Finding Strength in Culture

Podcast Intro (Narrator)Welcome to Daa'ring Yarning, a gathering place for sharing stories of strength, culture, and connection from First Nations communities. Here, we will shine a light on ideas and programs that contribute to reducing violence against women and children, and healing practices for all who have been affected by family violence. We will also explore the culture that keeps our mob strong and what it means to our communities. Hosted by First Nations Advocates Against Family Violence CEO, Kerry Staines, Daa'ring Yarning is a safe space for storytelling, learning, healing, and community connection. Today, you'll hear from Rachel Hill, a proud Larrakia, Wardaman, Gurindji, Arrernte, and Tiwi woman, whose journey from receptionist to Cultural and Engagement Lead at NAFLES shows what's possible when passion for community and culture come together. So grab a cuppa, sit back, and join us for this yarning.

Kerry StainesHi Rachel, and welcome to our podcast. Really excited to talk to you today about your journey, particularly being a young person, and the year of NAIDOC, to hear why you work within our sector, and to look at what you bring, and maybe inspire some other young people to join us in the FPA/LF sector and/or the Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisational sector. So if you could just introduce yourself, Rachel—where you're from and where you work—and then we'll get right into it.

Rachel HillSo I'm Rachel Hill, I'm a proud Larrakia woman, um, but also, uh, Wardaman, Gurindji, Arrernte, and also the Tiwi Islands up here in the NT. I am the Cultural and Engagement Lead at NAFLES, so the North Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Service based up in Darwin.

Kerry StainesYeah, great. That's a long title and then a long organizational name to follow. So, let's start with your, um, your earlier journey. What role did you apply for first at NAFLES, and what made you apply for that role?

Rachel HillUm, uh, my first role at NAFLES was back in 2013 as the receptionist. Um, just sort of fresh out of school, um, was just working a casual job, and I wanted to, to just start my first big girl job, um, and NAFLES really stood out for me just being an Aboriginal family, um, legal service, because I know that that's, it's very unique, there's not much in Darwin, um, well, we're the only ones, so, uh, just wanted to work with mob.

Kerry StainesYeah, that's great. And so, you applied for that, um, first role. Um, did you need qualifications or, um, experience? What did you have to show to get that role?

Rachel HillUm, well, it was sort of just an entry-level role, um, so I was 19, straight out of, um, school. And I just applied for it, um, went in, they did offer me, um, like if I wanted to do a traineeship, whether it was like admin or business admin and stuff like that. Um, but yeah, and then within four months of being a receptionist, a caseworker job opened up, so they asked me to, um, if I was interested in that role. So, that's when I started my caseworker journey.

Kerry StainesOh, great. And I think, yeah, I want to hear more about your journey to your current role. Um, so maybe if you can just tell, tell me a little bit more about what's the caseworker do?

Rachel HillSo, our caseworkers, um, we work alongside our legal staff, our lawyers, and, um, paralegals. So, with us, we're, we're, at the time, we were strictly remote work, so we will travel out to communities. Um, NAFLES services are in about 40-plus remote communities, so traveling out whenever the bush courts on, um, and assisting our clients um, with their legal matters, but then also we help with the non-legal matters that can include housing, safety planning, intense case management, and a lot of admin work when it comes to victims of crime compensation claims. But just being that voice and that, that person, that safe person that our clients feel safe to coming to first. But then also building relationships with different stakeholders in community. And yeah, and just naturally being that Aboriginal identified person, our clients and our stakeholders in communities will come up to us first and ask us who we are, what we're doing, and how we can help.

Kerry StainesHow you connected, etc. So is there on-the-job training? Is that how you kind of—because obviously all those things that you just mentioned are quite technical. Was there people there to help you, I guess, learn all of those things, um, as you went through?

Rachel HillYeah, at the time, um, I was really fortunate to have senior women be my mentors as caseworkers and senior caseworkers and managers. So, a lot of it was on-the-ground training, very, very practical. But I think what sort of, why I got asked for the position like to move into the caseworker position is from my sort of natural skills and connection to culture and family and communities that really helped. Sort of just, I had all, all of it in the background, lived experience, and all of that stuff. And being out in community like with family and personal reasons, but then yeah, sitting down and doing that training with the senior caseworkers and managers to do that, yeah, more practical sort of part of the job and the file note-taking. And back then we used to use a system called Celsus to put all of our file notes on and, yeah, record keeping.

Kerry StainesSo they obviously saw that you naturally were very passionate about community and really keen to help, and then, I mean, having access to all, all different communities to go into is pretty exciting. How did you get to this role? What was your journey from that caseworker—I mean, you started like you said in admin, and then went to casework—how did you get to such a great role you've got now?

