Aboriginal Family Support Program

Southcare’s Aboriginal Family Support Program is a community service offering support and advocacy and referral for aboriginal families and individuals residing in Como, Karawara, Kensington, Manning, Salter Point, South Perth and Waterford. It is funded by the Department for Community Development.

The program provides support through a range of crisis situations including domestic violence and eviction and other housing problems. And with issues such as :

Parenting

Relationships

Health

Social

Legal

It also meets needs such as:

Food assistance

Clothing

Some household goods and furniture

Financial Counselling

Where appropriate families are linked to groups to help deal with or avoid crisis

Debarl Yerrigan - an Aboriginal Community Controlled organisation, incorporated under Statelegislation in 1973. Delivers a range of health services across multiple sites in Perth.  www.derbarlyerrigan.com.au

Strong Families –a program which brings together caseworkers from various government departments and non-government agencies to tackle the needs of high risk families and youth. www.community.wa.gov.au/DFC/Communities/Indigenous/PSIC/Strong_Families.htm

Maamba MAAMBA is an Aboriginal organisation that has sought funding to train Aboriginal workers in existing agencies on the issue of DV using the 'Wrong Way' package.

www.community.wa.gov.au/DFC/Communities/Indigenous/PSIC/MAAMBA.htm

Victoria Park YouthAccommodation

Aboriginal PoliceLiaison Officers

Killara OutreachSupport Service for young people and their families who are having problems which are attracting, or may attract, attention of the police and the law.

Aboriginal healthworkers

Schooling - General assistance is provided for families who may be having problems with non-attendance at school and in finding tutors for students. Attendance at Aboriginal Parents and School Partnerships committee meetings at Como Secondary School and Manning Primary School and links students with part-time work opportunities through the Red Cross. South Perth Aboriginal Community Group Moorditj Keila.

The South Perth Aboriginal Community group Moorditj Keila (happy healthydolphin) is the name given to the group by native title holders and elder Mrs Dorothy Winmar of Manning. The dolphin is significant to Aboriginal people for the Canning and Swan River areas adjacent to the City of South Perth.

Southcare has agreed to be the auspices body in the partnership with Moorditj Keila.  Moorditj Keila's Mission Statement is to develop the capacity of the Aboriginal community in partnership with the broader community to empower individuals and families to build a community of trust, engagement and participation for the mutual benefit of all.

Moorditj Keila is the umbrella group for the Moorditj Yorgas (Women's) Danjoo Wangkanining group and Marmans (Men's) group, working  collaboratively with Southcare's Aboriginal Family Support Services and relevant stakeholders in developing and supporting an holistic health and well-being service to Aboriginal people encompassing wider community benefits.

Meetings are held at their Club rooms in Kensington (Formerly the Kensington Tennis Club) every Friday from 10am – 2pm. Programmes have included healthy eating, health checks and occasional BBQ and visiting speakers on a range of subjects. The Men’s group is working towards getting their Skippers tickets so they can start a fishing programme.

The group also works with the City of South Perth in arranging entertainment for the annual South Perth Fiesta and NAIDOC celebrations.

Southcare Contact: Garry Gower Aboriginal Family Support Coordinator

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Southcare Inc

54 Bickley Crescent Manning 6152

Tel : 08 9450 6233

Email: afs@southcare.org.au