“You can’t be
what you can’t see.”

Your gift will back First Nations-led organisations so their work can continue to grow – giving more children the chance to see what’s possible.

Your gift can help Blakdoll Sports & Fitness Mob bring confidence, culture and leadership to more children in remote and regional communities.

When a child sees someone who reflects who they are, where they come from and what they might become – something powerful can happen. They begin to see the possibilities. “Having role models in my life helped me to believe in myself, act on my dreams and life goals to represent my country and be the best version of myself,” said Vanessa.

This experience led Vanessa to found Blakdoll Sports & Fitness Mob – a First Nations-led social enterprise that uses sport and role models to build confidence and leadership capability in children and young people. It’s exactly the kind of community-led work that Community First Development supports.

Your generosity has already shown your belief in backing courageous, determined leaders like Vanessa. Will you give a donation so Community First Development can provide practical support to founders like Vanessa so more First Nations children can see the possibilities for their future?

Because at the heart of Vanessa’s work is one simple truth: “You can’t be what you can’t see.” Vanessa explains that children and young people in remote communities do not always have regular access to a wide range of role models and leaders who can support them to make responsible choices, grow in independence and think about their future.

“Most kids don’t have role models in community that are constant,” she says. In remote and regional communities across Central Australia, children and young people are full of energy, culture, humour and possibility. But they don’t always have regular access to role models who reflect their lives, their communities and their strengths.

A former professional athlete, Vanessa represented Australia in softball for ten years — and saw firsthand how sport builds resilience and confidence. But just as important were the people she looked up to along the way.

“Blakdoll has built a team of role models coming from different professional backgrounds – from athletes to cultural role models who do on Country learning. [They share] their remarkable stories and how they have achieved success, proving what’s possible if we choose to pursue what we love most.”

Through Blakdoll, children are invited to take part in school, after school and holiday programs. Sport – often softball and AFL – is the starting point. But the program reaches much further. Young people also explore leadership, culture, health, wellbeing, education and goal setting. They are encouraged to think for themselves, speak up, lead activities and imagine what they want for their lives beyond school.

And the learning goes both ways. Blakdoll role models share their stories and skills with children, while children share their cultures, knowledge and ways of learning with the team. Vanessa describes moments where young people organise activities on Country, set the time and place, then proudly show what they know. These are moments of leadership, confidence and cultural strength. Moments where a child is not just taking part but leading the way.

But in remote and regional areas, distance, limited services and funding pressures can make it difficult for culturally safe programs to reach children consistently. Families may also be navigating barriers to health care, education support, justice, family support and other essential services. When programs like Blakdoll are harder to sustain, children can miss out on regular opportunities to build self-belief, stay connected and see more possibilities for their future. Vanessa is clear that children benefit from regular access to visible role models who can encourage them to pursue their dreams with confidence and resilience.

Your gift will enable Community First Development to walk alongside organisations like Blakdoll Sports & Fitness Mob — so more children in remote and regional communities can access programs that build confidence, culture and leadership. While Vanessa says every visit into community with the Blakdoll role models is a gift, the journey of establishing and growing the business has been challenging at times.

Community First Development has been part of that journey – working with Vanessa on mentoring, business planning, funding readiness, professional development and connections to the right people and advice.

It’s steady, practical work built on trust: the kind of support that can give a business what it needs to grow sustainably and keep building its programs around community priorities.