Rachel HillI was caseworker, I left NAFLES for about a year and lived in Sydney and got some experience down here and then, when I was moving back to Darwin, a caseworker role was open, so re-applied and was fortunate enough to get that job again um, and did that for a couple of years. And then I left again to work with NDIA. And the skills that I learned at NAFLES when it came to, um, community relationship and that, building that relationship and trust, helped me in my next job at NDIA. And then I was there during COVID time, and then NAFLES, for a couple of years, and then NAFLES approached me to come back to sort of lead the community legal education program as a project manager. So that's when I came back to NAFLES um, because before I was doing well, we was doing community legal education as, like, I was doing as a caseworker with the lawyer. So, I really found a lot of passion and drive in that, so when I came back, yep, did that project work. And then, it was just a changing in the organization, I then was able to be a executive assistant to the CEO at the time. When she left, our office manager stepped up and was acting in the CEO position for a while, um, and she sort of, she was a non-Aboriginal person and she seen me as someone that, you know, knows NAFLES business, our core purpose, and knows that I do have connection in community and how NAFLES should run. So, um, we sort of, I was her left hand when it came to doing all things cultural and sort of mob-focused. Uh, and then that sort of led into another position, so they've sort of just chucked me around.

Kerry StainesI see it more as there's opportunities that crop up, and you're obviously willing to, to take a chance and do something different, yeah.

Rachel HillYeah. And so it was like senior partnership and advocacy officer for a while, and now being the Cultural and Engagement Lead, I manage our intake officers and also our uh, case work team leads. So, I look after pretty much all of our Aboriginal identified positions, and to make sure that how we operate and our service delivery is culturally safe, our Aboriginal staff are leading the way, and we're the first point of contact.

Kerry StainesThat's great. I mean, it's a lot of responsibility managing a team. And, um, I did see you in the halls of parliament recently, so I think, you know, it goes to show, you know, someone from Darwin can be influencing on that national stage. I think it's really powerful and, and, you know, it's great for people to hear, you know, where you can go in these roles. I guess one of the questions I have for you is looking at, so that's kind of a journey of maybe how, you know, young people can come into the role, and what would attract them to the role, like working with mob on country is really exciting. What makes you stay, or what do you see as, you know, some of the opportunities for you at NAFLES or into your, you know, future career?

Rachel HillMy mindset of, you know, what keeps me at NAFLES from when I was a caseworker is, yeah, dealing with people on the ground, getting outcomes. Um, and then now, being in this position, it's sort of, it's more focused on the staff and, you know, how can I influence them to stay at NAFLES, but then also how to service our clients better. And um, where I sit also under our CEOs having that influence on how we make sure that we stick to our core business and that our Aboriginal clients are at the center of how we deliver our service. That's probably what keeps me motivated in my position now, and having that opportunity to go down to Canberra, um, and speaking at things like this, like on this podcast, um, really motivates me because I've always been taught if you can do it, do it. If you're not going to do it, who else will do it? So um, I've got the platform, um, which I'm very, very grateful for, and I've got the voice for it, so uh, I don't think I'll be quiet any time soon, so.

Kerry StainesAnd people pushing you into it.

Rachel HillYep. "Go forward, go forward," yeah.

Kerry StainesAnd what would you say, um, if a young person is listening to this now and they're thinking, "Actually, I wouldn't mind having a look at that," what would you say would be some of the steps they could take to get a job in this sector, or working in a community-controlled organization? What should they do?

Rachel HillJust be present and ask heaps of questions. I know like some people are like, "Oh, that's a dumb question," and I used to be that person, but asking those dumb, silly questions can get the answers that you really need to hear, especially when it's like just that bit of motivation to step outside the box and be brave and have that courage is just to ask so much questions. And if, if you're not there, you're not there, but it does take a while to get there. I, yeah, 19-year-old answering phones, I was shame and timid at the start, but now I love talking to mob on the phone and I will answer the front desk if I can, when I can.

Kerry StainesAnd I really just have, uh, one final question for you, which is what does culture mean to you?

