Media Statements - Government funding supports Aboriginal communities

19/1/06

Innovative camping trips to help Aboriginal adults and children stamp out violence in Western Australia’s South-West are among initiatives announced today to receive grants funding.

Community Development Minister Sheila McHale today announced that 13 not-for-profit, non-Government organisations would benefit from $166,534 in funding which was part of the Government’s response to the Gordon Inquiry.

Ms McHale said the one-off grants aimed to strengthen responses to child abuse and family violence, vulnerable people at risk, community safety, economic capacity and the long-term development of communities.

“Four of the projects which received funding were through the South West Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation in Bunbury/Busselton and aim to prevent feuding between families,” the Minister said.

“It is important we support Aboriginal communities in developing innovative solutions to issues in partnership with Government agencies.

“These are grants for specific initiatives and projects, and there is a strong focus on strengthening indigenous communities.”

Ms McHale said funding applications had to demonstrate how they helped:

strengthen responses to child abuse and family violence;

strengthen responses to vulnerable children and adults at risk;

strengthen the safety of communities; and

strengthen the governance, confidence, economic capacity and long-term development of communities.

Projects to receive grant funding include:

Yorgum Aboriginal Corporation - Family and Domestic Violence Workshops ($15,000): Aboriginal professionals will impart positive and constructive knowledge to Noongar male perpetrators of family violence in a series of structured Aboriginal family violence workshops. Workshops will address a variety of issues including violence against female partners and the consequences for the family, preventive and reformative strategies, support structures and counselling, anger management and the clarification of the different types of violence including physical, psychological and sexual.

South West Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation - The Lawrence Project 1 ($15,000): South West Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation’s ‘Lawrence’ projects are aimed at preventing violence occurring between families in Busselton, which has become a major issue for the town. The Lawrence Project 1 seeks to identify potential Aboriginal leaders, significant other adults and relationships to country through kinship mapping and community consultations to facilitate peaceful inter-town relationships. It will bring together the four major feuding families at a neutral location to participate in capacity-building exercises. The project will provide three distinct workshops for children, young and older women, and young and older men.

South West Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation - The Lawrence Project 2 ($15,000): The Lawrence Project 2 builds on the work of the Lawrence Project 1 and will provide identified potential male Aboriginal leaders/elders aged 15 and over with a three-day leadership camp in a neutral location. The South West Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation believes the project will strengthen the role of community leaders and promote change to a healthy relationship between feuding families in Busselton.

South West Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation - The Lawrence Project 3 ($15,000): The Lawrence Project 3 builds on the work of the Lawrence Project 1 and will run parallel with the Lawrence project 2. It will strengthen the role of young and older women in the town of Busselton by focussing on self-determination and existing strengths of individuals and the community to promote change. Potential leaders will attend a three-day camp and address issues of maintenance of order and the value of cultural law, while building on their decision-making and peaceful problem-solving skills.

South West Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation - The Lawrence Project 4 ($15,000): The Lawrence Project 4 is a follow on from the Lawrence project 2 and 3 and will identify children aged 6-14 who are at risk of being affected by family violence. The Busselton children will attend a three-day camp, where they will learn strategies for keeping themselves safe in violent situations and who to go to if violence occurs. Children will be given opportunities to develop their cultural identity and values and learn about the support of leaders and elders.

Nurra Kurramunoo Aboriginal Corporation - Mulga Queen Planning Project ($15,000): The project will actively engage 50 Mulga Queen community residents in managing the business of the community and enable it to develop a short, medium and long-term community plan in Laverton. The community will benefit from writing and implementing its own plan through a sense of community ownership, the creation of employment and training opportunities, an increased skills base and improved collaboration between agencies, among other things. The project will enable Mulga Queen residents to actively move towards community goals.

Nurra Kurramunoo Aboriginal Corporation - Mulga Queen Reciprocal Capacity Building Project ($10,380): Building on the previous Mulga Queen Planning, the Reciprocal Capacity Building project will work toward implementing a three-stage Community Strategic Plan. Stage one will be community learning; stage two, local service provider training; and stage three will involve community and service providers working together. The plan will train service providers to work with indigenous communities, provide hands-on, task-focussed learning opportunities, enable inter-community working relationships and work with like and similar projects in communities.

Ninga Mia Aboriginal Corporation - Reciprocal Capacity Building ($10,180): The Ninga Mia Reciprocal Capacity Building Project in Kalgoorlie builds on a previous Indigenous Community Partnership Funds grant provided in 2004. It will work toward implementing a three-stage Community Strategic Plan consisting of community learning and practice, local service provider training, and community and service providers working together. The project aims to increase skills and knowledge for the service providers and community, provide inter-agency collaboration, community development, stronger relationships between elders, families and youth and a deeper understanding of reciprocal capacity building through the application of clear key steps.

Chrysalis Support Service - Protecting Our Children Project ($8,854): A joint project between Chrysalis Support Service and the Nyarlu Miyranumalgu-Indigenous Women’s Legal Outreach Service, which aims to raise awareness of child sexual abuse by producing a 12-month calendar. The calendar will promote child protection through the use of images and protective messages. It will be distributed to service providers in the Geraldton and surrounding areas, providing contact numbers and advice for people seeking assistance and a working tool against indigenous child abuse.

Chrysalis Support Service - The Nyingari Project ($15,000): The Nyingari Project aims to connect service providers and community members in addressing sexual assault and abuse in the Geraldton region. Through local culturally appropriate research and an educational package featuring local stories about protecting young people, the project will target primary and high school aged children, 13 years and over, in the Yamatji community and surrounding areas. The project is a collaboration between Chrysalis Support Service, the Geraldton Language Group and the indigenous community.

Community Builders Inc - Community Builders North-West Cluster ($2,120): Based on an American model, this project will identify participants in Mid-West communities and equip them with skills, confidence and tools to facilitate positive change in their communities. In its eight years, the Community Builders Project has identified 13 participants to undertake a six-month self-empowerment course and meet monthly to develop skills in tourism promotion, engaging communities, project organisation planning, preparation of grant applications, personality profiling, communication and personal development.

Leeuwin Ocean Adventures Foundation - Island Spirit 2006 ($15,000): The Island Spirit 2006 project is the result of Leeuwin Ocean Adventures Foundation engaging with the Bay of Isles Aboriginal Community. The project will involve a 10-day square-rigger sailing voyage of discovery primarily for young indigenous Western Australians. Learning opportunities include the Leeuwin’s sail training and a series of workshops in natural and cultural heritage conducted by local Aboriginal elders. The project will provide long-term skills in leadership, communication, co-operation, teamwork, social interaction and emotional control.

Outcare Inc - Reconnect and Live ($15,000): The Outcare project at Nanga Bush Camp in Dwellingup will provide three workshops and cultural outings to reconnect ‘at risk’ adults and young people with Aboriginal culture. The project will strengthen knowledge of and respect for Aboriginal sites of significance, family values and healthy lifestyles, bush food, respect for self through life skills, personal stability, health and well-being, and respect for the community. The five adults and 15 young people targeted by the project and the wider community will benefit in the long term from increased self-esteem, better employment outcomes, positive influence on others in the Aboriginal community and decreased youth incarceration rates among other things.

For more information on grant recipients, call Leanne O’Rourkes on (08) 9222 2810.

Minister's Office - 9213 6900