Celebrating our First Nations people and culture in NAIDOC Week 2026

Honouring culture through Bec’s story of connection

To celebrate NAIDOC and Reconciliation Weeks 2026, members of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Working Group have been sharing their insights into First Nations communities and culture. 

Bec, an integratedliving Manager of Client Services Community Care, shares her close connections to First Nations family, culture and country here.

“I moved to Bundjalung country (Casino NSW) more than 13 years ago with my four children,” Bec said. “It was here that I met and married my husband, who is a proud and beautiful Yaegl/Bundjalung man, and we were warmly welcomed into his family and community. 

“Together, we have a daughter who thrives on learning about her culture and being immersed in language and dance. My husband's mother was the Aboriginal Educational Officer at the local high school for 30 years, which is where my four older children attended school.

“For me, what is especially meaningful was the sense of acceptance they experienced and the strong connections and friendships they built within a culture and heritage they previously had little exposure to,” Bec said.

“To me, it’s about raising my children to value people for who they are – their character, culture and the friendships they build – rather than focusing on differences, while also respecting and appreciating the rich cultures of First Nations peoples.”

Bec, what does reconciliation mean to you? 

To me, reconciliation is reflected in moments of unity – like watching a local rugby league team come together, supporting one another, celebrating each other’s successes, and working as one. It’s about fostering that same sense of respect, inclusion and camaraderie across schools, workplaces and the broader community.

It also means acknowledging our shared history, including the pain and injustices experienced by First Nations peoples, and committing to working together towards a more equal and inclusive future.

What do you wish more people knew about First Nations peoples or culture? 

I wish more people understood the importance of approaching First Nations peoples and culture without judgment or assumptions. There is incredible diversity within communities, along with deep and enduring connections to family, culture and community.

It’s also important to recognise the strength and resilience of First Nations peoples, who have carried their culture through generations of trauma while continuing to demonstrate determination, pride and a strong sense of identity.

What significance does NAIDOC Week hold for you? 

NAIDOC Week holds significant meaning, particularly in the northern NSW region where I live in which almost 12 per cent of the population identifies as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. It is an important time marked by events across schools, businesses and the wider community.

What began as a Day of Mourning has evolved into a week of recognition, reflection and celebration. It provides an opportunity to acknowledge both the challenges and achievements of the past, while celebrating the rich contributions First Nations peoples have made – and continue to make – to Australian culture.

It’s watching my daughter take part in ceremony and learn her culture from her Uncles and Aunties, sitting and listening to their stories – how they were taken down to the riverbed to learn to fish, to collect witchetty grubs, and hearing about the times her father went turtle diving with his cousins.

What do you want people to know about integratedliving’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and what it means? 

As a member of integratedliving’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Working Group, I want people to understand that there is a genuine commitment and passion within integratedliving to build a stronger, more diverse workplace while continuing to deliver high-quality health outcomes for our clients.

We aim to achieve this through ongoing education and open communication. The RAP serves as a foundation for meaningful conversations, providing leaders and teams with a clear framework to engage, reflect and take action. It helps bring important discussions to the forefront and supports a more inclusive and culturally aware organisation.