Message Stick's ability to provide added value of a wholly unique nature differentiates us from all other corporate service providers.

Core to our objectives and definition of success is our progress in the area of promoting understanding and awareness of Australia's Indigenous community and its cultures.

Message Stick is prepared to respond sensitively and professionally to clients' request to increase their awareness of Aboriginal culture and issues.

Various tools will be used to achieve this, including the use of the Aboriginal Map.

An increasing number of large corporates operating in Australia are opting to invite prominent, experienced and respected persons into their private Board rooms, senior executive meetings or offsite gatherings, management or staff sessions etc.

At these sessions the invited speaker often presents topics of relevance and will open discussion whereby participants are encouraged to ask questions - the answers to which are not readily available to us in our normal day to day lives. Feedback from these sessions includes the widest range of human emotions imaginable - with the common feature of increased understanding being always present.

Staff involved often speak of the new light they see their employer in once they have been invited to, and participated in, such activities. Corporations are seen to be "walking the talk" when they provide an extra curricula activity that aligns with the public statements of corporate social responsibility and support for Indigenous issues.

Messagestick has relationships with a number of these experienced and respected speakers and would be only too pleased to arrange contacts for clients to explore if any of these options would be of interest.

More progressive organisations (e.g. Citigroup) have invited their staff to spend a number of days and nights away at an impressive Aboriginal cultural facility called Linga Longa - near Port Macquarie on the Mid North Coast of NSW.

Some staff will also take up the option to invite partners and children to share in a few days of extremely well managed experiences of culture, spirituality and philosophies of the original Indigenous inhabitants.

In terms of modern day employment practices which are designed to provide personnel with experiences beyond the day to day work practice, in a personal manner, this activity will often surpass all expectations.

Mr Jack Beetson (see Cultural Awareness), the founder of Linga Longa, welcomes corporate groups of any size or makeup. The Linga Longa website is www.philosophyfarm.org.

Note that Messagestick does not financially benefit in any way from these awareness activities - directly or indirectly.

A summary of the presenters is as follows:

• Professor Mick Dodson


• Joseph Elu


• David Horton


• Linda Burney


• Professor Jack Beetson


• David Liddiard


• Aboriginal Language Research & Resource Centre