Note on our terminology for VSBA Delivery project officers
We call our cultural design consultations with Traditional Owners, Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Groups (LAECGs) and the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated (VAEAI), First Nations design engagements.
First Nations is a collective term that refers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who may or may not be Traditional Owners of the Country you're engaging on. Stakeholders who participate in our engagements include Traditional Owners and other First Nations people living off Country.
Avoid referring to 'Indigenous engagement', 'Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) engagement' and 'cultural engagement'. While Indigenous is commonly used across government, it is not considered respectful by some First Nations people. CALD or cultural engagements are too general to describe the engagement we do with First Nations people.
The term Koorie refers to Victorian Aboriginal people. At the department and the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated (VAEAI), this term is often used inclusively to refer to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living, studying and working in Victoria. As the word may not be familiar or relevant for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, use First Nations when talking broadly. When speaking specifically, it's best practice to use the name of the Traditional Owner group.
It is also important to be respectful of how individuals and communities refer to themselves and use this understanding to guide the language you use in engagements.
| Acronyms/terms | Meaning |
|---|---|
| VSBA | Victorian School Building Authority |
| DE or the department | The Department of Education (Victoria) |
| SPED | School Provision and Establishment Division, Department of Education |
| ELV | Early Learning Victoria |
| KEFR | Kindergarten Expansion, Funding and Reform Division, Department of Education |
| KOD | Koorie Outcomes Division, Department of Education |
| KEW | Koorie Education Workforce, Department of Education |
| KEC | Koorie Education Coordinator |
| KESO | Koorie Engagement Support Officer |
| KEM | Koorie Education Manager |
| PO | VSBA Project Officer |
| PM | Project Manager |
| RAG | Regional Advisory Group |
| BQSH | Building Quality and Standards Handbook |
| PMF | Project Management Framework |
| PDC | Principal Design Consultant |
| VAEAI | Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated |
| Marrung Facilitator | Regional VAEAI staff member focused on implementing their regional Marrung Aboriginal Plan. They support LAECGs in VSBA cultural design engagements. |
| LAECG | Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group; LAECG members (or LAECGs) are volunteers that represent First Nations people living off Country in VSBA cultural design engagements. |
| RAP | Registered Aboriginal Party |
| Traditional Owner or Traditional Custodian | Traditional Owners are the custodians of their ancestral lands and may, or may not, be formally recognised under the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Act. Traditional Owner is interchangeable with Traditional Custodian. Traditional Owner is used throughout this guide as it is a commonly known and accepted term. Traditional Custodian is preferred by some First Nations people. |
| Ceremony | This term encompasses several ceremonial activities practiced by Traditional Owners including, for example, a Welcome to Country. |
| ICIP | Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property |
| VACL | Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages |
| Yarning time | Time for First Nations attendees to privately discuss their thoughts before presenting their recommendations in engagement meetings. |
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