Rachel HillI always describe myself as being a little black girl from Darwin. It's my culture and who I am is, it's, it's a part of who I am. Every single day walking out of um, my house into my office, talking on the phone, sending emails, it's who I am and how I've been brought up, like having strong influences in my life, whether it's my parents, my older siblings, aunties, uncles, grandfathers, um, it's sort of taking all that knowledge that's been passed down and giving it to me, so, you know, and I'm, I'm very, very, very grateful with my parents and what they've given to me and the opportunities. And I know that a lot of people, especially a lot of little black kids in Darwin don't have that. So, just holding on to that culture and who I am as a person and the values that I've been taught, um, and then carrying that with me into my work, um, having that respect. I am one of the youngest people at NAFLES, so really respecting the, like, older people in the organization, but then also being confident that in my role as a leader is, you know, when it is time to have those challenging questions or ask those challenging questions that, um, my cultural integrity is behind me and backing me up the whole way through. And that's even if at work, if I'm representing NAFLES or representing my family, like culture is everything.

Kerry StainesI know that your work is very respected in what you do, and I know NAFLES feels grateful to have you on board because we hear about that all the time.

Rachel HillI think being a young person in this role and like with being a part of the executive team, you can get like fingers pointed or judgment of like, "Oh, you're a young person, you don't know," or so it's just like if I were to give, yeah, more advice to any other young people, it's just stick to your thoughts. Um, my mom's always taught me like if you know you're right, you keep pushing your point across um, and but you need that evidence and, you know, reason behind you. So, it's like don't be too shamed, don't be too scared, like give it a go, because if yeah, if you don't know, you don't know, and ask heaps of questions.

Kerry StainesBelieve it or not, I was actually young once myself. I know I'm getting a bit older now. But one of the things that I was always taught as well is to actually know who your cheer squad is behind you. You identify the people that, that will challenge you, but also support you, and having a really good understanding of who—and it could only be a handful of people, so some aunties um, that you can check in with and then be bouncing ideas and questions off. I've found that really helpful throughout my whole career is to have that little support group, particularly if you are a young person who's got some level of responsibility. But you're right, backing yourself, and being, you know, respectful is a really good balance, um, and I see you do that all the time. How do you weave culture and professionalism together in your everyday work?

Rachel HillI carry my culture like with me all the time, so it's will happen naturally. But, you know, the values of um, respect, um, having integrity, being open and honest, but then also having that humility as well, um, when it comes to, okay, if I make mistakes, we all make mistakes, to, you know, if I know that I've made a mistake and, you know, I'll be the first one to put my hand up, um, but then having that sort of respect for myself that if, if I know that I didn't mess up, or I'm not in the wrong, then it's to, yeah, put my voice um, forward. Um, and then I always talk to, because like we're very, very fortunate um, at NAFLES, or I am, that we've got women that have been working in the DV sector for years, so relying on them, um, and their cultural knowledge is really important to me. And I'm a team player, so it's always like, yeah, how are we going to sit down and work with this together? Let's, you know, have a yarn about it, and let's come up with solutions that are client-focused and trauma-informed.

Kerry StainesThat made me think of something else as you were talking about, I guess with your role you've, like you said, you've got culture built in and working for an Aboriginal community-controlled organization, it, it sets up some of those structures. What about if you're talking to government um, and trying to, you know, balance the cultural responsibility with something that's a bit more foreign or mainstream? How do you try to—and I'm not saying that there's, there's this awesome answer out there that there's only one—but I guess how do you try and balance to bring that cultural perspective and influence in some of those more structured kind of environments?

Rachel HillBefore going into that sort of foreign environment is getting myself prepared. So, if I'm going to talk about community and, you know, the issues and solutions, I've got to go to community and ask them first, um, to get that sort of raw information and straight to the point. And then going to government, um, whether it's local or Commonwealth, and being honest and, um, being upfront of this is what's happening um, in our communities, we see the, the, the holes um, and the gaps, but and these are the solutions that come straight from the ground. I think just really being honest and making sure that listening to community and getting their input is one thing, but then following up and making sure that we're getting that message to the right person, then letting community know any feedback or what happens. So, not like a lot of communities just think, you know, services go in and out and nothing's being done, or they just use big words, but actually going back and giving them feedback, what has been said, and um, how we're going to move forward. So I think it's, I'm very big on, you know, I treat others how I want to be treated, so it doesn't matter who I'm sort of talking to, it's I'm, I'm going to come to you with the truth um, but be very strategic about it um, and have community backing.

Podcast Outro (Narrator)Thanks for joining us on Daa'ring Yarning. I hope Rachel's story has sparked something in you, whether it's curiosity about working in a community-controlled organization, or a reminder of the strength that comes from knowing who you are and where you come from. A big thank you to Rachel for sharing her journey, and to everyone listening for walking alongside us as we keep these conversations going. If you'd like to hear more stories like this, make sure you follow Daa'ring Yarning wherever you get your podcasts. Until next time, stay connected, stay strong, and keep yarning.