First Nations Group

"I take pride in being able to Chair the First Nations Group on behalf of the Board, Founders and Gidget Foundation Australia team. The release of Gidget Foundation Australia’s first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) officially commits our vision for reconciliation not just in gestures and words, but in the very way we work and live. This Group is focussed on the opportunities for us to embed understanding and celebration of First Nations Peoples and culture in our organisation, build new partnerships and expand our connection at the personal, organisational and community levels."

Jarrod Bowditch, Chair of the Gidget Foundation Australia First Nations Group

First Nations Commitment

Gidget Foundation Australia acknowledges and pays respect to the First Nations People, the traditional custodians, past, present and emerging of the lands, seas and skies. Gidget Foundation Australia values diversity and is committed to providing an inclusive service for all people.

To mark our 20th anniversary since inception, Gidget Foundation Australia embarked on a cultural awareness program to ensure that every aspect of our organisation and our supportive treatment services are both diverse and inclusive in nature.

All of our Clinicians are encouraged to be culturally competent, and we have a regular Working Group dedicated to the advancement of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

In 2021 we commissioned renowned Aboriginal artist and proud Yuin woman, Rheanna Lotter, to create an adaptation of our imperfect gerbera logo. This artwork is representative of our organisation and is titled, We All Belong.

Artist, Rheanna Lotter presents Gidget Foundation
Australia CEO, Arabella Gibson with her gorgeous
artwork ‘We All Belong’.

First Nations Group

About the artwork

The First Nations Group at Gidget Foundation Australia exists to elevate and centre the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in shaping how we support perinatal emotional wellbeing. Guided by our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan, this group plays a critical role in deepening our understanding of First Nations cultures, histories, and community needs, recognising the significant and enduring impacts of colonisation and the disproportionately high rates of perinatal depression and anxiety (PNDA) experienced in these communities, particularly in regional and remote areas where access to culturally safe perinatal care may be limited.

We are committed to listening, learning, and walking alongside First Nations peoples—recognising their deep knowledge, lived experiences, and enduring strength. By fostering relationships with First Nations Elders and community members, the group helps Gidget Foundation Australia to build genuine connections with First Nations families on their parenting journey, while promoting, equity, and truth-telling as part of our broader commitment to reconciliation and closing the gap in maternal mental health. Through collaboration with First Nations Ambassadors and individuals with lived experience of perinatal mental health challenges, the group ensures that our approach is not only inclusive but led by community perspectives.

Acknowledgement of Country

Gidget Foundation Australia acknowledges the continuing connection to culture, lands, waterways, and communities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and we pay our respects to past and present Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia.

We pay our respects to the Ancestors, Elders and storytellers who have maintained spiritual customs of Women’s Business and Men’s Business passing ancestral knowledge through generations of Kin. From Kinship care, from Aunty to mother, to daughter, to sister. From Uncle to father, to son, to brother. Connecting Mother Earth and Father Sky for all generations and community to thrive.

Gidget Foundation Australia delivers our services from many First Nations Countries across Australia. The above acknowledgement, developed by the First Nations Group aims to recognise, honour and reflect on the strength in Aboriginal cultures and acknowledge the importance of family, kin and connection upon the birth of a new baby and birth of the parents.

First Nations Commitment

To mark our 20th anniversary since inception, Gidget Foundation Australia embarked on a cultural awareness program to ensure that every aspect of our organisation and our supportive treatment services are both diverse and inclusive in nature.
All of our Clinicians are encouraged to be culturally competent, and we have a regular Working Group dedicated to the advancement of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Reconciliation Action Plan

Group members

This group is essential in supporting Gidget Foundation Australia to contribute meaningfully to building more responsive, respectful, and empowering perinatal mental health support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.

Sarah

Angus

Programs Coordinator

Sarah works with the clinical administration team and supports Gidget Foundation Australia’s Triage Program.

