Join us for an inspiring conversation with Lisa Mavin, the nominated supervisor of Tilly's Play Development Centre in Rutherford, who shares her remarkable 18-year journey in early childhood education and her transformative approach to embedding Aboriginal perspectives in mainstream services.
As a non-Aboriginal educator married into an Aboriginal family, Lisa offers a unique perspective on creating culturally safe environments and building genuine relationships with First Nations communities.
In this episode, Lisa reveals how she completely restructured her centre's approach to Aboriginal perspectives by starting with foundational education about history and intergenerational trauma, shares the powerful story of how her husband's willingness to share his experiences catalysed change throughout their 50-educator team, and discusses innovative initiatives like their Cultural Squad programme.
From transforming a mainstream service into one that's recognised and celebrated within the local Aboriginal community to practical strategies for overcoming common challenges, this conversation is packed with actionable insights for educators at any stage of their reconciliation journey.
Key Takeaways:
- Start with history, not activities - Lisa removed all Aboriginal programming, including Acknowledgement of Country, to focus first on educating staff about history and its ongoing impacts on families today
- Relationships before resources - Building genuine, trusting relationships with Aboriginal families and community members must come before asking for cultural knowledge or guidance
- Non-Aboriginal people can be powerful advocates - You don't need to be Aboriginal to create meaningful change; Lisa demonstrates how non-Aboriginal educators can lead cultural transformation
- The importance of understanding intergenerational trauma - Recognising why some Aboriginal families may not immediately trust mainstream services is crucial for creating culturally safe environments
- Cultural Squads create sustainable change - Establishing a dedicated team of educators and children from diverse backgrounds to lead cultural initiatives ensures ongoing momentum
- Make accountability visible - Creating a public vision board in the hallway keeps goals transparent and invites family input whilst maintaining focus on commitments
- Critical reflection time is essential - Providing educators with dedicated off-floor hours for cultural learning and reflection enables deeper understanding and meaningful implementation
- Size brings unique challenges - Whether you have 3 or 50 educators, each setting faces distinct obstacles in creating unified cultural approaches
- Eight Ways of Learning requires foundation first - Implementing Aboriginal pedagogies works best after establishing solid historical understanding and cultural awareness
- Word-of-mouth validates your journey - When Aboriginal health workers and community members recommend your service, you know you're creating genuine cultural safety
Lisa's journey demonstrates that creating a culturally responsive early childhood service isn't about perfect knowledge or having all the answers—it's about commitment, humility, and the willingness to challenge existing practices.
Her story proves that meaningful reconciliation in early childhood settings starts with understanding history, building authentic relationships, and creating space for ongoing learning.
Whether you're just beginning your journey or looking to deepen existing practices, this episode offers both inspiration and practical strategies for embedding Aboriginal perspectives in ways that truly honour First Nations peoples and cultures.
Have a question for Educator Yarns? Call 02 5300 0306 and leave a voicemail with your early childhood query about embedding Aboriginal perspectives, and you might hear your question answered in a future episode.
Resources discussed in this episode:
- "Our Flag, Our Story the Torres Strait Islander Flag" By Bernard Jnr Namok & Thomas Mayo
- 8 Ways of Learning
- Play School
- Koori Curriculum & Bush Kind Australia Events
- Koori Curriculum Professional Development
- Bush Kindy Australia Professional Development
Connect with Jessica Staines:
- Koori Curriculum
- Koori Curriculum Educator Community
- Shirley Pearl & Her Bush Friends
- The Koori Curriculum Club
- Koori Curriculum Events
Connect with Lisa Mavin:
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