Strengthening Our Culture community grants - previous recipients

This project involved a 10 week community-based program designed to empower and build capacity in young Aboriginal girls through culturally safe, educational, and creative activities. The program was hosted at the Mallee Park Wellness Centre and aimed to foster resilience, life skills, and wellbeing through a holistic approach.

This project was a community-based preventive health initiative designed to strengthen the wellbeing of men experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Delivered through a structured men’s group program, the project aimed to provide practical health education, cultural connection, and peer support that address key areas of concern for the community: nutrition, mental health, tobacco and vaping, and alcohol and other drug use.

This project aims to strengthen culture and language and improve wellbeing amongst the Anangu community in Adelaide, through expanding the work of Iwiri’s community choir and visual arts program and incorporating into these activities culturally appropriate training and messaging about health topics such as nutrition, alcohol and other drugs, mental wellbeing and suicide prevention.

Project funding will support the expansion of the work of the Iwiri art studio kitchen to include 12 healthy cooking and wellbeing workshops including Pitjantjatjara interpretation and translation.

Delivery of a four day on-country Language and culture camp for Adnyamathanha Elders and young people, Yarta Wangganda, talking about country. As part of the camp, Aboriginal health organisations were invited to facilitate discussions and information sharing about alcohol, tobacco and vaping, as well as mental health, general health and wellbeing. There was be a focus on health and nutrition through discussion, collection and preparation of traditional foods and use of traditional cooking methods.

The Mardawi Aboriginal Corporation Arts Hub is a community-led initiative designed to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Murraylands region through culturally safe, arts-based employment pathways. The Hub serves as a dynamic space for creative expression, skills development, enterprise support, and cultural preservation, with a strong focus on improving employment outcomes and social inclusion.

The Deadly Ngarrindjeri Youth project was a dynamic 12 month initiative designed to empower young Aboriginal people through a culturally grounded and community-based program. At its core the project aimed to strengthen youth identity, wellbeing and resilience by blending traditional Ngarrindjeri cultural knowledge with practical, hands-on learning focused on environmental sustainability and healthy living. Through the guidance of Elders, cultural mentors and community leader's, young participants engaged in a range of activities that promote environmental stewardship, healthier lifestyle choices and stronger connections to culture and community.

Yarns and Song was a creative and healing project led by acclaimed artist Nancy Bates, that supports community members to process grief through story and music. The project began with a camp on Country, offering participants an immersive experience to connect with land, culture, and each other. Through yarning circles and music, the camp provided gentle ways to express grief and honour loved ones, while reinforcing cultural identity as a protective factor against suicide. This was followed by a single workshop with Nancy Bates that builds on the foundations of the camp, giving participants further opportunity to reflect, create, and share strategies for resilience

Ku Arts (Ananguku Arts and Culture Aboriginal Corporation) delivered a two-week Creative Wellbeing Mapping Program in partnership with Ernabella Arts at Pukatja (APY Lands). The project created dedicated time and resources for the art centre to better support community members with social and emotional wellbeing. Artists, arts workers, Elders and community members will gather at Ernabella Arts to explore how culture, creativity and social health intersect.

Guided by respected facilitators Dom Barry (Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara psychologist in training), Andrew Groom (psychologist, fluent Pitjantjatjara speaker) and Alison Milyika Carroll (senior artist and cultural leader), the program used open conversational sessions, drawing and visual mapping to identify strengths, challenges and aspirations for community wellbeing.

InComPro delivered a culturally safe, community-led program to reduce the harms of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) within Aboriginal communities across South Australia. The project used yarning circles, walking on Country, creative arts workshops and health awareness events to promote prevention, early support and healthy alternatives to substance use. By embedding AOD education in cultural and community activities, InComPro strengthened resilience, created safe spaces for discussion and supported intergenerational knowledge sharing.

KWY Aboriginal Corporation delivered a pilot initiative titled KWY Weekly Gatherings, designed to improve social and emotional wellbeing and strengthen cultural identity among Aboriginal men in metropolitan Adelaide. The project established weekly barbecue gatherings in a central location, creating a consistent, visible, and culturally safe space for community connection, healing, and informal support. These gatherings provide nutritious meals, yarning circles, and peer support in a relaxed, non-judgemental setting. Facilitated by Aboriginal staff and community leaders, each event centred on cultural safety, respect, empowerment and social and emotional wellbeing, share stories, and access information about available services in culturally appropriate ways.

The 'Keeping our Mob Strong Healthy & Connected through Culture' project aims to provide tangible and experiential opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community members to connect in places of care on Kaurna Yerta that are centred and grounded in the guiding principles of Cultural Safety, Responsiveness and Accountability. Our intention is to involve local Aboriginal business partners such as Southern Cultural Immersion Centre, Yitpi Yartapuultiku, the Spinifex Foundation, as well as Preventive Health SA to be a part of our project.

Tjindu sought to build upon its impactful health outcomes where 91% of students have reported improved skills in nutrition, fitness, resilience, and confidence by implementing a specific health intervention which will offer specific gendered health literacy and support. Tjindu introduced a dedicated female sports trainer and health/wellbeing coach for all students, delivering strength and conditioning, yoga, breathwork, mental wellbeing coaching, and individualised training—within a culturally safe, health focused environment.