Edward River Council, NSW Police, Intereach, Murrumbidgee Local Health District, and Yarkuwa representatives work collaboratively to develop a LDAT Action Plan. The Deniliquin Community LDAT is committed to widening their team and gain support from other interested community members and organisations to progress toward the development and implementation of projects to build awareness, educate and actively involve all members of our community in addressing the harmful impacts of alcohol and other drugs within our local community.
The rationale behind this project is to attack the misconceptions of illicit drug usage - Acknowledging local people in local families are affected negatively by illicit drug use. By bringing it back to a localised vehicle, we can address these misconceptions by the development of localised responses. Local people supporting each other, local education and awareness campaigns that feature local people, and empowering the broader local community to work together to minimise the impact of drug use and assist those who want to change
Education and consultation sessions for local community members - Focusing on, but not exclusive to Youth, a range of community sectors including members of the Aboriginal and Multicultural communities, parents, carers and current users.
Awareness campaign- to build knowledge about how to access or develop strategies to seek assistance for self and others engaged or at risk of engagement with illicit drugs. Social media will complement education and consultation sessions rolled out across community. Establish structures within the community to support users of illicit drugs to become more active and engaged in activities not centred around their drug use. These activities will be determined by the interests of the participants and could include arts, sports, culture, men’s, women's and youth groups.
Awareness campaign to develop a media campaign to combat the negative social and health impacts of illicit drug use, to support groups to assist illicit drug users to be more engaged in the community and humanise the face for drug addiction.
Education forums- for young people including young people engaged in education and for families and caregivers. Forums facilitated by both local and regional professionals and motivational speakers to develop understandings of the diversity of drug use, within our local community. The focus is not only primary prevention but also on the need to address drug use and not hide the fact that it does happen and how to best deal with the social and health impacts of drug use on our community.
Our Deniliquin Community LDAT now formally joins a growing network of LDAT across Australia who are committed to creating a community owned culture of alcohol and other drug prevention.
Achievements so far- Deniliquin Community LDAT Team
- Education forums: Peter Lyndon-James Tough Love Seminar
- Awareness campaign: Don’t Drink and Sink – Fishing Classic alcohol campaign – stubby holders and education posters
- Education and consultation sessions for local community members:
- e-Assist training 24 participants from 4 services
Yarkuwa and RMRA work under an Memorandum of Understanding. Yarkuwa undertakes administration tasks and employs a part time administration support officer with funding provided to RMRA by the NSW Government.
As part of a two year funding agreement with Prime Minister & Cabinet, Yarkuwa will:
- Auspice and administer funds on behalf of the Riverina Murray Regional Alliance (RMRA) and ensure RMRA implements the Regional Governance and Priority Project (the Project) across the Riverina Murray region, including the achievement of outcomes against the RMRA Regional Strategic Priority Plan (RSPP).
- Ensure that RMRA as the Indigenous peak body for the Riverina Murray Region provides the Australian Government with a key engagement mechanism and a leverage point to drive the implementation of its priorities and co-design solutions
- Advise the Commonwealth of any emerging issues for the Project and broader issues relating to the Project. Where issues are identified, the Commonwealth will develop and implement risk mitigation strategies to ensure the project is on track to achieve the intended outcomes
Yarkuwa provides logistical support for the Working Party including communication and minute taking.
ACHAA was formed in 2015 by not-for-profit Aboriginal cultural organisations around NSW to network, promote and advocate for sustainable and resilient centers, and to develop the sector.
The Association as 24 members of which 11 are the core voting members representing Aboriginal owned culture venues. The remainder are association members representing other cultural institutions that support our objectives.
Yarkuwa was a foundation member of ACHAA and is currently the Chair of the association.
The Deniliquin Lagoons Community Restoration Project is a community partnership project that restored and re-invigorated an important local natural resource – Deniliquin Lagoons - in an inclusive and sustainable way.
The project restored wetland features and function to the lagoon system that forms an important natural wetland corridor and storm water drainage system through the center of Deniliquin. Current projects include Werrpanakata Park development and Mathews Park rehabilitation.