Code Club Australia and INDIGI LAB

Discussion Paper: A human rights based approach to developing a First Nations cultural framework

Acknowledgement from Telstra Foundation
Telstra Foundation acknowledges the First Nations Peoples of the Land, and we pay respect to the Elders both past and present and extend that respect to other First Nations people this document may come across. We also acknowledge the existing work by First Nations individuals, communities, organisations and government agencies that have contributed to developing protocols and building relationships to advance digital excellence of First Nations people, including coding skills for young people.

Overview
Telstra Foundation has commissioned Luke Briscoe, Founder and CEO INDIGI LAB to develop a First Nations Cultural Framework for Code Club Australia. Code Club Australia is powered by the Telstra Foundation and is the Foundation’s key digital inclusion program to get kids coding.

The Foundation is looking to create new Code Club Australia teacher lesson plans and code projects, including
content developed in collaboration with First Nations people. Core to this work is developing a First Nations Cultural
Framework to guide this work.

Aim
The aims of this discussion paper and consultative process are to:
• Identify culturally appropriate ways to engage with First Nations Peoples to co-develop Code Club Australia coding lessons for volunteers, teachers and librarians running code clubs.
• Align the discussion topics with the Foundational Principles of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) to ensure Indigenous Rights are front and centre in the development of The First Nations Cultural Framework.
• Establish deeper relationships with First Nations peoples, businesses and communities interested in the mission to get kids coding

Who will use The Framework?
The Framework is intended for use by Telstra Foundation and will be accessible to all interested parties including government agencies and the broader STEM sector. Specifically, Telstra Foundation will use the framework to develop new Code Club Australia teacher resources such as curriculum aligned lesson plans and coding projects in partnership with First Nations peoples. The framework once finalised, will be shared to inform the broader STEM sector to apply a human rights based approach to developing initiatives that impact First Nations people of Australia.

Approach
INDIGI LAB will take a three stage approach.

Stage 1: Key stakeholders are invited to participate in a survey and consider the ideas and aspirations in the discussion paper and provide input into the development of a First Nations Cultural Framework. The discussion and survey responses will inform common themes and important insights to shape The First Nations Cultural Framework, including First Nations current perspectives.

Stage 2: Key stakeholders will be engaged in online interviews to gather deeper insights on some of the critical issues for First Nations Peoples in STEM education and provide further input into the development of The First Nations Cultural Framework by discussing the themes, methods and approaches.

Stage 3: Stakeholder Feedback on the Draft First Nations Cultural Framework.

Note: discussion topics align with the Foundational Principles of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples (UNDRIP) to ensure Indigenous Rights are front and centre in the development of The First Nations Cultural
Framework. The UNDRIP is a globally recognised international human rights instrument which affirms the minimum
standards for the survival, dignity, security and well-being of Indigenous peoples worldwide.

The Discussion Topics
The following four topics form the basis of discussion for developing a First Nations Cultural Framework.

1. Self-Determination
Self-determination is the central right of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). All other rights support First Nations’ exercise of self-determination. At its core, self-determination ‘is concerned with the fundamental right of people to shape their own lives’. In a practical sense, self-determination means that we have the freedom to live well, to determine what it means to live well according to our own values and beliefs. In recognising that First Nations peoples have this right, governments are required to recognise our collective/group identities such as our nations, language groups, clans, family alliances or communities.2

Key questions to consider:

Question Title

* 1. What can Code Club Australia do to ensure First Nations communities have choice in determining the governance and outcomes of future Code Club Australia online lesson plans accessible by teachers and librarians.

Question Title

* 2. What First Nations’ knowledge would you like to see reflected in Code Club lesson plans (assuming lessons are developed in line with The First Nations Cultural Framework to ensure cultural protocols and safety considerations)

Question Title

* 3. Do you think Code Club Australia lesson plans could do more to recognise collective group identities such as nations, language groups, clans, family alliances or communities?

Question Title

* 4. What does self-determination mean to you? And how would it apply to developing First Nations’ lesson plans in schools and libraries sector?

Question Title

* 5. Any further comments and/or suggestions?

