First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation launched its social enterprise, the Blak Markets in 2013, offering an authentic Aboriginal tourism experience to the Sydney market while supporting the traditional inter-generational passing down of knowledge by elders to young people in Aboriginal communities. The Blak Markets social enterprise has been developed by First Hand Solutions as an innovative
way to deal with some very real issues in Indigenous communities. "With the passing of elders, Aboriginal culture is vanishing at an alarming rate,” Peter Cooley, Director of First Hand Solutions said. “Knowledge, skills and experience accumulated over thousands of years is disappearing due to a breakdown in communication between generations. Aboriginal youth in turn, are becoming dispossessed from their cultural identity and confused about their position in society, leading to an array of social problems including one of the highest rates of suicide in the world for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander youth - who are also 19 times more likely to be detained in a juvenile facility.”
"This enterprise will not only reinvigorate the Aboriginal experience of a visit to La Perouse, but also the transfer of knowledge between the generations, using tourism as the tool," Peter said. Since its inception 8 years ago it has also acted as a micro-business incubator for Aboriginal people,
First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation is a registered charity supporting hands-on solutions to issues faced by Aboriginal peoples.
