We believe in wellbeing for all people.
Our Vision
For all people to be empowered to experience optimal wellbeing from the safety and strength of their own culture.
We work towards this by collaboratively building science around different ways of knowing and being.
Our CEO Shez, has spent her adult life working in remote Australia, deep in sacred Aboriginal country, where the sky is blue and the earth burnt-orange. She has a deep respect for the Aboriginal communities who live within that landscape, and her current research hopes to answer some profoundly human questions – How do we define success? What makes us happy? And what can we learn from our ancient brothers and sisters.
Interplay at TedX
Origin Story
The Interplay Project came to life, as a result of a powerful campaign driven by Aboriginal leaders in central Australian communities, to empower desert knowledge.
The funding for this research was secured from the Australian Government to develop a wellbeing framework to quantify Aboriginal knowledge and ways of being.
Over 6 years of accumulative research throughout Aboriginal communities in remote Australia, The Interplay Wellbeing Framework was designed from the ground-up. To measure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values and stories, translating them to impactful data, bringing these values into policy.
We researched across demographics and remote communities around Australia, what they cared about and what they wanted out of life. Even considering the vibrant cultural diversity accross these groups, all voiced the same priorities – culture, empowerment and community. We worked collaboratively, within communities to translate their stories into numbers, to show how these values were intrinsically tied to peoples’ wellbeing. We employed and trained 42 Aboriginal community researchers who co-designed and administered surveys to over 900 Aboriginal adults in their communities.
The Interplay Project began to empower communities in the design of programs that directly affect them.
It is this belief that we still work towards today.
Culture, empowerment and community.
We are a passionate and creative network of advisors, partners consultants and community members that bring together skills in science, community, culture, policy, and technology.
Acknowledgement
We acknowledge and honour the support and involvement of all of the people and communities who participated in the development phase of the Interplay Project.
Centre for Remote Health (Flinders University and Charles Darwin University), Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (PMC), Northern Star Resources, Yalu Marŋgithinyaraw Aboriginal Corporation, Marthakal Homelands Resource Centre, Central Desert Native Title Services, Poche Centre of Indigenous Health, Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Muntjiltjarra Wurrgumu Group (MWG), Kalano Community Association, Wurli-Wurlinjang Health Service, StrongBala Men's Health Program, Flinders NT-Katherine, Katherine Stolen Generations Group, Banatjarl Strongbala Wumin Grup, Martu Rangers (Wiluna), Ngangganawili Aboriginal Health Service Community (NAHS).
