Community groups and safe spaces

Community groups and safe spaces
‘Our organisation wouldn’t be strong without community supporting us. We survive by making everyone welcome and showing respect and care for each other. Every year we get stronger and stronger,’ says Daisy Barker, one of Baabayn’s directors. 

‘Everyone likes coming to our groups because it’s a place where you can relax. People respect you here and no-one judges you. No matter who you are or what you do, you are welcome and there is no judgement,’ says Daisy. 

Brodie Harris is studying a Bachelor of Social Work at Western Sydney University and recently completed her last student placement at Baabayn. A proud Wodi Wodi woman from the Illawarra, Brodie found deep connections in her time with the organisation.

‘My time at Baabayn has impacted me in the most unexpected ways. I have learnt more than I could have imagined and developed the most meaningful relationships. Baabayn is known for being a safe space for community members to connect, heal, and find support and I can vouch that this is definitely true. I was welcomed by the Elders at Baabayn with open arms from the beginning of my placement. 

‘Over time I have come to build connections with the Aunties, staff, and community members. I am so grateful that I have had this time to spend with and learn from these powerful Aboriginal women. I have deepened my own cultural knowledge and connection through weaving, painting, and yarning with mob. Baabayn is so needed in the community and I am so glad I can now call the centre my safe space too,’ she says.

The community garden is another important place of connection at Baabayn

Mums, bubs and the arts

The weekly Young Mums and Bubs group provides transport, lunch and on-site childcare for Aboriginal mums with children aged 0-5 and mums with Aboriginal children aged 0-5. The group covers a different topic each week – daily living skills, health, wellbeing, housing, legal rights, personal and social, and money – but it’s really about the personal connections. 
‘The program gives me confidence to be able to teach my children about their heritage, it also gives me the opportunity to meet other mums who have the same or similar situations to my own, says Alycia Nicholson, one of the participants. 

‘Being a part of an Aboriginal community has helped me explain so many more things to my children, things they didn’t know and helped them with their identity and to be proud of their Aboriginality,’ she says. 

This group is also full of talented artists, whose spectacular works were featured on the Wulugul Walk at Crown Sydney during the annual Vivid festival. The Walk was a stunning visual gallery of light projections featuring First Australian artists every night of the festival, with the designs reflecting community and showing diverse techniques, compositions and styles. 

Alycia was one of the artists to have her work featured. ‘Having an art piece has made me so proud of myself and now my children are participating in more programs that Baabayn has to offer,’ she says.

A safe space to ask questions

The Kurung Homework Club is another important initiative from Baabayn – kids come after school do their homework, have a meal and get the chance to connect with other kids from the community. With many children at different schools, this connection is a chance to build their sense of community and belonging. Volunteers provide tutoring and support in a safe environment where kids feel comfortable asking questions and getting answers.

‘I love the Homework Club, and I love to see the kids push forward to get their education because I didn’t have much education. I would like to see them go right through to Year 12 with pride and dignity and to support them to achieve their goals, whatever they are,’ says Daisy.

A place to belong

Baabayn’s Family Group Gatherings have become the go-to place for a yarn, some advocacy or counselling, community issues to discuss and act upon, to meet new friends, something to do, a healthy meal and especially a place to belong.

Services offered through the group include:

• a weekly class that aims to improve the strength, balance and mobility of older Aboriginal people, increasing their confidence and keeping them independent
• presentations from invited speakers
• liaising with the housing department, Centrelink and courts on behalf of Aboriginal people through letter writing and attending appointments
• providing transport for health, employment and family needs where possible
• employment/education support through liaising with employment agencies and disseminating information re courses and jobs available
• visiting schools, hospitals and prisons when requested.

For the good of all

Baabayn (Ancestral Woman) was the culmination of 18 months of determined effort and dedication on the part of five elders who know the needs of their people and believe that they can work with other organisations to bring the community together for the good of all.

‘The Baabayn women are an inspiring group of Aboriginal Elders who … work tirelessly, providing enormous support to younger members of the community, are fantastic role models and are actively building community resilience and healing. I … admire how their work encourages cultural participation of the Aboriginal community in Western Sydney,’ says Lisa Charet, District Director Western Sydney, NSW Department of Family and Community Services.

Future plans

Looking forward to the next 10 years, Baabayn’s vison is to create a healing centre that will give Aboriginal people in the Western Sydney community a place to heal people’s spirits through cultural identity and be a place where Aboriginal children can grow up strong and live in their culture. The centre will be a unique, safe and culturally appropriate space where people feel they belong and can heal their spirit by participating in a wide range of Aboriginal cultural activities and events.

Important cultural features will include a large campfire space, tracks, photo library facilities, healing and bush tucker gardens and a nursery for the cultivation of traditional bush healing plants. The outside area will be a bush landscape providing a sense of connection to the land. A large welcoming kitchen and seating area will allow people to come for a cuppa and a chat. A number of smaller rooms will be used for a wide range of culturally appropriate services and a reflective healing room will be available for individuals and families to use.

‘People come here for healing, for friendships and to learn new skills. It is overwhelming to us to see all these things take place. It’s not about us; it’s about our community and their dreams and aspirations to make changes for the future and to bring about self-determination and to close that gap,’ says Jenny Ebsworth, another of Baabayn’s directors.

You can keep up with the progress towards the healing centre and Baabayn’s other programs and activities through their website and Facebook page.