Jarrod

Bowditch

Non-Executive Director of the Board

Jarrod Bowditch was a Director of Verifact, a company established over 30 years ago, this business grew with a national presence delivering services in Corporate Investigations, Traffic Management, Health, Emergency Response and Integrated Services. These business lines have been successfully acquired by new ownership. Jarrod has completed the Company Directors course with the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Jarrod was one of our namesake’s closest friends and gave her the memorable nickname of ‘Gidget’.

Zoë

Callister-Hakewill

Advocacy and Public Policy Manager

In Zoë's current role as Advocacy and Public Policy Manager at Gidget Foundation Australia (GFA), Zoë supports the CEO and the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) in developing, coordinating, and implementing a range of advocacy, public policy, and stakeholder engagement initiatives to support the delivery of GFA's strategic pillars. She is responsible for nurturing existing relationships and developing new ones to advocate on behalf of GFA.

Arabella

Gibson

Chief Executive Officer

Arabella joined Gidget Foundation Australia in early 2017 after a 20 year career in executive leadership roles in the media and communications industry in both Australia and the UK.

Fran

Grant

Chair of Qantas Group Darmu and Customer Service Agent at Qantas Group

Fran Grant is a Yuin woman, and her Aboriginal family comes from the NSW South Coast.

Lucy

Hercus

Programs Coordinator

Lucy joined Gidget Foundation Australia in 2023 and is now working as Programs Coordinator. She couldn’t be more enthusiastic about being part of this dynamic team.

Nancy

Jeffrey

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisor at Emerging Minds Australia

Nancy Jeffrey was born in Darwin on Larrakia Country and is a proud Woolwonga descendant.

Jess

Neale

Workforce Development Program Team Leader

Jess is the Workforce Development Program Team Leader and an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker with over 25 years of experience providing compassionate, evidence-based psychotherapy and mental health care in both community and inpatient settings.

Lisa

Sandrk

Consultant, Business Development & Commercial at Deakin University

Lisa has over 15 years’ experience in communications and stakeholder engagement, and most recently was an key member of the NSW Mental Health Commission’s stakeholder engagement, communications and policy teams.

Deb

Spanner

Accredited Mental Health Social Worker

Deb Spanner is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, with 23 years experience in working across government and non-government mental health services, as well as private practice as a mental health clinician.

Jami

Walk

Clinical Nurse Specialist, North Northern Sydney Local Health District Aboriginal Health Service

Jami is a proud Wiradjuri Woman born on Gaimariagal Country. She is a dedicated mother and an experienced nurse with over 10 years of working across emergency, intensive care, general wards, and community health.

Jarrod Bowditch

Non-Executive Director of the Board | Gidget Foundation Australia

I take pride in being able to Chair the First Nations Group on behalf of the Board, Founders and Gidget Foundation Australia team. The release of Gidget Foundation Australia’s first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) officially commits our vision for reconciliation not just in gestures and words, but in the very way we work and live. This Group is focussed on the opportunities for us to embed understanding and celebration of First Nations Peoples and culture in our organisation, build new partnerships and expand our connection at the personal, organisational and community levels.

We all belong

In 2021 we commissioned renowned Aboriginal artist and proud Yuin woman, Rheanna Lotter, to create an adaptation of our imperfect gerbera logo. This artwork is representative of our organisation and is titled, We All Belong. This artwork represents the story, mission and values of Gidget Foundation Australia.

A word from the Artist

The middle of the artwork represents the core of the Foundation, with the surrounding circles representing all our values – we are connected and our lines never break. All the dots outside the values represent all the people Gidget Foundation Australia has supported, is currently supporting and every we hope to support in the future. Dots of all different colours and sizes; this acknowledges how unique and diverse we are. We all belong."

Rheanna Lotter

Artist and founder of Ngandabaa | Yuin Woman

A story for parent and bub

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat.

Read now

Gidget Foundation Australia is not able to provide crisis support.

First Nations Group

First Nations Commitment

First Nations Group

Acknowledgement of Country

First Nations Commitment

Group members

We all belong

A word from the Artist

A story for parent and bub