A DAY OF GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

Every act of volunteering, no matter how small, contributes to creating a more compassionate, resilient, and harmonious society.

Every year, ZEN runs a volunteering day and this year we wanted to celebrate 50 years of the Tauondi Aboriginal College, in Kaurna Country, by getting our hands dirty and learning more about Indigenous culture. Tauondi is one of the oldest Aboriginal community-controlled organisations in SA and provides a range of critical education and social services from its property in Port Adelaide.

A significant amount of work was required to tidy up the grounds and keep up with the property’s maintenance. The ZEN team, MAC Trade Services and the SA Government Department of Energy & Mining also contributed to restoring the fireplace area, as smoke ceremonies are a key part of Indigenous practices, often used for purification, cleansing, and connecting with the spiritual realm. It is important to note that such ceremony should always be approached with respect, cultural sensitivity and by the specific Indigenous group’s teachings and traditions.

So much was achieved in just one day, which shows how powerful it is to join hands and connect with nature and the community.

While ZEN is early on its Reconciliation journey,  we look forward to using our 12-month Reflect period to build a foundation to leverage our sphere of influence to promote positive change. This starts with actively engaging with First Nations communities and leaders to guide us on that journey. Moreover, establishing sustainable and targeted relationships with First Nations partners based on trust and a commitment to shared value.