Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities need to be able to take control of the decisions that effect us.

Because our people and nations are so diverse, there is no one approach that could apply to the variety of lived experiences, access to resources and other differences amongst us.

But in working with people, we believe there are some common factors that influence our capacity to take control of the decisions which effect us, so we can self-determine our own futures.

Six key ingredients for self determination:

1. Knowledge (access to information and expertise)
2. Motivation (understanding what drives us)
3. Leadership (people prepared to stand up and guide)
4. Community decision making (our processes to come together and make informed decisions)
5. Resourcing (money, skills)
6. Power and agency (individual agency and collective power to influence external decisions or outcomes)

We have developed this framework to assist communities in building the capacity to decide whether to challenge a project or consent to one – whether that be a fossil fuel development or a community owned renewable energy project, or a climate adaptation solution.