About First Peoples Leading
First Peoples Leading (FPL) was established to develop great leaders who are also First Nations Peoples. FPL combines the expertise and experience of Thirriwirri and Executive Central to deliver a unique suite of professional coaching and development programs tailored for the experiences of First Nations leaders working in government, private sector businesses, and community and not-for-profit organisations.
The program is co-delivered by highly experienced First Nations leaders from Thirriwirri, along with topic experts from Executive Central.
The program team use their extensive senior leadership experience to share unique insights and tips for overcoming the assumptions, attitudes and biases that too often create barriers to First Peoples’ succeeding in leadership roles.
The FPL suite provides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with leadership tools, workshops, mentoring, coaching and networks at all levels as you progress throughout your career.
Each FPL program is specifically tailored to deliver improved leadership and management skills and foster:
Sound theoretical understanding, combined with practical advice on how to survive and thrive in leadership roles
Greater level of self-awareness and understanding of the impact of emotional intelligence
High-level facilitation, negotiation and influencing capacity
High-level skills in leading teams and building a culture of high performance
Learning from peers’ experiences and approaches to common leadership issues
Pragmatic implementation of learning skills into the workplace
Our Vision
Our vision is for First Nations people to find their strength in the workplace, build confidence and resilience and grow into a long and impactful career.
“Our aspiration is not just to create great First Nations leaders, but to create great leaders, full stop! Purposeful leaders, equipped with the agility and confidence to respond adaptively and with dignity to the unprecedented complexity and pace of change currently experienced by our communities and organisations.”
David Major, Jason Ardler & Glenn Ball — First Peoples Leading Co-Founders
First Peoples Leading Programs
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NEXT GEN
Our NEXT GEN program is for First Nations people who are aspiring people leaders.
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IMPACT
FPL Impact is designed for First Nations people who are experienced team and people leaders.
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CHANGEMAKERS
Change makers is tailored for First Nations people who are experienced senior leaders and executives.
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![Sienna Coleman | NSW Government Program Manager – Microsoft]()
Sienna Coleman | NSW Government Program Manager – Microsoft
"I was incredibly lucky to be selected by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment to take part in the Thirriwirri First Peoples Leading program. Over the past three months I had the privilege to share and learn from other First Nations leaders from both private and government sectors. We laughed, we cried, and we learnt an almighty lot about how to lead with purpose, resilience and authenticity. It was an experience that I will take with me through the rest of my career.”
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![Adrian Cheatham]()
Adrian Cheatham | Indigenous Defence & Infrastructure Consortium
“FPL helped me to confidently navigate a sidestep out of the Australian Public Service after 13 years, to pursue a passion for advancing reconciliation and Indigenous engagement strategies. The 1 to 1 coaching sessions helped me to identify and harness my strengths to remain confident and to be successful in my new role.”
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![Taylah Griffin]()
Taylah Griffin | Aerospace Engineer – Boeing Defence
"As an early career professional, I feel like I'm ahead of the pack having done FPL. This course gave me the skills and confidence that will be foundational to my success as an Indigenous leader. And not only that, I have now created a strong network of mob from around the country who are all amazing leaders in their own right. I couldn't recommend FPL higher.”
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![Charlie Trindall]()
Charlie Trindall | Operations Manager – MLAHMC & Chair ACHIA
“I found the First Peoples Leading Program to be very empowering and informative, having access to the resources and other like minded leaders through the network and the coaches has helped me to aim to be the best leader I can be.”
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![Frances Rings]()
Frances Rings | Associate Artistic Director – Bangarra Dance Theatre
“Thanks to the coaches and facilitators of FPL for guiding us through an experience that at times was confronting and revealing, while always ensuring we were in a safe and trusted environment. I feel so much more aware of not only my own strengths and operating style but how I can best use this to service my role at work and my family.”
First Peoples Leading is a partnership of
Executive Central and Thirriwirri
Thirriwirri is a 100% Aboriginal owned and operated organisation formed for the purpose of supporting First People communities and others to build the confidence, capabilities and connections to work together differently to achieve improved outcomes. The Directors of Thirriwirri have a combined 40 years senior executive experience, leading multi-disciplinary teams, strategy and reform across a range of complex policy areas.
Executive Central is at the forefront of leadership development, executive coaching and business consulting in Australia and the Asia Pacific region. We partner with leaders in the corporate, public and not-for-profit sectors to work through their biggest challenges and realise their greatest opportunities. Executive Central was formed in 2004 to deliver pragmatic leadership, coaching and consulting solutions designed and delivered by experienced consultants from C-suite backgrounds.
Some of the organisations we work with
Acknowledgement of Country
We pay our respects to Elders and community leaders, and those leaders that came before us, who for millennia have maintained the world’s oldest surviving cultures and who have made it possible for us to do what we do. We acknowledge the strength and innovation of our young people, the leaders and Elders of the future.
We acknowledge our families, who have always supported us to dream big and who continue to support us as Thirriwirri evolves.
We also pay respect to the non-First Nation people we work with who share our vision for an empowered, prosperous and culturally assured First Nations Australia.