RESEARCH TRANSLATION
COMMUNITY-LED
DEVELOPMENT: WALGETT PARTNERSHIP
UNSW RESEARCH
The extremely high rates of incarceration, disadvantage and discrimination that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience is one of Australia’ s most urgent human rights issues. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples make up three per cent of Australia’ s population but 30 per cent of prisoners. We need community-led solutions to address the drivers of incarceration.
The Yuwaya Ngarra-li partnership between UNSW and the Dharriwaa Elders Group( DEG) has been built from the Elders’ vision for change in their community of Walgett in remote north-west NSW. After collaboration on research, the DEG invited UNSW to work together on a multidisciplinary long-term partnership to reduce incarceration and improve wellbeing and social, economic and environmental outcomes in Walgett.
Since 2016, DEG and UNSW have developed a new model of communityuniversity partnership and secured more than $ 6 million from philanthropic and other funders. Key areas of priority and impact are youth justice, food and water security, housing, and caring for Country.
> Built a community-led partnership around the Elders’ vision for change.
> Secured philanthropic funding to develop, implement and evaluate CommUNIty-Led Development.
> Developed an innovative, holistic, culturally connected model of youth diversion.
> Five-year NHMRC-funded project to improve food and water security. 34 •