Hardened warriors put down their spears; crying women stopped their tears; tired children lifted their gaze, when Jimmy Little began to play.

Yorta Yorta Man

Wunan's Education Strategy

Wunan's Employment Strategy

Wunan's Housing Strategy

Leading Change

More About Us

Wunan has been established since 1997 and during this time it has methodically built its capacity to make a difference in the East Kimberley. With a strong asset base that includes a number of commercial investments, Wunan is able to invest in innovation and carry a long-term, independent strategy for change. We are committed to building partnerships with the community, business sector, and Government to make the East Kimberley a place where Aboriginal people can look forward to building a stronger and more independent future for themselves.

Today, a key objective for Wunan is to shift the balance of dependence of Aboriginal people on welfare from 80% to 20% over 20 years. This objective is based on a clear guiding philosophy that Aboriginal success grows from investing in people's ability, real opportunity, and reward for effort. Long term and sustainable change is driven through a focus on strategic priorities that are education and employment, accommodation and housing, welfare reform and change attitudes and values.

These are being rolled out through a series of projects and programs. They include Stepping Stone Housing, Wunan Job Services, and our incubator of skills development programs such as Joodoogeb-be-gerring Werlemen, PaCE, and Workforce Development. As an organisation Wunan is working hard to gather a coalition of support to advocate and lobby for changes to welfare as it sees that there is an urgent need to change attitudes and inspire not only Aboriginal people but Government.

Projects

Kimberley Wilderness Adventures

Wunan's investment in and subsequent development of Kimberley Wilderness Adventures (WKA) since 2000 has seen them become the largest Aboriginal-owned tour operator in the Kimberley. Over that period, KWA has received numerous accolades for it services to its customers and the quality of its tours n some of the world's most remote locations

. East Kimberley Aboriginal Achievement Awards (EKAAA)

Wunan is dedicated to identifying and promoting positive Aboriginal role models in the East Kimberley and encourages and promotes Aboriginal participation in the social and economic opportunities of the region.

The EKAAA's are a regionally focused event that recognises Aboriginal Achievement by providing a night for the community to come together to celebrate the achievements of these people. The EKAAA's have been an annual event held in Kununurra for the past 7 years and in this time have grown into a well respected, significant event on our region's calendar.

Aboriginal people who contribute to their community help build a stronger communal culture of success and progression in the people around them which ultimately helps enrich the lives of all those living and working in the community. By showcasing these positive Aboriginal achievements and role models, community confidence and pride is built, encouraging and empowering Aboriginal Achievement and bring about community-led change.

Wunan's Leading Change Programs focus on community lead change, and driving reform in government policy to shift the balance of incentives provided by welfare, CDEP and housing to encourage progress and success.Indigenous Hip Hop (Beat 2 Education)

Indigenous Hip Hop Projects deliver a series of structured interactive motivational dance and skills development workshops in schools and communities across the Kimberley. These workshops are built around the delivery of key messages of health, wellbeing and respect with significant outcomes being achieved that include improvement in attitudes towards respecting others, increased motivation, improved self esteem, increase in confidence and a significant increase in school attendance..

Building on work undertaken by Wunan in collaboration with Indigenous Hip Hop Projects (IHHP), Beat 2 Education is a visual art, music and dance engagement pilot program that. The pilot works within schools and the community to build the confidence and increase the participation of young people in education. The program uses a strengths based approach and has been designed to provide a forum in which participants can try new activities, challenge self perceptions and learn. The program works to build the capacity and the self esteem of young people to better engage in school as well as forging stronger links between parents and education.

Joodoogeb-be-gerring Werlemen

The name was given by the Mirima Language and Cultural Centre in consultation with senior Elders. It means the straightening up of the girls and setting them on a straight path. The program's aim is to get young women back into full time education l or into employment. It works specifically with disengaged young girls to build numeracy and literacy, life skills and work skills, in an environment which offers an alternative to mainstream education. This program has strong partnerships with Kununurra District High School, Gelyangem Trust and the Ord Enhancement scheme through the Miriuwung Gajeroong traditional owners.

School Business Community Partnership

This program is based on the principle that support for young people is the collective responsibility of governments, education and training providers, business and industry as well as parents and families and the broader community. The program brokers sustainable and strategic partnerships between and among key stakeholders to improve education and transition outcomes and supports young people to remain engaged, or reengage, in education or training and realise their full social and economic potential.

Job Services Australia (JSA)

JSA is an employment preparation and placement service that works intensively with Indigenous people by designing flexible training solutions that increase 'employability skills' and provides placement into employment and ongoing support including mentoring, counselling, financial planning, self-esteem building, skills development and accommodation. By working with employers within the region, Job Services Australia staff are able to identify and provide pre-employment training and assistance that ensures that an employment placement is productive, ongoing and sustainable.

Workforce Development Centre (WDC)

WDC is a careers advice service that provides a range of career development services to individuals and/or groups (including schools). This is done either face to face or from a distance using help lines and web based services.

Wunan House

Wunan House is available to young Aboriginal people who are currently working, studying or undertaking traineeships or apprenticeships. Wunan House is an 16 bed residential hostel that provides single and shared rooms with en-suite facilities, common areas, computer and internet access along with three quality meals per day.

Pindan Place

Built by Wunan Construction and Maintenance, Pindan Place is a 4 unit residential development that provides private rental housing to Aboriginal people (specifically families) as they establish themselves in employment.

Halls Creek Workers Accommodation Facility

This is a much needed facility that responded to concerns from the community about poor housing options for young working people in Halls Creek. The 24 bed facility consists of single quarters with en-suite bathroom facilities, commercial kitchen, family quarters, recreation room and managers' quarters, all of which glue together to provide safe, affordable and supported accommodation for Aboriginal people from Halls Creek and the desert communities and assist them to take up work and training opportunities.

Subjects
Employment
Training
Tourism
Lead Organisation/Agency
Wunan Foundation Inc trading as Wunan.
Type of Support Needed

Wunan is a deductable gift recipient. Donations of $2.00 or more are fully tax deductable. If you would like to make a donation or wish to discuss ways of helping Wunan achieve its aims, please either visit us at www.wunan.org.au or contact Wunan on 08 9168 3881 or email admin@wunan.org.au

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