NEWS
Accor partners with BlackCard to inspire and educate team members
As part of our Indigenous Business Month series, we’re showcasing the stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses that we proudly work with.
Founded in 2013, The Australian BlackCard is a 100% Aboriginal owned business certified with Supply Nation and was established by Dr Lilla Watson and Mundanara Bayles and has been appointed as Accor’s preferred partner in Cultural Education.
Mundanara Bayles is a respected and well established businesswoman whose cultural heritage is connected to the Wonnarua and Bunjalung people on her mother’s side and the Birri-Gubba and Gungalu on her father’s side.
BlackCard is a specialist consultancy providing cultural capability training and consultancy services to enable people and organisations to work effectively with members of the Aboriginal community. Their purpose is: working with people, not for people, with the genius of Aboriginal Knowledge.
The inspiration behind BlackCard is simple, “To educate all Australians about the tens of thousands of years of knowledge that comes directly from this land.” Mundanara says.
The impact of COVID has been significant for BlackCard with the majority of their sessions involved face-to-face training and interstate travel. As a result they immediately shifted to online delivery and had to put their tourism operation, BlackCard Cultural Tours, on hold for six months resulting in the loss of income to BlackCard and also to their Aboriginal tour guides and performers.
During this period, Mundanara took the opportunity to launch her very own podcast ‘Black Magic Woman’ to stay connected to her clients while also educating the wider community.
When asked what advice she would share with Indigenous businesses, Mundanara shares “My recommendations to Indigenous businesses is to engage with their local Indigenous business sector, find out what other Indigenous businesses are operating in the community and see if there’s any events that are run by the local Indigenous Chamber of Commerce and of course promote yourself on LinkedIn.”
Accor is proud to partner with BlackCard to ensure our workplace is culturally safe for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, while also educating our team members on the true history of this nation.
This year, Australia’s leading supplier diversity event, Connect, was transformed into a unique online experience, breaking down borders to support the growth of the Indigenous business sector. Supply Nation’s Connect 2021 was delivered via world-class technology, allowing greater accessibility and engagement, with plans to resume the face-to-face tradeshow event in 2022.
Hosted by renowned journalist, author and filmmaker, Stan Grant, Connect 2021 was held in May and
incorporated the Knowledge Forum, Tradeshow and Awards Show into an interactive two-day online experience.
“When I think about my ancestors and the fight, they had to fight I feel a deep sense of obligation to continue what they started. That’s one of the reasons why I went into business with my elders and started BlackCard with my co-founder Dr Lilla Watson, to provided cultural training to organisations like CommBank that enables people to work effectively with members of the Aboriginal community.
This award is a testament to all of the hard work put in over the years from all of our BlackCard team. I’d like to thank my elders, its honour to be in business with you and lastly our partners, Commonwealth Bank Australia.
Co-founder of the BlackCard Mundanara Bayles
OUR HISTORY
BlackCard’s approach is based on a cultural competency course developed by Mary Graham and Lilla Watson, Aboriginal Elders and Educators and long-time course developers and lecturers for the University of Queensland. The founders of the BlackCard have developed and taught core university subjects such as “Aboriginal Perspectives” and “Aboriginal Approaches to Knowledge” both at an undergraduate and post- graduate level since the 1970’s.
The demand for their knowledge and expertise as educators has grown beyond the university sector to the broader business and community sectors. This led the founders to develop the BlackCard. The BlackCard builds cultural competency to work effectively with members of the Aboriginal community. The BlackCard’s approach requires strengthening ethical behaviour enabling all people to understand and undertake respectful relationships with each other.
Creating a society that includes us all in a meaningful and productive way by people working more effectively with First Nation people and each other.
OUR VALUES
ABOUT US
CULTURAL TRAINING
BlackCard’s Cultural Capability Training consists of two important components: (1) face to face workshops and (2) online training. Both are designed to compliment each other and further solidify cultural capability, strengthening ethical behaviour between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
KNOWLEDGE
BlackCard’s Aboriginal knowledge strengthens ethical behaviour by enabling people to develop an understanding to undertake the same obligations and responsibilities to Land and to each other as Aboriginal people have practised for thousands of years.
CULTURAL TOURS
The BlackCard offer three unique cultural tours in the heart of Brisbane city. Each tour provides a rare opportunity to learn more about Brisbane’s Aboriginal history through the genius knowledge of Aboriginal tour guides.
ATR
BlackCard use Aboriginal Terms of Reference (ATR) as a communicational tool in workshops and through our online training portal. While there are a number of ATR, the BlackCard Elders have determined that there are five core and foundational principles.
BLACKCARD TEAM
TRAINING & CONSULTANCY
Learn the history from Aboriginal people. Your opportunity to experience an authentic, warm and culturally inclusive welcome. You are invited to experience our tours which include Cultural insights, Aboriginal history, Aboriginal art and Aboriginal cultural performance elements. Be entertained by our Didgeridoo player and learn about the oldest musical instruments in the world.
This exclusive knowledge library is made up of over 50 readings, lecture notes and articles that support the BlackCard training experience and take your knowledge further.
BlackCard can deliver cultural education courses from a two hour introductory level workshop, half day, full day workshop or two day accredited course. Our elders only facilitate the half day and full day program.
We use Aboriginal Approaches to Knowledge to work with organisations to help develop their people to better engage with not only Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people but ALL people. Our program can be tailored to meet the organisations RAP outcomes or internal strategic action plans (ie. Indigenous Employment/Engagement Strategies)
To enrol into BlackCards online learning portal we have developed 3 Core modules, to be completed before enrolling in individual modules. As you complete each module you will collect a BlackCard Badge and after collecting 3 badges you will be able to select any of our individual modules.
WORKSHOPS
BlackCard Online Cultural Capability Program
BlackCard can deliver cultural education courses from a two-hour introductory level workshop, half day, full day workshop or two-day accredited course.
We use Aboriginal Approaches to Knowledge to work with organisations to help develop their people to better engage with not only Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people but ALL people. Our program can be tailored to meet the organisations RAP outcomes or internal strategic action plans (i.e. Indigenous Employment/Engagement Strategies).
BlackCards Online Learning Portal compliments face to face training. We have developed 3 core training modules with an exclusive knowledge library that contains over 50 readings, lecture notes and articles that support the BlackCard training experience to take your knowledge further.
