying grounded in community priorities.
Managing Internal and External Conflicts
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Strong organisations know that challenges and disagreements are part of working together. This module supports teams to approach conflict in ways that protect relationships, respect culture, and strengthen trust.
Using real housing-sector scenarios, it offers practical, culturally informed tools to navigate tensions — whether between staff, boards, community, funders or regulators — so issues are resolved early and with integrity, keeping the focus on delivering for community.
Delegation of the Board’s Power
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Clarity about who makes which decisions is essential in fast-moving housing environments. This module brings whole teams into the conversation about how decisions flow through the organisation.
It shows how boards, CEOs, managers and staff can work together with clear boundaries, shared understanding and documented responsibilities; reducing bottlenecks, avoiding micromanagement, and building the trust and confidence needed for everyone to do their best work.
By setting clear authorisations, documenting delegation and monitoring performance, boards can focus on strategy and accountability, while empowering staff to lead operational work effectively.
What sets this program apart
Governance training is not new to our sector, but often, it hasn’t reflected the realities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled housing organisations.
Governance in Our Hands was shaped by the sector, for the sector. It brings cultural authority and corporate responsibility together in a way that strengthens what already exists in our organisations, while preparing us for a shifting housing and policy environment.
- Whole-of-organisation – Everyone speaks the same governance language, from frontline staff to directors, building shared accountability and smoother leadership transitions.
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Grounded in culture – Cultural authority is embedded throughout, affirming systems that already underpin legitimacy and community trust.
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Tailored to housing – Case studies and tools reflect the real challenges and opportunities of our housing organisations, not generic governance.
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Responsive and evolving – Each round is shaped by participant feedback, making it practical, adaptive and sector-led.
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Future leadership pathways – Governance knowledge is embedded across all levels so new leaders step into clarity and confidence. With University of Adelaide recognition, participants can also build on this learning through further study.
Governance in Our Hands is not about filling a gap. It strengthens and carries forward what is already strong, ensuring our organisations, and our future leaders, are confident, connected and ready for what’s ahead.
Program Review
Explore the full story of how this program was created and what it delivers.
Feedback
From our Sessions
Great course. All Local Aboriginal Land Councils should do this course.”
Broome Session
Excellent session, easy to understand and very informative.”
Sydney session
Informative and respectful training session. Thank you.”
Thursday Island Session
Stories from real life were very helpful. It made the legal parts make sense.”
Wollongong Session
