Empowered Young Leaders (EYL) is the representative network for

young Aboriginal people in the Kimberley region. The EYL program aims to empower Aboriginal young people to

positively engage with their community, advocate for issues that are important to them and develop their skills,

contributing to positive change. It does this by:

• Advocating for young people in the Kimberley region Actively engaging and partnering with government agencies, corporate organisations and stakeholders that are involved in decisions impacting young Aboriginal people to enable authentic co-design and collaboration

• Shaping leaders for young mob in the Kimberley, improving outcomes across psychosocial determinants of

• health and wellbeing (mental health and self-awareness, education, employment, housing, connection to culture and lore)

• Providing opportunities for leadership, peer-support, connection and sharing

• Providing opportunities for young mob to celebrate their success and connect in positive, safe environments.

The EYL program also plays a role in succession planning, to ensure young leaders are equipped with the skills to lead their community in the future.

This program is an ongoing initiative for EC-West.

The JBACE project stands as a shining example of

successful Joint Decision-Making (JDM) outcomes in

the West Kimberley. Spearheaded by EC-West, this

project has been guided by a dedicated Design

Committee, selected through a public Expression of

Interest (EOI) process.

Once referred to as the ACE Project, a formal name has

now been given following discussions with the Yawuru

language center. The name "Jirril Birrnyurdany,"

meaning "Strong Because of Roots," was provided by

NBY and unanimously endorsed by the Design

Committee. Meeting fortnightly, the Design Committee has played a pivotal role in shaping every aspect of the JBACE

concept informing the details of the business case. Phase 1 co-design is scheduled for completion in June

2024, and EC-West’s continued backbone functions for the subsequent Phase 2 detailed co-design has been

recommended by both the design committee and the Broome Local Management Committee (LMC). By focusing holistically on family empowerment, social well-being, and ensuring culturally appropriate

service delivery, the JBACE concept aims to make a substantial contribution to closing the gap targets.

Key components of the JBACE concept:

Centralised and Coordinated Services: JBACE will act as a hub, offering integrated existing services that

are easily accessible to families.

Culturally Appropriate Programs: Delivering programs designed with Aboriginal families to strengthen

cultural identity and community cohesion.

Strengthen Foundations for Family Empowerment: Increase parenting skills and knowledge, provide

support, and strengthen family units.

Advance Development of Thriving Young People: Equip families to support the educational, social, and

economic advancement of young people.

Improved Access to Early Learning and Parenting Services: Enhance the availability, quality, and

accessibility of early learning foundations, brain development, secure attachment and parenting

programs, supporting early childhood development and parenting capacity in Aboriginal families.

Enhanced Service Collaboration and Integration: Improve coordination among service providers to

reduce duplication, increase efficiency, and build the skills and knowledge of both families and service

providers.

Generational Change with Lasting and Sustainable Impact: Create long-term positive changes that

benefit future generations.

The Joint Decision Making (JDM) framework is model of shared decision-making with the aim of achieving greater alignment between government investment and community need voiced by Aboriginal people and Aboriginal organisations in the West Kimberley. It provides a formal mechanism for a voice from Aboriginal people to government about place-based decisions including choosing the types of services that deliver programs, funding allocation, and new investment opportunities. The framework was co-designed by Directors, community members and Government.

A range of matters may be discussed through the JDM process, including the way in which services for Aboriginal people will be funded and provided, and the outcomes expected to be achieved. EC-West facilitates the JDM process to ensure decisions about West Kimberley Aboriginal people do not happen without them. Through a comprehensive review process EC-West enables Aboriginal communities to have a say in what government-funded initiatives start, stop or continue in the region.

The Empowered Communities vision for structural reform is supported by the NIAA. EC-West have committed to a collaborative process for reviewing funded activities, with a methodology of shared learning and reflective practice to ensure adaptive improvements are identified and implemented after each JDM round.

Since JDM began in 2017, nine of the 10 Empowered Communities regions, including the West Kimberley region, have successfully implemented their JDM process. A total of 12 JDM rounds have been successfully completed with more than 310 activities valued at over $190 million (GST exclusive) considered (as at June 2023).

