Our Relationship with Outback Academy Australia is a long standing partnership to create positive change for indigenous Australians through coffee.
Since 2013, when OAA first reached out to us, Wells (late co-founder of Jasper Coffee) and the team were overwhelmed with enthusiasm for the work they were doing. We have since proudly supported their mission every step of the way.
Our head of sales at the time Sean Mcgowen was part of leading the charge on the partnership that aimed to help Indigenous Australians through coffee.
Pictured: Sid Jackson at the launch of Red Dust coffee 2014
It began as a conversation… how could we collaborate with Outback Academy in a way that helps First Nations businesses and the Heelers team?
There was a clear connection with the Fairtrade model that we all thought would benefit Australian farmers.
In Wells’ words:
"It was 2013 when Clare O Kelly and Leanne Miller from OAA walked into the Jasper Coffee Roastery asking to introduce us to a project they wanted Jasper Coffee to somehow, be part of.
After nearly 2 hours, I still had no idea what part we had to play. Were we going to become coffee farmers in the outback; were they wanting training to become coffee farmers; did they want a giant café somewhere in the outback..what!!?
This was a project that took 2 years to launch.
Essentially, I was asked if I was interested to support Aboriginal people who wanted to learn more about Fairtrade style business, and who were also driving greater inclusion for people with disability and youth in need of healing.
The Red Dust Heelers was the Outback Academy program that we began our work around, including the creation of a coffee that could support their work with communities across Australia.
Outback Academy wanted to work with a coffee company who had an ethical and moral stance on sustainable production and supply with a Fairtrade background. Jasper Coffee was the first Fairtrade coffee roaster in Australia and already certified Organic since 2003. Clare and Leanne had chosen Jasper Coffee because they had heard we do good things with First Nations communities around the world in relation to coffee and sustainable production.
At all times we wanted to involve the First Nations communities for their direction and approval. We started by requesting that Outback Academy linked Elders, including Syd Jackson and others here today, to the Roastery to understand more about coffee. We asked them to bring suggestions of flavours they would like their coffee to include in a blend. Their taste descriptions and following tasting sessions led to the first coffee blend – Red Dust – in 2015.”
Around 2018, Wells was asked by OAA to speak at 2 forums on the Murray Corridor alliance project, to introduce those First Nations farmers and stakeholders to the tangible benefits that Fairtrade brings to many communities across the coffee lands and in indigenous communities similar to Australia.
These forums brought together First Nations farmers from SW WA with their Murray Corridor, Eastern Seaboard peers. The vision of the First Nations farmers with Outback Academy was to increase independent wealth and self-determination through collaborative, alliance-based business on farms that also heal Country and bring social returns.
The benefits of operating in a Fairtrade style system - of their own making - was the major theme for these gatherings, and how collective business can lead to collective commercial good, and environmental health. Examples from First Nations people were shared including from Columbia, The ANEI who had their traditional land stolen by Governments. Using Fairtrade Premium funds, they bought back their own land, and are still doing so.
The Yirgacheffe Indigenous people in southern Ethiopia, was another story shared, where they transformed their community from abject poverty and cultural neglect, to bring exceptional World status to their coffee quality and so, elevate their coffee sales and livelihoods to World respect and standing. They now have a self-supporting community. The collective empowerment that comes from this structure, is demonstrable. Presentations with farmers in SA for a national forum provided further information about the workings of Fairtrade, including global and local governance structures.
Today the Fairtrade style model referred to as Follow the Flowers, has been adopted in principal and is being refined with First Nations regenerative farmers across four states, NSW, Victoria, SA and WA through Outback Academy Australia.
We are so proud to be connected with such an outstanding project that has created real change in peoples lives and livelihoods.
It’s an ongoing partnership that continues to grow each year.
Pictured: The Red Dust Heelers wheelchair basketball team.
The Outback Academy coffees that are sold all help put money towards supporting indigenous businesses and people. With the Red Dust Blend (the OG) contributing money towards the Red Dust Heelers national wheelchair basketball team who travel around Australia competing while doing outreach work everywhere they go.
Find out more about Outback Academy Australia on their Website
Follow the Red Dust Heelers on instagram here
Look out for the Heal Country range in Cole Local stores or pick up a bag online today.
Find out more about the Heal Country Collection here
