Sometimes work gives you a rare chance to step well beyond the day-to-day – to see a place, a community and even your own job through fresh eyes. That’s what happened when CommBank offered Lewis Parker-Brown the chance to swap his Sydney desk – and role as a digital and payments manager – for six weeks on Darkinjung Country, joining a secondment program run by Jawun, a not-for-profit organisation. What started as a work opportunity quickly became something deeper: a chance to support Indigenous-led businesses to grow while listening to stories and history that can only be learnt on Country.
Why did this secondment appeal to you?
I enjoy working with people in First Nations communities to create better outcomes and that ties in closely with what the Jawun program is all about.
What did you find interesting about working with Jawun?
I wanted to volunteer with an Indigenous-led organisation so I could learn about First Nations history and hear community stories firsthand. I really wanted to step outside my comfort zone for six weeks and support the organisation in any way I could.
What did home base look like for those six weeks?
I was based with Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services in Wyong on the NSW Central Coast. It provides services including medical and dental care; mental health and wellbeing; and youth and parenting support.
What kind of work were you doing there?
I worked with a subsidiary called Maliga Ngura, which employs people within the Indigenous community through a series of small businesses. There are catering, lawn and garden maintenance, and cleaning services as well as a café. The businesses are growing and I was brought in to put together a strategic plan to map out the next few years so those businesses continue to grow.
How did you spend your days?
I shadowed the staff to understand what they did each day as part of their work and that gave me an idea of the strengths of each of the businesses and the challenges they face. It was a highlight to work with interesting people and to have conversations about their life and experiences. Everyone I met showed such resilience and determination to succeed.
What did you focus on once you learnt how things worked?
From the information I gathered, I put together strategic goals for each business and plans for how those goals could be achieved. I also worked with staff to develop a better understanding of each business’s profit-and-loss and balance sheets so they could stay on track into the future.
What were some highlights for you early on?
I met some inspiring younger people who are doing great work for their communities. Some of them work all day and then run a youth group or gym classes for young people at night. They were very committed to making things better for everyone. I also attended community events, such as men’s group events that have a mental health focus. Men in the community meet each week for a barbecue and it’s a safe space for them to talk with each other. It was a privilege to be part of those days.
