Languages Sector Strengthening Plan

First Languages Australia is developing a national plan to strengthen the languages sector. The plan will identify the gaps and priorities for the languages sector, and will set out specific actions that will increase its strength.

The development of the plan will be informed by in-person community consultation workshops, which will be delivered in partnership with local language organisations around Australia. These in-person consultation workshops are essential to the development of the plan as it will give communities the opportunity to have direct input, ensuring it reflects the needs and priorities of the language sector.

Currently, the language sector is very small and not well defined. It is operating more as a network of language centres, programs and small projects happening across Australia. Language centres and programs currently do not have a unified model, and so most are operating independently and are set up differently. The diversity of languages in Australia is invaluable, but establishing a new program has many challenges, with little to no direction or guidance. For decades, the language sector has also relied on minimal funding, with most work being done by volunteers and dedicated community members.

First Languages Australia is committed to creating a unified, national plan to strengthen the languages sector. The Languages Sector Strengthening Plan will be a road map to growing and strengthening the languages sector.

The National Agreement on Closing the Gap states that elements of a strong sector are where:

• ‘There is sustained capacity building and investment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations which deliver certain services and address issues through a set of clearly defined standards or requirements, such as an agreed model of care’

• ‘There is a dedicated, appropriately trained and identified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce (that complements a range of other professions and expertise) and where people working in community-controlled sectors have wage parity based on workforce modelling commensurate with need:’

• ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations which deliver common services are supported by a Peak Body governed by a majority Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Board, which has strong governance and policy development and influencing capacity;’

• ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations which deliver common services have a dedicated, reliable and consistent funding model designed to suit the types of services required by communities, responsive to the needs of those receiving the services, and is developed in consultation with the relevant Peak body’

The Languages Sector Strengthening Plan and Target 16

First Languages Australia supports the introduction of Target 16 to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. This strengths-based target aims to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and languages are strong, supported, and flourishing. By the year 2031, it aims to achieve a sustained increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages being spoken.

The Languages Policy Partnership (LPP) was created under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap to develop a joined-up approach to progressing and achieving Target 16. One of the priorities of the LPP is to strengthen the languages sector. The LPP also identified that one of the urgent actions needed to quickly and greatly address the crisis facing Aboriginal languages and Torres Strait Islander languages is to provide more support to strengthen a community-led languages sector.

The Joint Council on Closing the Gap endorsed languages as a new sector for strengthening, and tasked First Languages Australia with developing a Languages Sector Strengthening Plan. The plan is a key part of the National Agreement for Closing the Gap and is directly aligned with Priority Reform Two - Building the Community Controlled Sector. 

The development of the plan will be overseen by a Working Group that includes members from the LPP and subject matter experts. Once the plan is complete, it will be presented to the Joint Council for endorsement. 

Artwork
Connecting spirit through language. Jewel Robinson

The painting represents the language centres, programs and communities around Australia working with First Languages Australia.

The middle yellow represents Creator and the connecting of all spirit.

The blue represents cleansing and renewal.

The black circles are strengthened communities through holding the language.

The yellow ochre circles represent the land holding the knowledge and the resources of language.

The small white circles represent the communities thriving with their language.