MP Pat Conaghan announces funding for Kinchela Boys Home IYCC program

Stage one of the Indigenous Youth Connection to Culture (IYCC) program will operate in Kempsey as well as eight other communities across the country, at a combined federal investment of $3.6 million.

The Gudhurr, Manhati, Warra - Strong, Walk, Stand Community Action Plan focuses on building the capacity of culture, resilience and social networks for young Aboriginal people and community through a series of events, activities and workshops.

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Rhonda Radley is the IYCC team leader and Mattarley Kelly-Scholes and Urshula Clark-Jacky were IYCC ambassadors. Ms Kelly-Scholes will now lead the implementation of the project as the youth engagement officer.

"We're basically saying we want to be strong before we can walk and be able to stand in our space," said Jo Kelly IYCC Project Manager.

"That came out of a whole lot of consultations last year with young people and Elders.

"The project team worked hard to develop the community action plan factoring all the comments made during the consultation process.

"I want to thank the team members for their role and the contributions they made to this significant work."

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Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP, said the IYCC program has been co-designed with the Kempsey community to increase activity engagement, improve mental health and reduce the risk of suicide of young Indigenous people by reconnecting them with their traditional culture.

"These activities are community-led and have been developed with the support of specialist facilitators through a robust co-design process," Minister Wyatt said.

"Activities will be squarely aimed promoting positive relationships and improving the wellbeing of young Indigenous people in Kempsey, which in turn will build resilience and reduce anti-social behaviour.

"We'll achieve this by building stronger connections to culture, families and Elders. It's about strengthening cultural identity and cultural continuity to foster resilience, self-esteem and pride as protective factors against youth suicide and self-harm."

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Pat Conaghan Federal Member for Cowper congratulated the Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation and Kempsey IYCC team for their outstanding efforts to date in consulting not just local youth, but elders, family members and school and preschool representatives, collecting and collating critical information to create their unique Community Action Plan.

"Hundreds of hours of consultation have gone into this work from Jo Kelly and the IYCC team, so it's fantastic to see the funding secured to see the KBHAC Community Action Plan come to life," Mr Conaghan said.

"The plan includes a range of activities including creating networks and partnerships in the community; culture camps; bush cooking; giving the youth a voice and inclusion on community decisions; mentorship; developing cultural pride and preserving local languages."

This program contributes to Target 14 of the new National Agreement on Closing the Gap, which aims to achieve a significant and sustained reduction in suicide of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples towards zero.

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