An independent hearing into the experiences of Victoria's Indigenous elders will head to Ballarat this week.
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The Yoorook Justice Commission, the first of its kind in Australia, will have similar powers to a Royal Commission - it will investigate injustices suffered by First Nations peoples in Victoria since colonisation, and is a "truth-telling process".
It will then make recommendations for practical changes to laws and policies, while also providing a way to support Indigenous people to share their experiences and avoid further trauma.
It will also establish a public record of "the impact of colonisation" in Victoria, with an interim report expected to be released in June.
Commissioners will visit regional communities to meet elders face-to-face, for yarning sessions in a group or one-on-one.
Ballarat's turn will be Friday.
In a statement, Commissioner Dr Wayne Atkinson said the Indigenous community in Ballarat had been asking for "a truth and justice" process like Yoorook "for years".
"We are glad to finally start to see progress towards this in Victoria," he said.
"We have had a positive response from the Ballarat community and we are looking forward to meeting with them on Friday and hearing what their priorities are for the process."
Ballarat has a particularly dark history, with hundreds of families affected by the Stolen Generations - its effects are still being felt in the community even decades later.
Dr Atkinson said it was important to provide opportunities for those stories to be told in a formal context.
"We aim to bring about change through truth and justice for all locations where we meet with Elders," he said.
"These initial yarns are an opportunity to hear from Elders on what their priorities are for the process, which may also include discussion on Stolen Generations experiences."
The yarning circles, or, by appointment, one-on-one sessions with commissioners, are one way to get involved - Dr Atkinson reiterated "in this initial yarn and throughout the Yoorrook process, truth telling will be done in a culturally safe way, and First Peoples' stories will be protected".
"We encourage all local Elders to attend and contribute to Victoria's truth and justice process," he said.
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"If Elders are interested in participating they can email Joseph Saunders (joseph.saunders@yoorrook.org.au) or call 0459 871 952."
Launched in March and set to continue with hearings through 2022, the final report from the commissioners is expected in June 2024.
More information on the Yoorook Justice Commission is available online.
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