2. Participation in Decision-Making
First Nations peoples have the right to participate in decision-making in matters which affect their rights, through representatives they chose. As part of this, First Nations peoples have a right to maintain and develop our own decision-making institutions. In order to ensure effective participation in decision-making, three key elements must be met: the duty to consult; free, prior and informed consent; and good faith.3

Telstra Foundation is committed to ensuring that First Nations peoples (including Elders, community representatives, First Nations STEM & educational experts) are the decision makers in the development of Code Club lesson plans that directly impact First Nations peoples.

Key questions to consider:

Question Title

* 6. What should Code Club Australia do to ensure the methodology and approach of the Framework aligns to the three-key elements of decision making?

Question Title

* 7. What does good faith mean to you if applying the term as a way of applying good faith in a project?

Question Title

* 8. What are some successful examples of a human rights-based approach to developing First Nations STEM curriculum?

Question Title

* 9. What type of structures need to be in place to apply culturally appropriate decision-making process for the First Nations Cultural Framework?

Question Title

* 10. When developing lesson plans, what considerations do you think are critical to be included in The First Nations Cultural Framework?

Question Title

* 11. Any further comments and/or suggestions?

3. Respect for and Protection of Culture
The UNDRIP asserts our rights to respect and protect language, culture and spiritual identity. This includes right to revitalise, use, develop and pass on to future generations our: ways of being and knowing; histories and our oral traditions; languages and ways of communicating; ways of thinking about the world; and names for communities, people and place.4

Code Club Australia is committed to ensuring lesson plans and projects are respectful to First Nations Peoples and Traditional Knowledge (TK) and we will ensure Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP) rights are protected and maintained through our Code Club curriculum

Key questions to consider:

Question Title

* 12. What should Code Club Australia do to ensure the First Nations Cultural Framework respects and protects Culture?

Question Title

* 13. What key cultural indicators should Code Club Australia use to measure its impact on First Nations communities it engages with?

Question Title

* 14. What are some successful examples of community driven First Nations STEM projects and initiatives?

Question Title

* 15. What sensitivities we should be aware of in the development of the First Nations Framework?

Question Title

* 16. Any further comments and/or suggestions?

4. Non-Discrimination and Equality
First Nations peoples and individuals are entitled to the full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms recognised in international law, and the right to be free from discrimination in exercising these rights.

We believe all humans should have the same opportunities and no person should suffer discrimination on the bases of their race, religion, and gender.

Key questions to consider:

Question Title

* 17. What should Code Club Australia do to ensure our coding lesson plans for teachers and librarians are equal for all? (Note Code Club volunteers teach coding fundamentals such as Scratch, Python and HTML code to 8-15 yo in Australia for free)

Question Title

* 18. What can Code Club Australia do to play a role in educating the broader STEM sector about the importance of two-way learning?

Question Title

* 19. Should Code Club Australia play a role in showcasing successful First Nations people working in technology careers to students across Australia, as part of its virtual offer? What could that look like?

Question Title

* 20. What could Code Club Australia do to encourage teachers working in schools with higher numbers of First Nations students to start a code club in their school to offer free coding lessons?

Question Title

* 21. Any further comments and/or suggestions?

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE SURVEY

Please note:

The data and information obtained through this survey will be kept private and confidential. The purpose of the survey is to ensure Code Club Australia make informed and cultural respectful business discussions that impact First Nations Peoples of Australia.

Following consultation, consideration of submissions and the results of the survey will inform the themes which will be further discussed in an industry round table discussion.

Your comments on this discussion paper will assist in enabling human rights-based approach to developing the Code Club Australia’s First Nations Cultural Framework.

For further information, please contact:

Luke Briscoe
INDIGI LAB CEO
Email: info@indigilab.com.au
Phone: 0407773259

Reference List

1. The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Foundational Principle One - Self-determination, 2018, Site accessed on the 03/06/2021: https://declaration.humanrights.gov.au/know-it/self-determination

2. The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Foundational Principle Two - Participation in Decision-making, 2018, Site accessed on the 03/06/2021: https://declaration.humanrights.gov.au/know-it/participation-decision-making

3. The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Foundational Principle Three– Respect for and Protection of Culture, 2018, Site accessed on the 03/06/2021: https://declaration.humanrights.gov.au/know-it/respect-and-protection-culture

4. The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Foundational Principle Four – Non-Discrimination and Equity, 2018, Site accessed on the 03/06/2021: https://declaration.humanrights.gov.au/know-it/non-discrimination-and-equality