Culture is Life

What Culture is Life does

Culture is Life is an Aboriginal-led Australian not-for-profit organization founded in the mid-2010s out of the 2014 Elders' Report into Preventing Indigenous Self-Harm and Youth Suicide, with operations headquartered in Naarm (Melbourne). The organization is built on the thesis that deepening cultural connection acts as a protective factor against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth suicide, which occurs at approximately nine times the rate of the general Australian population. Its portfolio centers on two interconnected product lines: the Fullaship Program, a 12-month personal and professional development program for First Nations young people aged 18-30 (delivered through monthly online workshops, three in-person intensives across different Country locations annually, wellbeing support, and mentorship), and Official NAIDOC Week Education Resources, curriculum-aligned materials for years F-10 produced in partnership with ABC Education and the National NAIDOC Committee, now in its fourth consecutive annual cycle (2023-2026).

The organization supplements these core programs with additional curriculum resources (e.g., The Australian Wars, Archie Roach Stolen Generations, Bidhi Galing, The Australian Dream), advocacy campaigns (#HealOurHistory, #MyAustralianDream), and national convening activity such as the Indigenous Suicide Prevention Forum and the World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference. A Measurement & Evaluation function, built on a Theory of Change co-developed with Social Ventures Australia in 2022, supports evidence-based program iteration.

Culture is Life operates without a traditional commercial revenue model. All education resources are provided free of charge to educators and schools via a free registration platform, and the organization is funded through philanthropic grants from foundations including Shark Island Foundation, the AnnaMilla First Nations Foundation, and the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation, alongside government funding from the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA). The organization employs approximately 13 people, with a 7-person core team led by CEO Belinda Duarte and governed by a majority Aboriginal board chaired by Justin Mohamed. It serves three primary segments: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 18-30 (Fullaship), Australian secondary schools and educators (curriculum resources), and the broader Australian public engaged through media partnerships with SBS, ABC, ClickView, and others.

Name

Culture is Life

Legal name

Culture Is Life

Website

https://cultureislife.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Culture is Life is an Aboriginal-led Australian not-for-profit that runs the Fullaship Program for First Nations young people aged 18-30 and produces official NAIDOC Week education resources for Australian schools, funded by philanthropy and government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indigenous Community Education and Youth Development

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAAFAN

Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Community & Public Education Programs (Libraries, Community Centers)

SECONDARYEDALAHAF

Cultural, Identity & Inclusion Programs

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Student Activities, Clubs & Campus Life

SECONDARYEDAAAFAD

Cultural, Arts & Humanities Community Education (Museums/Arts Councils)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Community & Public Education Programs (Libraries, Community Centers)

Keywords

• Indigenous youth programs
• Cultural education resources
• First nations wellbeing
• Curriculum-aligned teaching materials
• Aboriginal-led nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne, VIC

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic partnerships and grants: Culture is Life relies on philanthropic funding from partners including Shark Island Foundation for The Australian Wars campaign, and grants from various foundations and government agencies to fund programs including the Fullaship and education initiatives.
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations from individuals and organizations to support its mission of preventing youth suicide among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people through cultural connection programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Culture is Life is an Aboriginal-led not-for-profit organization that runs the Fullaship Program (a 12-month personal and professional development program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 18-30) and develops free, curriculum-aligned education resources including the annual NAIDOC Week Education Resources and The Australian Wars documentary companion materials for Australian schools and educators.

Product overview

Culture is Life is an Aboriginal-led not-for-profit organisation offering a portfolio of programs, education resources, and social impact campaigns. The core offerings include the Fullaship Program (a 12-month youth development initiative), official NAIDOC Week Education Resources developed in partnership with ABC Education and the National NAIDOC Committee, and The Australian Wars education resources. Additional products include specialized curriculum resources on topics including Stolen Generations, First Nations history, and cultural education, as well as advocacy campaigns (#HealOurHistory, #MyAustralianDream) and conferences on Indigenous suicide prevention. The organization also provides measurement and evaluation frameworks and publishes research reports. Culture is Life does not operate as a technology platform but rather as a community-focused nonprofit delivering cultural programs and educational materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fullaship: A 12-month leadership development program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young adults aged 18-30, focusing on pathways, advocacy, leadership development, and mentoring.
• The Australian Wars
• Heal Our History

