IBA works in a dynamic and changing environment. As more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people look to own their homes, get into business and invest for the future, IBA is experiencing increased demand for relevant
and timely solutions. We also recognise that we can’t be all things to all people and this is why our focus is on investing in those areas that mainstream lenders simply may not support.

Across private, not-for-profit and government sectors, there is an increased focus on changes in policy settings, market conditions, the economy and access to resources. The one constant in the work we do is the rate of change —IBA continues to keep sight on how these changes will impact and benefit our customers.

Our challenge is to keep pace with the changes, make sure that we continue to deliver relevant solutions, embrace new technologies, and support our customers to participate in and be included in the Australian economy.

While this seems like a lot to navigate, our experience over the past 12 months has given us more information, more customer feedback, greater sharing of knowledge and an increase in the level of accountability we expect of ourselves and our clients. Throughout the year, we asked a lot of questions, hosted focus groups, conducted surveys, had one-on-one and group discussions because we knew that unless we were informed about the challenges and opportunities our customers face then our ability to target our investment would be limited.

One of the interesting things we learnt along the way is that people want simple ways to connect with IBA, so we introduced digital platforms to enhance our customers’ experience and broaden our reach.

We also learnt that people want to support more women and youth to participate and be included in economic opportunities.