Living Change Gains Momentum
28 March 2012
Over the past two months, Wunan has been consulting community members in Halls Creek on its Living Change initiative, which seeks to rebuild family responsibilities and local authority in that community. To date, Wunan has met with more than forty individuals and families, and the boards of several community organisations. These conversations will inform the proposed design of Living Change, as well as decisions by Wunan and the state and federal governments on whether to progress the initiative. Wunan will report on these consultations as part of its report to government in June 2012 on the feasibility of introducing Living Change in Halls Creek.
Wunan sees this report as merely one step in the ongoing process of embedding positive social change in the East Kimberley. Its vision is that Living Change can operate in any East Kimberley community that wants to take control of its destiny and embrace notions of: independence and responsibility; opportunity and choice; reward for effort; and supporting success. In any such a community, Wunan sees its role as a catalyst for change—an organisation that can use its experience, expertise and relationships to help a community make a difficult but necessary transformation.
To realise this vision and support more East Kimberley communities to build a brighter future, Wunan is seeking to replicate the design and consultation process it is operating in Halls Creek in up to eight communities across the region. Early conversations in these communities indicate a strong interest in the concepts behind Living Change, particularly among reform-minded Indigenous leaders. In response to this interest, Wunan has requested funding from both levels of government to leverage commitments from Wunan and corporate partners through Jawun, and to maintain the momentum for change in the East Kimberley.
Wunan hopes to be able to report good news on these requests in coming months!