The Indigenous Lived Experience Centre (ILEC) was established within the Black Dog Institute (BDI) in 2018 as a strategic initiative to address the unique mental health and wellbeing challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia. IALEC’s foundational focus has been on embedding lived and living experience into the development, implementation, and evaluation of social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) including mental health and suicide prevention initiatives at all levels of government and sector. This approach recognises the importance of Indigenous knowledge systems, cultural identity, and the lived and living experience of individuals, families and communities in this space.
Since its inception, ILEC:
Established Australia’s first National Network of First Nations Lived Experience
Funding awarded to establish Local Lived Experience Networks across Australia
IALEC is positioned to:
Our vision is to create a national platform where Indigenous knowledge, culture, and lived and living experience guide the future of SEWB and mental health policy and practice in Australia, resulting in stronger, healthier, and more empowered First Nations communities.
IALEC envisions a future where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have full access to culturally responsive SEWB including mental health and suicide prevention services that honour their lived and living experiences, promote healing, and protect their social and emotional wellbeing. IALEC will amplify the voices of Indigenous Australians with lived and living experience and create a platform for culturally responsive SEWB practices to flourish.
IALEC will establish itself as the authoritative lived and living experience voice on SEWB among Indigenous Australians at local, regional and national levels. By leading localised, through to national conversations, developing policy and practice, and securing sustainable funding, IALEC aims to create long-term, positive impacts on the mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
IALEC is committed to being the leading Indigenous Australian peak body for the lived and living experience of social and emotional wellbeing, including mental health and suicide. Our mission is to empower Indigenous communities by placing their lived experience at the heart of culturally responsive, community-driven initiatives at all levels of sector and government. We advocate for Indigenous leadership in shaping mental health, suicide prevention and social and emotional wellbeing policy and practice, fostering empowerment, cultural pride, and community-led healing to drive systemic change and improve outcomes for all First Nations peoples.
We acknowledge all Traditional Custodians of this vast and diverse continent now known as ‘Australia’. We honour the Ancestors, Elders, and Knowledge Holders who have cared for Country, its ecosystems, waterways, skies, and cosmos since the beginning of time. Their connection to Country is sovereign and enduring, and will forever remain unchanged by the impacts of colonisation.
We want to acknowledge First Nations Lived Experience. For First Nations Peoples, experiences of living have been passed down for thousands and thousands of years. It is how we survive, thrive, care for each other and Country. Our experiences are the foundation of relationships, of knowledge, that we carry in our Spirit. We acknowledge all lived experiences of First Nations Peoples that are brought to this work, and recognise the power and impact these experiences have on creating meaningful and impactful change for our Communities.
Always was, always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land.
