Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander co-ops

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander co-operatives deliver a wide range of services holistically. They variously provide medical services, community services, housing, arts and cultural services, child care, aged care, education and financial assistance. By integrating services they are able to adopt an all-encompassing approach to serve community needs.

Indigenous co-operatives…

  • Deliver a wide range of services holistically
  • Help to address unique challenges
  • Operate in the interests of the wider community

Deliver a wide range of services holistically

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander co-operatives deliver a wide range of services holistically. They variously provide medical services, community services, housing, arts and cultural services, child care, aged care, education and financial assistance. By integrating services they are able to adopt an all-encompassing approach to serve community needs.

Help to address unique challenges

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander co-operatives are particularly well placed to address specific challenges such as local capability building and local self-determination issues. They are uniquely well placed to do so because of their co-operative structure.

Operate in the interests of the wider community

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander co-operatives are motivated to achieve income and opportunity not only for themselves, but for their whole community. Beyond serving their members, they generate significant social capital.

Co-operative examples

Aboriginal Medical Service Cooperative Redfern Logo

Aboriginal Medical Service Cooperative Redfern

Aboriginal Medical Service Cooperative Redfern provides culturally appropriate health care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in central NSW.
Established Year: 1971
Northern Australia Aboriginal Kakadu Plum Alliance

Northern Australia Aboriginal Kakadu Plum Alliance

NAAKPA is an alliance of Aboriginal-owned companies supplying Kakadu Plum fruit and extracts for the Australian market.
Established Year: 2018
Original Power

Original Power

Indigenous-led and community-focused not-for-profit working to build the collective power of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Established Year: 2018
Tranby logo

Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative

Australia’s oldest NFP independent Indigenous education provider, working to transform the lives of Aboriginal people & Torres Strait Islanders.
Established Year: 1957
Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service

Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service

Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS) is an Aboriginal community controlled organisation operating Statewide in Victoria, providing community justice services and legal practice services to all in Victorian Aboriginal community.
Established Year: 1973

Watch

play videoCooperatives Research Group Seminar Series: Learning from Alternatives & Alternative Ways of Knowing

Learning from Alternatives & Alternative Ways of Knowing

Cooperatives Research Group Seminar Series Presented by Professor Leanne Cutcher
play videoAtautsikut - Leaving None Behind

Atautsikut - Leaving None Behind

Film about the history of Inuit cooperatives in Northern Quebec Province. This documentary is in Inuktitut, with two versions with subtitles, one in English and one in French
play videoDoing Business Together, a mini Aboriginal Business Summit screenshot

Mini Aboriginal Business Summit

Launch of the Indigenous Inclusion Report and Aboriginal Business Mini Summit
play videoAroundtheworld.coop #6 - Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative

Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative - a cooperative story

Boomalli is the longest surviving Aboriginal Artists Co-operative in Australia. Story by AROUNDTHEWORLD.COOP