Why Trust is Hard (And Why That Makes Sense)

This conversation speaks honestly about the history of schooling for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including the Stolen Generations and the removal of children from their families. We share this truth with care, because acknowledging it is where trust begins. Please listen gently, and take whatever time you need. Support services are listed at the end of these notes.

Episode Overview

What would it take for you to feel safe walking into a school? For many families, that question carries real weight. In this first snippet of our Walking Together series, Narelle Lemon sits down with Naomi Greaves — proud Torres Strait Islander woman, education leader, and advocate for inclusive education — for a conversation about trust: why it is hard, why that makes sense, and how it can be slowly, genuinely rebuilt.

Naomi speaks as a person, not a position. She names what schools have been for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families — and why caution towards these systems is not a lack of willingness, but wisdom born of experience. From that honest starting point, she offers something quietly hopeful: that trust is earned through truth-telling, reciprocity, and going all the way to people, rather than expecting them to meet the system halfway.

In This Snippet

•    An introduction with heart — who Naomi is, and how advocacy for Aboriginal rights and inclusive schooling became her life’s work

•    Reciprocity as a way of being — why walking together begins with the give and take of being human

•    Truth-telling before trust — naming schools’ histories as places of removal, punishment and shame, and why this truth cannot be skipped over

•    Reframing “disengagement” — understanding families’ distance from schools as protection and survival, not disengagement

•    Leading with humility — a principal’s commitment to earning trust slowly, suspending judgment, and going all the way to families first

A Question to Sit With

Each snippet in this series offers one gentle question. There is no right answer, and no rush.

“What would it take for you, or for someone you love, to feel safe walking into a school?”

Quotable Moments

“We commonly speak about disengagement of families, but if we shift that thinking — it’s protection, it’s survival. It’s not a lack of willingness. It’s a real built fear, over time, of systems.”

— Naomi Greaves

“I can’t just walk in and demand trust of people. That truth-telling step is so important, and then from there, that slow earning of trust.”

— Naomi Greaves

“It’s not even about expecting to meet people halfway. A lot of the time it’s about going all the way to them first.”

— Naomi Greaves

“Different isn’t bad — it’s just different.”

— Naomi Greaves

“Reciprocity … that’s the term that underlies walking together. It’s all about the give and take of being a human.”

— Naomi Greaves

Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity while preserving the speaker’s meaning and voice.

About Naomi Greaves

Naomi Greaves is a proud Torres Strait Islander woman and school principal. Her leadership is grounded in compassion, restorative practice and a deep commitment to walking alongside families and community. Through her own education journey — and the discovery of her own neurodiversity and that of her children — Naomi has become a passionate advocate for inclusivity in schools and for the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. She leads with the belief that trust is earned through truth-telling, reciprocity and genuine relationship.

About the Walking Together Series

Walking Together is a series of She Snippets — short, honest reflections created in partnership between She Speaks and Naomi Greaves. Across the series, Naomi and Narelle explore restorative practice, rebuilding trust between families and schools, cultural safety, and what it means to be partners rather than problems. The series begins with validation: your caution makes sense, and you deserve to be seen and believed. From there, each snippet gently opens a door to what could be different.

If This Conversation Brings Things Up for You

•    13YARN — 13 92 76 (24/7) — crisis support run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

•    Thirrili Postvention Support — 1800 863 412 — support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people affected by suicide or other significant trauma

•    Lifeline — 13 11 14 (24/7) — crisis support and suicide prevention for all Australians

•    Beyond Blue — 1300 22 4636 (24/7) — mental health support and information

Connect With Us

•    Follow She Speaks on Instagram: @shespeakswellbeingstrategies

•    Visit our website: www.shespeakswellbeing.com

Acknowledgement of Country

She Speaks acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which this conversation was recorded and shared, and pays respect to Elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Storytellers of this continent, and we recognise that sovereignty was never ceded. We are grateful for the opportunity to walk together, learning with and from one another.

A Note on Wellbeing

She Speaks is dedicated to amplifying women’s voices on self-care and wellbeing. While we share personal experiences and lived wisdom, this podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. If you are struggling, we encourage you to reach out to a qualified mental health practitioner or one of the services listed above.

She Speaks is proudly supported by the Western Australian Government.