BALANCING LEADERSHIP
Co-designing a men’s leadership and wellbeing initiative
Story by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation in and the Traditional Owners of the Great Barrier Reef.
Male Traditional Owners can face unique and often complex challenges in Reef conservation. These challenges, both intricate and multifaceted, often present individuals with an array of different pressures from being over-engaged in organisations, to having to balance cultural responsibilities with community expectations.
To begin to address some of these issues, the male members from the Great Barrier Reef Foundation’s Traditional Owner Advisory Group (TOAG) led a co-designed process to develop a tailored workshop dedicated to Indigenous men of the Great Barrier Reef. What developed was a Spear and Shield Workshop to explore topics such as leadership, wellbeing and cultural pressure points that emerge in the context of working in the Traditional Owner Reef space. The first workshop was held in February 2024 and included 15 Traditional Owner males from the Foundation’s Traditional Owner Working Groups and their invited mentees under the age of 30, along with a few special guests.
TOAG member Malcolm Mann points out the initiative’s necessity: “Leadership in our context transcends the conventional; it’s about cultural stewardship, personal resilience and balancing this with community and often family responsibilities. This program is an opportunity for us men to create something that moderates the multifaceted challenges we face through our work.”
Echoing this sentiment, TOAG’s other male member Gavin Singleton adds: “In a realm where our responsibilities are immense, this co-design initiative brings a much-needed focus on emotional wellbeing and sharing, which is sometimes overshadowed by our environmental and cultural duties.”
The workshop’s facilitator, Dr Vincent Backhaus, was the first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander to complete a PhD at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, where he also obtained his Master of Philosophy in Psychology and Education. He underlines the initiative’s broader implications: “This isn’t just about us; it’s about co-designing and co-creating a sustainable leadership blueprint that resonates with our cultural ethos and environmental stewardship, for generations to come.”
In the evolving landscape of the Great Barrier Reef, the Spear and Shield Workshop recognises the importance of discussing wellbeing and community for effective leadership. This conversation is pivotal in a system where Traditional Owner-led projects are gaining prominence. Good leadership is not just about making decisions; it’s about fostering a supportive community where emotional wellbeing is prioritised. Such leadership is instrumental in driving positive change, ensuring that initiatives are not only environmentally sound but also culturally sensitive and community oriented. This approach ensures that Traditional Owner-led projects are sustainable, impactful, and aligned with the long-term vision Traditional Owners have for Country. Healthy people, healthy country.
The initiative’s foundational co-design workshop aims to craft a program responsive to the distinct challenges and responsibilities of men in professional roles, encompassing professional, cultural, community, and environmental dimensions. This endeavour not only addresses the immediate needs of Traditional Owner men but also paves the way for a legacy of strong, balanced, and culturally attuned leadership in the Great Barrier Reef region.
