NAIDOC Week Conversation: Peter Cooley CEO First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation

This NAIDOC Week, Woollahra Council is proud to present a conversation between La Perouse based CEO of First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation Peter Cooley and Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf Coordinator Sebastian Goldspink. The two will discuss the current exhibition Heart in Art presented in association with the National Indigenous Art Fair and Peter’s wider work across the intersection of culture, the environment, art and Aboriginal self-determination. Peter Cooley Peter grew up in the Aboriginal community at La Perouse in Sydney’s south and is a founding member and CEO of First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation. He has spoken at a number of international conferences and been the recipient of some significant awards for his work in Aboriginal communities. He graduated from a post-graduate degree in Social Impact from the Centre for Social Impact at the University of NSW in 2015. First Hand Solutions created and run successful social enterprises such as the National Indigenous Art Fair, IndigiGrow and the Blak Markets. Peter also co-founded the National Indigenous Bushfood Symposium with Sarah Martin which was attended by 120 Aboriginal people from around Australia and led to the creation of First Nations Bushfood & Botanical Alliance Australia. First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation (FHS) was established in October 2012 with a mission to build empowered, resilient Indigenous communities through cultural reconnection, education, employment and enterprise. FHS combines social innovation, cultural protection, education and social enterprises to close the gap for Indigenous people. FHS has two arms: a community programs branch and a social enterprise arm where the corporation operates two ventures. The first, IndigiGrow, is a native plant nursery based in Sydney’s East, which provides employment and training to young Aboriginal people in the critically endangered plant species of their community. The second initiative is the Blak Markets, a micro-business hub for Indigenous artists, designers and craftspeople, providing them with the opportunity to earn and learn from the marketplace.