A confronting and clarifying A3 framework that reframes psychological safety through an Indigenous lens — asking not who feels comfortable, but who is truly safe.
Psychological safety is often misunderstood as comfort — particularly the comfort of non-Indigenous people doing the work. This A3 visual framework disrupts that narrative and asks a more honest question: What — and who — are you really making safe?
Grounded in Indigenous lived experience, this resource clarifies what psychological safety actually means for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It names the everyday harms that occur when allyship centres guilt, fragility, or good intentions — and outlines the four commitments of a psychologically safe Indigenous ally, focusing on accountability, boundaries, presence, and responsibility.
This resource supports allies to sit with discomfort without withdrawing, to accept feedback without centring themselves, and to offer safety without expecting access, explanation, or emotional labour in return.
Psychological safety, in this context, is not about feeling safe. It is about offering safety — consistently and relationally.
What This Resource Supports
- Reframing psychological safety through an Indigenous lens
- Challenging comfort-based or performative allyship
- Supporting accountability without defensiveness
- Clarifying boundaries, responsibility, and consent
- Building culturally safe, trauma-aware practice
What’s Included
- 1 x A3 printable PDF
- Full-colour visual framework
- Designed for reflection, facilitated dialogue, or personal learning
Recommended For
- Leaders and executives
- Educators and facilitators
- Cultural safety and allyship training
- RAP committees and governance groups
- Individuals committed to ethical, accountable allyship
Suggested Use
- As a workshop anchor or wall poster
- In leadership and team reflection sessions
- As a companion to allyship or cultural intelligence programs
- For personal journaling and honest self-assessment
Indigenous Cultural & Intellectual Property (ICIP) Notice
This resource is protected under Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP).
Purchase provides a single-user licence for personal or professional educational use only.
Redistribution, reproduction, adaptation, or commercial use without permission is not permitted.
Please engage with this resource with care, humility, and relational responsibility.
