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African Australian Advocacy History
Ongoing consultation
Our journey began in 2013, in a modest room in St Mary’s, Western Sydney, where 30 African community leaders gathered with a shared purpose: to discuss the pressing issues impacting African communities across Sydney. That pivotal conversation sparked a new journey rooted in unity, vision, and a deep commitment to collective progress.
Three years later, in 2016, the momentum grew. At DOOLEYS Lidcombe Catholic Club, over 60 members from African communities, including professionals, Community and faith leaders, youth advocates, academics, elders, and grassroots champions, came together to reflect on ongoing challenges and explore how community-led, strength-based solutions could drive lasting change.
Then, in July 2019, after six years of regular meetings and deep community consultation, the group, driven by passion and a shared commitment to social justice, formally established the African Australian Advocacy Centre (AAAC).
Since its founding, AAAC has grown into a national African-led organisation that serves not only as a voice for people of African descent, but also as a platform for collaboration with government, civil society, corporates, and other key stakeholders. Grounded in community, guided by lived experience, and committed to action, AAAC continues to lead with purpose and impact.
Who we are
African Australian Advocacy Centre (AAAC)
Advocacy
Our advocacy work is to represent the African Australian communities in the area of consultation, research, and policy outcomes in collaboration with the different stakeholders. We strive to raise awareness of important social issues, influence policies and laws, and promote social justice.
Our aim is to bring about positive change in the broader African Australian community to ensure that their voices are heard, and their needs are met. We believe that advocacy is the best tool for promoting equity and social justice by challenging systemic barriers and injustice to create a more just, inclusive and equitable world.
Policy Outcomes
Our advocacy efforts aim to influence policy outcomes by promoting policy changes that address social issues, protect human rights, and advance social justice.
Policy outcomes play a crucial role in advocacy because they have the potential to bring about tangible changes in the lives of people affected by social issues such as :
- Racism
- Discrimination based on the race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or religion
- Mental health stigma
- Poverty
- Domestic violence
- Homelessness
- Access to education
- Immigration Policy,
- Policy brutality
- Unemployment
- Lack of affordable housing
- Cyberbullying
- Aging population and healthcare
- Modern Slavery
Community Capacity Building Programs
The African Australian Advocacy Centre (AAAC) is committed to strengthening the voice, skills, and opportunities of African Australian communities across the country. Through a range of targeted programs, AAAC builds the capacity of individuals and groups to thrive socially, economically, and culturally.
One key program focuses on leadership development, equipping emerging African Australian leaders with training in governance, advocacy, and community engagement. This ensures that community voices are effectively represented in decision-making spaces.
Another initiative is youth empowerment, which provides mentoring, entrepreneurship workshops, and skills training to help young people transition into education, employment, and leadership roles. These programs nurture resilience, confidence, and innovation among African Australian youth.
AAAC also runs community health and wellbeing projects, offering information sessions on mental health, family wellbeing, and navigating Australian health systems. By collaborating with professionals, the Centre empowers families to access services confidently and overcome barriers.
In addition, cultural inclusion programs celebrate African heritage while promoting cross-cultural understanding. These initiatives foster stronger connections between African Australians and the wider society.
Together, these programs build capacity not only at the individual level but also within the broader community, ensuring sustainable growth, resilience, and participation.
Consultation
A key role of the African Australian Advocacy Centre is community consultation to ensure that the voices and perspectives of the individuals and communities being advocated for are included in the advocacy efforts. Our consultations involve engaging with individuals, community groups and stakeholders, including those who are affected by social issues, to gather their input and feedback on proposed advocacy actions or policies. This process builds trust and relationships between AAAC and the people we are working to support. This can help to ensure that our advocacy efforts are more effective in achieving positive policy outcomes, and the resulting policy changes are more likely to be accepted and supported by those who are impacted by them.
Overall, the aim of our community consultation is to ensure that the advocacy efforts are grounded in the needs and priorities of the people being advocated for, and that these efforts are more effective in achieving positive social change.
Research
In line with our vision and mission, at the African Australian Advocacy Centre, we believe that research can strengthen the credibility of advocacy efforts, increase the chances of success in achieving policy change, and provide a framework for the ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of advocacy initiatives. Engagement in the research will result the following:
- Identifying and documenting social issues that require attention,
- Providing data-based evidence to document the extent and impact of these social issues.
- Informing policy proposals that aim to address social issues
- Strengthening advocacy messages that are based on evidence and resonate with policymakers, the media, and the public.
- Evaluating the impact of advocacy efforts and demonstrate the impact of policy changes.
Vision
To see African Australian being recognised as an integral part of Australian Society.
Objectives
Objectives
- To strengthen social cohesion, equality, fairness and opportunities for members of African Australian Communities.
- To address social issues facing African Australian communities.
- To build inclusive communities, improve outcomes and create sustainable opportunities for African communities.