The Seed Pod

In January 2022, Silverchain invited First Nations employees to join The Seed Pod, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employee network, with representatives from across Australia. The Seed Pod was developed to ensure we empower self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people we employ and deliver services to.  

In this context, self-determination includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities determining their priorities and determining who has the authority and responsibility to achieve these priorities. This is based on a foundation of participation in decision making.  

The Seed Pod invites the opportunity for interested Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to represent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices and perspectives, provides an opportunity for professional development and ensures a support network for current and future Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees. The objective of The Seed Pod is to:  

• Provide effective engagement with senior management and executive leaders at Silverchain.  
• Provide quality advice through lived experience on issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.  
• Provide advice that supports Silverchain delivering the RAP and improving health outcomes.  
• Support strengthening the cultural competency of Silverchain and its services.  
• Bring together collective knowledge that influences change, fosters partnerships and strengthens leadership.  
• The collective knowledge and experiences of the people we employ and serve are invaluable and advise us on our cultural priorities. The Seed Pod continues to engage with and work towards positive outcomes and ensure we have a diverse and inclusive workforce and culturally informed services and initiatives for First Nations clients.  

We have high expectations of ourselves when it comes to fostering a world class inclusive culture and we must ensure that our Innovate RAP is reinforced with guidance from First Nations employees to keep us on track for the journey ahead.  

The Seed Pod was established in homage to a commissioned artwork of the same name by First Nations artist Micky Barlow. This original work, purchased in 2019, is currently on display at our Collinswood office in South Australia. Silverchain Group is proud to have this artwork, as well as permission to use it in a variety of ways to help reinforce Silverchain’s commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and our journey of reconciliation.  

Seed Pod Dreaming is part of the artist’s Bush Tucker series. After collecting the seed pods, the women would put them in a rag or hessian and place them in the creek or river to wash out the itchy orange fluff from inside. The seeds were then roasted in the campfire to rid them of toxins. Once roasted, they were ground and used in cooking for adding flavour.