- 16 Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations
(ACCOs) share in $3.4 million of Closing the Gap grant funding to enhance community
services
- State Government committed to investing and
supporting Aboriginal Community Controlled Sector
- Funding to progress targets and outcomes under the
National Agreement on Closing the Gap
The Cook
Government in partnership with Lotterywest has awarded $3.4 million in grants
to 16 Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) to support community
services to Aboriginal people across Western Australia.
The grants program was launched in October 2022 calling for ideas from
ACCOs to expand
or develop initiatives across the housing, health, disability, and early
childhood care and development sectors.
Not-for-profit
ACCOs across WA were encouraged to apply for a share of grants from the $3.4
million Closing the Gap funding.
The
grants will assist ACCOs in delivering high-quality, sustainable services and
outcomes for Aboriginal people and communities. Some of the organisations to
receive funding include:
- Kuditj Pty Ltd located in the Perth Metro will
invest in IT and project costs to build capacity and assist ACCOs in the homelessness
sector to become accredited;
- Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara
Women's Council Aboriginal Corporation in the Goldfields to support the
delivery of trauma-informed services for Aboriginal children and families in
the Western Desert;
- South-West Aboriginal Medical Service Aboriginal
Corporation in the South-West, Great Southern and Wheatbelt will invest in the Deadly
Koorlangka Initiative to improve health and early childhood services for
Aboriginal children and their families across the South-West;
- Nirrumbuk Environmental Health and Services Pty Ltd in the Kimberley will invest in
a pilot traineeship project to strengthen the Aboriginal workforce in the
disability sector; and
- Marr Mooditj
Training Aboriginal Corporation will invest in equipment and a fit out to support
the delivery of health care training for Aboriginal people in WA.
A full list of grant recipients can be
found here: https://www.wa.gov.au/government/announcements/grants-awarded-34-million-closing-the-gap-funding
The grants are managed by Lotterywest,
which has a long history of supporting Aboriginal communities and strong
relationships with the ACCO sector.
Comments attributed to Aboriginal Affairs
Minister Dr Tony Buti:
"The Cook Government recognises the importance of investing in the
organisations that Aboriginal people have established to improve outcomes for
their communities.
"We know that Aboriginal community-controlled organisations (ACCOs) will
deliver services that achieve real impact.
"This is a key element of our Aboriginal Empowerment Strategy, and our
commitments under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
"We are grateful to the Aboriginal Health Council's Social Services
Committee for their assistance in developing the grant criteria, and for
providing a critical link to the Council of Aboriginal Services Western Australia, the new WA ACCO peak body as it begins to take shape.
"I congratulate the recipients of these grants who continue to deliver key
services for their communities. I am looking forward to seeing the positive
changes that these vital community organisations can achieve."
