A new strategy that aims to increase opportunities for Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO) to deliver culturally appropriate services for Aboriginal children, families and communities has been launched today in Fremantle.
The ten-year strategy was developed by representatives from 11 ACCOs across the State, Department of Communities and the Department of Finance. It aligns to several Priority Reform Areas and Socio-Economic targets identified within the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and aims to empower Aboriginal children, families and communities to choose their own futures from the foundations provided by ACCOs.
ACCOs hold an important role in delivering culturally secure services to Aboriginal people across Western Australia. They provide a vast range of critical services and support including health, healing, safe homes, housing, education and training, child protection, disability support, justice, and maintaining strong connections to land and culture.
Beyond the commitment made under Communities’ ACCO Strategy the State Government has allocated $3.4 million to assist Aboriginal community controlled groups progress towards targets in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap for the next four years.
Grants from the fund will go towards delivering high-quality, sustainable services for Aboriginal people and communities in the sectors of early childhood care, housing, health and disability.
To read The Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO) Strategy 2022 to 2032: Empowering Aboriginal children, families and communities to choose their own futures from secure and sustained foundations provided by ACCOs visit https://www.wa.gov.au/government/publications/aboriginal-community-controlled-organisation-strategy-2022-2032
As stated by Community Services Minister Simone McGurk:
“Aboriginal people across Western Australia have repeatedly told us that to truly change outcomes, Aboriginal communities must lead the way, and that is achieved through community-based and family-led solutions.
“We are committed to partner with and support ACCOs so that Aboriginal services can serve the unique needs of Aboriginal families alongside Communities.
“ACCOs usually achieve better results, employ a majority of Aboriginal workforce and are the preferred providers by Aboriginal people over mainstream services.
“The ACCO Strategy seeks to improve Communities’ delivery of services to Aboriginal children, families and communities, and to support ACCOs to deliver culturally appropriate services across WA.
“This builds on Communities’ efforts in procurement, with more than 20 per cent of contracts being awarded to aboriginal businesses, exceeding the government target of 3 per cent.”
As stated by Department of Communities Director General Mike Rowe:
“The Department of Communities is committed to reform, particularly in the way that it commissions and delivers services to Aboriginal children, families, and communities.
“We know that when Aboriginal people provide place-based, locally-led and culturally safe services to Aboriginal people, the outcomes are far better.
“This strategy will lay the foundation for enduring reform to ensure Aboriginal people are at the core of our business and can determine the services that best fit their needs.
“Partnership between Communities and ACCOs will not only improve the delivery of the services that our department provides, but support ACCOs’ self-determination in caring for their own communities.
“We want to work together with the support of ACCOs to build a self-sustained sector that lasts for generations to come.”
As stated by ACCO Strategy Project Working Group Co-Chair Joslyn Eades-Tass:
“It is our responsibility to ensure a genuine collaborative approach at all levels with a commitment that we are all working together to achieve better outcomes for Aboriginal children, families and communities in Western Australia.”
