Healing spirits, winning gongs

Perth, Western Australia: June 2022 was a hugely affirming month for Wungening Aboriginal Corporation. It won gongs for its governance and for its excellence in social housing. Then its chair, Danny Ford, was appointed to the Order of Australia for his service to the Noongar community.

The corporation

Wungening was founded In 1988 to provide alcohol and drug programs and over time grew to offer support in relation to a wide range of issues important to Aboriginal people: child protection, family violence, justice, and homelessness. In Wungening’s vision, the local Aboriginal community is healthy, safe, strong and sustainable. Its purpose is also clear: to provide culturally secure, holistic programs and strategies that:

• inform people and address the harmful effects of alcohol, drugs and other substances on individuals, families and communities
• strengthen the mind and body, and
• heal the spirit.

Wungening Aboriginal Corporation's building in East Perth

In the last 5 years, the corporation has kicked a series of strategic goals. In 2017 it transferred its registration to ORIC under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (CATSI Act) and took on a new name. ‘Wungening’ is the Noongar word for healing and reflects the broadening of the organisation’s purpose to address the intergenerational trauma that underlies most of the health, justice, social and wellbeing issues affecting Aboriginal people today.

A routine examination of the corporation ORIC commissioned in 2021 had a very favourable outcome, finding for example that Wungening has ‘very good financial management systems, controls and records in place’. From its annual returns we’ve also seen its significant growth in earnings over the last few years.

The governance award

At the 2022 Indigenous Governance Awards, Wungening Aboriginal Corporation was recognised as having the most outstanding governance of any Indigenous-led large incorporated organisation.

The award citation commends the corporation for its respectful community development work and its partnerships:

Working with vulnerable and stigmatised groups of people, Wungening consistently demonstrated their deep respect for their community. Their work is widespread, but they have fostered close-knit relationships, as well as invested in 2-way partnerships with other Aboriginal organisations.

Presented with the award in a ceremony in Sydney on 8 June 2022, CEO Daniel Morrison described it as a significant milestone in Wungening’s 30-year history.

The Wungening crew with their governance award at the ceremonial event on Gadigal Country, 8 June

A video produced when Wungening became a finalist in the awards gives some insight into the corporation’s successful approach. As well as the CEO, it features a director and two ‘life members’ of the corporation. (That’s a title that only 8 members have yet achieved, in recognition of their outstanding contribution and service to the corporation.)

Violet Bacon, director, says: ‘I often think of walking together, and that’s what they do here; they walk together.’

Violet Bacon, director

Jim Morrison, life member, says: ‘Reality is, there’s so many issues relating to addictions, that we need to be more holistic than other services.’

Jim Morrison, life member

Daniel Morrison: ‘Community-control can’t be done without proper systems and frameworks in place. And if we can get it right for Aboriginal people, we get it right for everyone.’

Daniel Morrison, CEO

Doreen Nelson, former director and life member: ‘Wungening’s vision and the things they want for our people, is what our people want’.

Doreen Nelson, former director and life member

The housing award

On the same day they won the governance award, Wungening also won Australasian Housing Institute’s ‘Brighter Future’ award for excellence in social housing. That award was for the ReSet program, which supports prisoners while they’re inside and as they transition to living free again.

The Queen’s honour

Having a dedicated visionary as the lead governor of a corporation can’t but help propel its success. Wungening’s chair, Danny Ford, has been performing that role for almost 5 years. He is a passionate advocate for Aboriginal people and a champion of the corporation’s strategy ‘to leverage partners and community to ensure a holistic mindset and reach’. For his sustained service to Western Australian Aboriginal people, he has been honoured by the Queen, and appointed to the Order of Australia.

We heartily congratulate all the directors of Wungening, and give Danny Ford the final word on its leadership:

As well as setting a course for holistic healing, as directors we have a role to engage the non-Aboriginal world, increase their understanding, influence the dominant culture’s knowledge of the impact of history. I have a lot of conversations around how to move to a better Australia. I’m lucky to live in a time when someone like me can play a leadership role, and challenge and nudge all the boundaries.

Danny Ford, chair of the board