The Kunga Stopping Violence Program is the only Australian designed and culturally based program being delivered to First Nations women in prison to break cycles of violence in their lives and to keep them out of prison. Developed in partnership with Emeritus Professor Judy Atkinson and Dr Caroline Atkinson (We Al-li), the program is delivered to women in the Alice Springs Correctional Centre. The Kunga Stopping Violence program runs a 4-week course in prison, exploring trauma, grief, loss, violence and anger. The program continues working responsively with women through intensive pre- and post-release supports, home visits referrals, mentoring, a drop in space and social programs.

The Kunga Stopping Violence Program and the Australian Childhood Foundation partnered to develop a culturally strong and trauma informed framework. The goal of the framework was to articulate and build upon the existing practice of Kunga Stopping Violence Program. This presentation explores concepts of Safety and Connection as foundational to the framework’s theory of change. The program provides women with repeated invitations to a place of felt safety. Through this experience of relational safety the women are invited to connect.  To connect and reconnect to  thought processes, emotions, memories, history, sense of future, ancestors, and country. 

Connection is about relationships, being with, connection to children, family, community. A felt sense of belonging. Safety to connect to the past, present and future which is not linear, there is no beginning and no end. 

As a First Nations lecturer and therapist working in regional and remote communities across the NT, I see a deep need for First Nations practitioners and lecturers to properly support First Nations people living with trauma and trying to build their lives on country. 

Many of the services are provided by ally organizations and sometimes foreign service providers due to the current immigration specs luring people to regional and remote areas. While this is good for overall service availability, it creates a new challenge for First Nations people trying to create functional communities and see value in education investment. Being able to see First Nations people in leadership roles and the general workforce gives context to people who are living with intergenerational trauma to actively engage with education and therapy services. 

Trauma-Informed delivery of these services is also vital in increasing engagement and ultimately adding value to the clients. Many remote Indigenous people shy away from services as they have LLN difficulties, and the addition of foreign accents leads to further challenges. In my experience, culturally First Nations people are more comfortable engaging with fellow First Nations people, and we see a marked increase in engagement when a First Nations Practitioner can be present. 

The way forward is to have more identified positions available and to highlight the pathways to creating meaningful employment away from the welfare and trauma cycles that persist. Many role models in communities are centered around sports and media, we can effect real change by drawing attention to more mainstream roles and developing a sense of peace and normalcy around a purposeful community life. Many communities lack a sense of purpose and are drawn into the generation trauma, FDV, and substance abuse and have limited chances to see other First Nations people living a different story.