LAW IN THE COMMUNITY
Urgent investment needed for important justice reinvestment initiative THE HON ROBYN LAYTON AO QC
T
iraapendi Wodli is a community-led justice reinvestment project aimed at addressing the high incarceration rates of Aboriginal people from the Port Adelaide/ Enfield area. Justice reinvestment is about investing in local community initiatives that focus on early intervention and prevention, and to address the underlying issues that lead to involvement in the criminal justice system. This important project began in earnest on 2018 and is a collaboration between the Tiraapendi Wodli Aboriginal leadership group, the local Aboriginal community, Australian Red Cross and Justice Reinvestment SA (JRSA). It aims to reduce imprisonment rates by strengthening the health, safety and lives of Aboriginal families, children and young people. This is achieved by focussing on four major priority areas; the needs of families with school aged children, young people, men, mothers, and adults and young people in contact with police and justice systems. These needs are delivered using a strength -based approach in a small building referred to as “The Hub”, which has an “open door” policy for Aboriginal people. It is used by more than 350 people per month and some 120 are regular service users. The types of assistance that Aboriginal people are able to obtain at the Hub include regular monthly programs with culturally connected workshops and information sessions; leadership opportunities and personal development pathways; customised mental health and wellbeing assistance; financial counselling; navigating connections to other services to meet needs; practical customised family stability assistance; housing assistance; work readiness and employment assistance; and first aid training. There is also a regular men’s yarning group that enable and support men’s personal development; information and education sessions; drug and alcohol awareness; individual counselling; “Handy Murras” workshops (also available for women) to develop practical skills such as home repairs; music programs; fitness programs (also available for women and include youth boxing); learner driver accredited workshops (also
available for women and youth). There are also women’s yarning circles that often centre around a variety of creative arts groups as well as a “family tree group” lead by women Elders to trace and share family histories to strengthen cultural connection (also open to men and youth). Tiraapendi Wodli receives three-way support: non-financial support and advocacy from Justice Reinvestment South Australia (JRSA); funding from the SA Department of Human Services (DHS); and critical support in money and kind by the Australian Red Cross (ARC). There is also additional funding from some small but important philanthropic funds. Tiraapendi Wodli was successful in securing basic funding from the former Liberal Government of $850,000 over two years to ensure the program could continue until 2023. This combined funding enables some full time and part time employees to deliver services at the Hub. Additional person power is provided by a small volunteer group of enthusiastic and dedicated Aboriginal Community Advocates who regularly assist in the delivery of Hub services and contribute to the overall program. This combined funding is however only enough to cover to cover the
delivery of basic services and does not allow for any stretch programs to meet other important needs, which often do not involve large amounts of money. By way of illustration, in recent months after much advocacy work, an additional $50,000 has been made available from SA Department of Correctional Services to enable much needed post prison release services to be delivered through the Hub for the next 12 months. Also urgently being sought is an amount of $50,000 for a period of 12 months commencing July 2022 to fund an independent research body with experience in justice reinvestment projects, to implement a comprehensive, objective and culturally informed research process. The purpose of this research is to build on project learnings and demonstrate the effectiveness of the Justice Reinvestment project, involve the community in the process, and ensure confidence by documenting its findings. This in turn can be used to attracting ongoing financial support to continue and expand the work of Tiraapendi Wodli. The Project is always seeking person time and funding support. Please visit the website at http://www. tiraapendiwodli.org.au/. B July 2022 THE BULLETIN
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