EC-West is currently working together with other Aboriginal Controlled Community Organisations (ACCOs) in the Kimberley region as part of a design group to codesign a regional governance structure to achieve a regional voice, known as the Kimberley Aboriginal Regional Body (KARB). Once established, KARB will provide a mechanism for the voices of local Kimberley people to be heard by governments, respecting the principles of place-based decision-making.

As part of the broader KJJS project, EC-West was contracted by DoJ in September 2022. EC-Wests role included coordinating a design committee comprised of various stakeholders. The design committee developed a variety of concepts in line with the KJJS Collab project scope of Youth Safe Spaces in Broome. These concepts were included in the KJJS business case written by the Department of Justice, along with a range of other project concepts (not designed by the Broome based design committee) suggested for resourcing and implementation across the entire Kimberley. The KJJS business case which included concepts spanning the Kimberley was completed and submitted by the Department of Justice to the WA State Government in December 2022.

Our Local Management Committees (LMCs) continue to

be at the forefront of shaping EC-West's initiatives, with

representatives from member organisations offering

invaluable insights and advice. These committees,

operating in Broome, Derby, Fitzroy Valley, and Dampier

Peninsula, play a pivotal role in designing Local Initiatives

Plans, aligned with our overarching priorities. We're focusing on strengthening LMCs and

enhancing commitment to priority areas.

We're working towards forming a West

Kimberley Regional Development Agenda

(RDA), replacing the existing 'Our First Priorities

Plan 2023'. Each LMC is tasked with consulting

with representatives to identify priorities and develop Local Implementation Plans

(LIPs) for their respective regions, facilitating the establishment of Design Committees

for upcoming projects. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue our journey

towards community-driven development and meaningful change in the Kimberley

region.

EC-West is excited to announce that the Ngurra Buru project entered its implementation

phase in May 2024. This milestone reflects the successful collaboration of the design

committee, which is committed to empowering our young people.

Recognising the importance of cultural sensitivity, the design committee has partnered

with KAHRA who has been working closely with our team to develop and implement a

culturally informed evaluation framework. Supported by EC-West as the backbone

secretariat, the design committee will continue to hold meetings to ensure the project's

smooth execution. An Ethics committee has been established, bringing together key

stakeholders from the design committee and Ngurra Buru staff employed by Kullarri

Regional Communities Indigenous Corporation. As we move into the next phase of the

Ngurra Buru project we remain dedicated to supporting community led initiatives that

build strong foundations for thriving young people.

In 2022, the EC-West team worked alongside consultants, And Projects, to carry out a community-led design project with community and services. This project involved listening to local West Kimberley communities across Bidyadanga, Wangkatjungka, Beagle Bay, One Arm Point and Fitzroy Crossing who talked about the need to better understand child and family wellbeing, youth justice and safety in the West Kimberley region. The project fostered a better understanding of the situations impacting individuals, families and homes in communities across the region.

This program was completed December 2022 and the outputs were published on EC-West’s website.

View our Systems Design here.

EC-West is progressing the implementation of the initiatives captured in the First Priorities report, published March 2023. This report describes the shared priorities for the West Kimberley region including Derby and Surrounds, the Fitzroy Valley, Broome and the Dampier Peninsula, as informed by West Kimberley Aboriginal individuals, families, communities and organisations.

EC-West’s First Priorities and the desired outcomes for each priority are as follows:

• Family empowerment - families are positively connected and have the capacity to support their children and young people.

• Empowered Young Leaders (EYL) - a generation of strong Aboriginal leaders.

• Housing - all Aboriginal people have access to suitable and affordable housing.

• Safe Spaces for Young People - young Aboriginal people have access to culturally and physical safe spaces.

• Employment and Training - Aboriginal people can access training facilities to develop the skills required to obtain employment and succeed in the modern economy.

• Governance - Aboriginal people have a formal role in decision making through local and regional voice

governance structures.