Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices or names of deceased persons.
Children’s Ground is excited to announce the appointment of Evelyn Schaber as co-chair. The appointment recognises the dual and equal roles of men and women in First Nations governance.
Evelyn is an Arrernte woman from Central Australia and a senior Aboriginal leader with extensive experience across governance, education and Aboriginal organisations. Born and raised in Mparntwe (Alice Springs), she has worked for over five decades in roles supporting Aboriginal self-determination and community led systems.
Her leadership spans the establishment of key Aboriginal institutions in the Northern Territory, contributions to national reform processes and decades of senior roles in tertiary education. Evelyn worked with the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, Aboriginal Legal Aid and the Central Land Council in their early operational periods. She also contributed to the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody through the Underlying Issues Unit and has held roles with the Aboriginal Sacred Sites Authority and the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.
Evelyn joins founding chair William Tilmouth as co-chair, reflecting Children’s Ground’s commitment to shared leadership grounded in Aboriginal governance.
The appointment supports continuity, succession planning and long-term leadership stability as the organisation delivers its 25-year, community-led approach.
The co-chair model reflects cultural governance principles, recognising shared responsibility, gendered leadership roles and collective decision making. Evelyn’s appointment will strengthen Children’s Ground’s capacity to engage across communities, systems and institutions at local, Territory and national levels.
Stepping into this role is about continuing the vision of the old girl, Dr M.K. Turner OAM. Her vision was grounded in cultural knowledge and a clear understanding of what children and communities need to thrive over the long term, and it continues to guide the direction of Children’s Ground.
For me, this role represents a commitment to carrying that vision forward. Language and culture are central to identity, belonging and learning, and strengthening those foundations across generations remains critical. When children grow up with these foundations in place, they are better supported to navigate their own cultural worlds and wider systems.
Working alongside William again is a really positive part of this next chapter. We have known each other for many years and have worked together across Aboriginal organisations in Alice Springs, so there is a natural understanding in how we work together. That shared history brings trust and a strong base for collective leadership as we move this work forward.
A key responsibility is representing our communities with integrity and accountability. Maintaining strong engagement with children and families, listening to what people are saying, understanding their priorities and needs, and making sure those voices are carried into governance and decision making.
It also means taking on an advocacy role at both Territory and national levels, particularly where systems and policies affect our people’s lives.
Shared leadership reflects First Nations governance. It is how decisions have always been made in our cultures, through collective responsibility rather than individual authority. Having both a male and a female co-chair is particularly important, as there are distinct gender roles and responsibilities within traditional culture, and both need to be represented at the highest level.
Shared leadership also allows responsibility to be held collectively and creates more capacity for engagement. It enables representation across different spaces at the same time and supports engagement with a broader range of people and demographics. That strengthens governance overall and allows decisions to be made with greater balance and cultural integrity.
Children develop a strong sense of belonging. They know where they fit, within their family, within their group and within their learning environments. That sense of belonging is foundational. When First Nations children move into western schooling environments, it is often clear that they do not feel they belong there and that those systems are not designed to effectively accommodate their needs.
What I see through Children’s Ground is different. Children are growing up with culture and language embedded in their learning and daily lives. I grew up without this kind of structure in place, so I know the difference it makes. This approach works and it’s what communities are asking for.
Governments need to take a genuinely holistic approach. Issues affecting our communities are interconnected, and responses need to reflect that reality. Government departments must talk to each other and work in a coordinated way rather than operating in silos.
Most importantly, governments and institutions need to listen. Communities have been raising the same issues for a long time and solutions already exist within community knowledge and experience. Listening is the starting point for meaningful and sustained change.
I would like Australians to understand the importance of not allowing politics to stand in the way of basic human rights and proper support for First Nations people. When we work together and genuinely support First Nations people and culture, the benefits extend well beyond our communities.
This work strengthens the whole country. Supporting First Nations leadership, knowledge and culture is something that benefits all of us.
