Children's Ground
Children's Ground are dedicated to improving the lives of Indigenous Australians. Instead of Band-Aid solutions and the same old thinking, they're transforming entire systems from the ground up – beginning with the kids, because that's where lasting change takes hold.
Projects delivered:
Rewriting the rules of First Nations education.
Letting First Nations-led solutions speak for themselves.
“You entered our world, took our precious work, applied some magic and helped us deliver this document.”
- Jane Vadiveloo, Founding CEO, Children's Ground
The challenge
First Nations children in Australia face some of the poorest learning outcomes in the developed world. Children's Ground has spent years trying to fix this, compiling statistics, stories and policy recommendations, all underpinned by Indigenous knowledge systems. But they needed help turning this into something coherent: a document that could sit on a minister's desk and inspire that lightbulb moment.
This was tricky, since the report had to explain big ideas without losing people in the weeds. Could we translate cultural knowledge, statistical data and rigorous policy into a compelling, readable document? One that would resonate with government decision-makers, education leaders and First Nations communities all over Australia? Not an easy task.
How we solved it
Working closely with the Children's Ground team, we turned mountains of data and knowledge into The M.K. Turner Report: a landmark document that established Australia's first comprehensive plan for First Nations-led education reform.
To do this, we combined insights from over 60 First Nations educators with international research, statistical evidence and policy frameworks spanning early childhood through tertiary education. This meant translating 65,000+ years of Indigenous knowledge systems into policy language while creating actionable legislative recommendations and responding to major government reviews.
From there, we transformed what could have been an overwhelming academic document into a clear, compelling roadmap for success. With the M.K. Turner Report, Children's Ground was able to articulate the positive impact Indigenous-designed education systems have on First Nations kids, their families and their communities – and back it up with evidence.
Here’s what we learned:
Here’s what we learned:
- How to navigate writing about the lived experience of First Nations people. (Collaborate, and know when to shut up and listen.)
- What 60,000 years of refined educational wisdom actually looks like.
