Being part of the community in which they work is critical for Victorian alcohol and drug support service Ngwala Willumbong Aboriginal Corporation and inner-Naarm drop-in creative studio Blak Pearl; which is why they came together, with other community members, for NAIDOC Week.

The two organisations hosted a barbecue in Fitzroy on Tuesday.

If they don't know the people who use their services, they can't do their job properly, Ngwala Willumbong north-west region programs manager Paula Russell told National Indigenous Times.

When they do have a presence, and collaborate with other organisations to grow it, the community knows they have "got somewhere to lean on", Ms Russell added.

Founded more than 50 years ago, Ngwala Willumbong delivers, and provides a place for, alcohol and other drug (AOD), recovery, homelessness, family violence, LGBTQIA+, social and emotional wellbeing and clinical services and programs to adults and youth state-wide.

The organisation operates three recovery centres in the state - Galiamble men's and Winja Ulupna women's in St Kilda, and Yitjawdik men's centre closer to the border in Mooroopna.

Outreach and prompted response are equally important aspects of their work.

"Most of my team is outreach. If they're in the office, it's like 'What are you doing in here?'...it's up to you to get out there," Ms Russell said.

A majority of her team also have lived experience.

The greater number of people who are met, the more people who know services can be accessed, she noted.

Tegan Clancy is a program coordinator on Ngwala Willumbong's Public Intoxication Response (PIR) team.

The PIR services cover a broad stretch of the city, from north-west to south-seat outer suburbs.

Much of their work involves responding to call-outs received via the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) and often contact with police to provide a safe "therapeutic" space for a yarn, rest and recovery - with option for referral to other services, Ms Clancy told National Indigenous Times.

Since implementation off the back of Victoria's inquiry and decriminalisation of public drunkenness in 2023, the PIR team has grown from four to 32 people in the metro region alone, with more staff "doing amazing work in the regions", she said, across bases in Swan Hill, Mildura, Swan Reach and Traralgon.

"We're all about healing," Ms Clancy said.

The team go out into communities to build connections.

Ngwala Willumbong youth AOD outreach worker Kylie Olphert said the 18-24 year old bracket she works with are a vulnerable group. That is between the pressures and stresses experienced by most at that age - school, uni, career and others, to experimenting, and individual circumstances.

"Most of the time, it's not the actual AOD issue, it's the underlying issues," Ms Olphert said, who has her own lived-experience of some of the things she sees in her work.

"I'm helping vulnerable youth who sometimes just need that little bit of a push, that little bit of a hand hold."

Mr Olphert and Ms Clancy said a day like Tuesday, coming together with Blak Pearl "put faces to names" and helps build a connection with the community, those who access their services and each other as stadd, all for the better.

Kenneth Drew has had three periods of touchpoint with Ngwala Willumbong Galiamble men's recovery centre in the previous 10 years.

He says it's likely he would on the streets if it wasn't for their services.

"Today, it's just good to get around people in community. There's some really good men and women here, strong men and women in the community," he told National Indigenous Times.

"It's important for me to be around people like that. Some people that I look up to."

Mr Drew said in the decades to come he'll have the responsibilities of a senior community member, like those who have helped him on his journey and continue to, to future generations.

In addition to Tuesday's lunch and yarn, Blak Pearl will unveil their annual exhibition nearby on Thursday night.

The drop-in studio was started three years ago, 'run by and for mob' to create a safe gathering space with creativity at its core.

"The whole focus was arts and culture and wellbeing - using painting or any form of creativity and culture to try and help people find something else to connect with their community through, and actually express themselves," Fjorn Bastos told National Indigenous Times.

Ms Bastos is an artist and community organiser and manager of Blak Pearl.

Open Wednesday through Friday from midday to 5pm, the studio, scattered with canvasses and supplies, also provides lunches, teas and coffees and materials to use.

After years and years being introduced to more and more members of the community, with many artists among them, it "just became apparent we needed to do something and have a space, so people can also come and organise politically and have a base to actually represent themselves and look after everybody", Ms Bastos said.

Work will be on sale at the exhibition on Thursday, with some "cherished objects" unable to be bought.

"We still see the importance of showing them…even though it's not about just selling works. Artists want to have a conversation with their community about what they make and feel good about it, and just start having conversations about art and their journey," she said.

A couple of the artists with pieces on display produced the work while accessing services like those Ngwala Willumbong provide.

"Everyone's celebrating in their own unique way…It's one whole community, but at the same time it's such a diverse community, and I see that being celebrated more," Ms Bastos said of NAIDOC Week.

It's the first time the exhibition is being held in NAIDOC Week.