PAMA FUTURES Indigenous designed and led
Our Local Purpose
Pama Futures was born from an overwhelming sense of powerlessness felt across the Cape, with communities feeling locked out of all the decisions directly affecting them. The overwhelming message that has come through countless summits and meetings time and time again - is that pama want a say over who delivers services and how they are delivered. Pama at the grassroots level understand first-hand the problems and issues facing their communities and why things aren’t working. Pama are simply asking for a seat at the table and not be denied a role in key decision making. Pama Futures provides a point of entry for community to lead these critical discussions affecting their future.
Why we started
We have been talking about self-determination and empowerment for decades but no one until now had come up with the 'how'. Cape York pama are known for their pioneering work and doing things differently. Other empowered community regions across the country are developing regional decision-making structures. In Cape York, people want to start at the local level. So we are doing that, putting structures in place and working together on regional partnership structures.
Bringing it all together
Pama Futures support communities in planning and decision-making to fulfil their own priorities. The minimum requirement we ask of the Australian Federal Government is that planning must be broad-based and inclusive. We want to solve the problem of community decisions being made by only a few. Local communities design the rules for their governance process and are supported to come to the table for shared and/or joint decision making with the Federal Government. They come together to create a community development plan outlining their ‘theory of change’ and priorities for investment.