Products and services

• Fullaship Program A 12-month personal and professional development program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Young People aged 18-30, focused on Pathways, Advocacy, Leadership & Development, and Mentoring. Includes monthly online workshops, in-person intensives, wellbeing support, and mentorship.
• NAIDOC Education Resources Official NAIDOC Week education resources developed in partnership with ABC Education and National NAIDOC Committee. Includes curriculum-aligned materials for years F-10 aligned with Australian Curriculum's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures priority.
• The Australian Wars Education Resources Curriculum-aligned education resources supporting the SBS documentary series 'The Australian Wars' by Rachel Perkins. Includes teaching guides, classroom-ready clips, and safe learning environment frameworks for years 9-12.
• Archie Roach Stolen Generations Education Resources Primary and secondary school resources developed in partnership with the Archie Roach Foundation to honor Stolen Generations Survivors. Features resources based on the song 'Took The Children Away' and video interviews with survivors.
• First Weapons Education Resource Education resource exploring the history and innovation behind weapons used by First Nations peoples.
• Bidhi Galing (Big Rain) Education Resource Education resource celebrating Wiradyuri heroes of the Great Flood of Gundagai in 1852, told through the eyes of a young girl rescued from floodwaters.
• Back to Nature Education Resource Comprehensive education materials for primary and secondary schools based on the ABC Series Back to Nature.
• Welcome To Our Country Education Resource Resources for teachers, parents and carers to support the 'Welcome to Our Country' children's book series by Adam Goodes and Ellie Lang with illustrations by David Hardy.
• The Australian Dream Education Resource Theatrical feature documentary education resources using the story of AFL legend Adam Goodes to explore race, identity and belonging.
• Teaching First Nations Knowledges & Perspectives A guide to creating safe learning environments for embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in education.
• The Australian Wars Documentary Ground-breaking three-part documentary series by Rachel Perkins revealing Australia's frontier wars and colonial conflicts with First Nations peoples. Premiered on SBS in September 2022.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• National NAIDOC CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCulture is Life has been commissioned for four consecutive years (2023-2026) by the National NAIDOC Committee and ABC Education to develop Official NAIDOC Week education resources. Resources are written by First Nations educators and aligned with Australian Curriculum requirements for F-10 levels.
• ABC EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop and distribute official NAIDOC Week education resources. ABC Education provides platform distribution for curriculum materials reaching schools nationwide.
• Blackfella FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for The Australian Wars documentary series education impact campaign. Culture is Life developed curriculum-aligned education resources to accompany the documentary exploring Australia's frontier conflicts.
• SBScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBS broadcast The Australian Wars documentary series and partnered with Culture is Life for the education impact campaign including #HealOurHistory. Resources include clips classified PG for classroom use.
• NgarrnggasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Ngarrngga and University of Melbourne to host 'Teaching the Australian Wars' panel discussion - an evening of truth-telling and collective reflection for educators.
• University of MelbournesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost partner for 'Teaching the Australian Wars' panel event at the University's education faculty, reaching academics, pre-service teachers and educators.
• Archie Roach FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to honor Stolen Generations Survivors through education resources based on Archie Roach's iconic song 'Took The Children Away' and the picture book collaboration with Ruby Hunter.
• ABSTARRsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWellbeing support partnership providing access to culturally appropriate services for Fullaship Program participants. ABSTARR practitioners facilitate closing circles and support group wellbeing.
• Centre of Best Practice of Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention (CBPATSISP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for suicide prevention initiatives including Yarn Up Listen Up report and collaboration on Indigenous Suicide Prevention Forum. Joint work on youth perspectives on suicide prevention.
• Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network (NTIBN)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost for Fullaship 2025 Garramilla Intensive activities in Darwin. Organization provides workplace connections and community engagement for program participants.
• Children's GroundsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization visited during Fullaship intensive to learn about their work across multiple communities to uplift and drive sustainable change for First Nations families.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• The Smith Family: Large Australian education-focused children's charity running national learning and mentoring programs. Comparable in scale and education-resource distribution model, though not Indigenous-led.
• Reconciliation Australia: Australia's peak body for reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians. Culture is Life's CEO sits on its board; comparable national Indigenous advocacy scale and remit.
• Lowitja Institute: Australia's largest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health research institute. Comparable Indigenous-led, research-and-impact model with strong national policy footprint.

Direct peers

• The Healing Foundation: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led organization addressing the ongoing trauma of the Stolen Generations. Overlaps with Culture is Life's Stolen Generations education work with the Archie Roach Foundation.
• Aurora Education Foundation: Australian Indigenous-led charity supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students into higher education and leadership. Similar Indigenous-led, education-and-leadership focus for young people.
• Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF): Provides scholarships and educational pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from high school through to employment. Comparable Indigenous-education mission and school-engagement model.
• Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME): Australian not-for-profit mentoring Indigenous high-school and university students. Closely comparable: Indigenous youth-focused, education-led, nationally scaled, and reliant on philanthropic and corporate partnerships.
• National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE): Indigenous-led organization focused on cultural, education and employment outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. Comparable Indigenous-youth, culture-and-leadership remit.
• Children's Ground: First Nations family-centred organization working across remote and urban communities on education, health and culture (a Culture is Life Fullaship partner). Comparable community-led, culture-as-protection approach.
• Koorie Youth Council: Victorian Aboriginal youth-led peak body for Koorie young people — its CEO (Bonnie Dukakis) sits on the Culture is Life board, evidencing close ties in Indigenous youth leadership development.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/cultureislifeorg
• Facebookinstagram.com/cultureislifeorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cultureislife
• Instagraminstagram.com/cultureislifeorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Culture is Life