Published on Wednesday, 7 August 2024 at 2:21:53 PM
This week, the Wunan Foundation will launch "The Bedford Stock Route Walk," a culturally led pilot initiative for at-risk youth in contact with the criminal justice system.
The program will engage two groups of young people in camps along the historic Bedford Stock Route in East Kimberley. The first group of 17 boys will start their journey this Thursday. The program aims to build resilience, improve self-worth, and create positive opportunities through cultural support.
This initiative, personally supported by former Minister Linda Burney and funded by the National Indigenous Australians Association (NIAA), aligns with the government's justice reinvestment strategy. It aims to act as a "circuit breaker" to keep youth out of detention and enhance community safety.
“Evidence shows that culturally-appropriate prevention and rehabilitation programs are far more effective than detention,” said Wunan Foundation CEO Prue Jenkins.
“After consulting with our community and many at-risk young people, it’s clear that our youth need programs that connect them with culturally safe services, elders, and Country. The Bedford Stock Route Walk aims to bridge the gap between these worlds and provide the pastoral care essential for a brighter future for our youth."
Local Aboriginal youths are referred to the program by the police and community Youth Justice Service. Throughout the walk, they will receive support from local elders, health professionals and mentors from various youth-led services.
The Wunan Foundation has teamed up with Traditional Owners and brought in experts like Peter Cohen, a guide from Edge Adventures with extensive local knowledge, to offer valuable insight and enhance the program. "Participants will learn to navigate rough and remote country, hunt and prepare food with elders - such as turkey and kangaroo - and engage in fishing and food preparation along beautiful, remote river systems and waterfalls," Cohen explained.
"They'll gain basic navigation skills, including reading maps and navigating by the stars. We will form an agreement of respect, fostering a sense of mutual support, adventure, exploration, and opportunity."
“The program is a collaboration with Traditional Owners, including Bruce Thomas and Jane Morris, who will welcome participants at their first stop in Violet Valley,” said Peter Cohen. “Maxine Gore, over many years, has built a fantastic rapport with young people in Kununurra, representing their families and significantly contributing to this initiative.”
He added, “One of the camp locations is Greenvale, an old, abandoned community where youth will delve into the area’s history. They’ll hear from elders about how Aboriginal families once protected their children from forcible removal and the strength of their resilience. With historic structures like an old water tank, shack, and post office - some over 100 years old - Greenvale provides a profound glimpse into the past.”
Wunan Foundation's innovative program takes a holistic approach, offering wrap-around services for both the young participants and their families. Upon their return from the four-day camp, participants will be welcomed home with a dinner involving their families and the community, further connecting them with their community. Ongoing wraparound support services will be coordinated for the groups.
This initiative has received extensive community support from various stakeholders, including East Kimberley Traditional Owners, the Wunan Foundation’s director and Cultural Lead Lexie Trancollino, NIAA, WA Police, Youth Justice Services, 54 Reasons, PCYC, Edge Adventures, LifeChanger, East Kimberley College, MG Corporation, B Visual Media, and Wunan’s subsidiaries Wunan Media and Wunan Maintenance. The program has also attracted sponsorship from businesses, including 54 Reasons, Galvin’s Plumbing Supplies and Outback Initiatives, underscoring the widespread commitment to creating positive change for at-risk youth in the East Kimberley.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Prue Jenkins
Chief Executive Officer
Wunan Foundation
0499 997 940
wunanceo@wunan.org.au
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