A new Aboriginal-led service model aimed at giving communities greater control over programs for children and families will be launched in central western New South Wales next week, in what advocates say is a significant step towards self-determination.
Developed by AbSec and the Wiradjuri Condobolin Corporation (WCC), the initiative establishes an Aboriginal Community-Controlled Mechanism and Aboriginal-led Commissioning service in Condobolin, placing local Aboriginal organisations, Elders and community members at the centre of designing, governing and delivering services.
WCC chief executive, Ally Coe, said the initiative was built on long-term collaboration and local leadership.
"The strength of this program lies in what it unlocks between organisations, the kind of deep collaboration over time that our community has long needed, and that our children and families have always deserved," Mr Coe said.
"Too many communities have felt the impact of organisations pulling in different directions."
The service includes an Aboriginal-led governance and leadership program that brings together Elders, emerging leaders and young people, alongside a community kitchen which will provide weekly meal kits and food support.
The kitchen is also intended to create opportunities for young people to build skills, confidence and leadership experience, while helping connect families with broader health and wellbeing supports.
AbSec chief executive John Leha said the launch represented an important milestone for community-led decision-making. He noted it wasn't a program handed down by governments. Rather, it's "community standing up and saying: we know what our children and families need".
"The knowledge, the relationships, the solutions — they have always been here," Mr Leha said.
"The launch of the Aboriginal-led Commissioning service with the Wiradjuri Corporation is a turning point — not just for Condobolin, but for what Aboriginal self-determination can look like across NSW."
The Aboriginal-led Commissioning model is based on the principle that First Nations communities are best placed to identify local needs and determine how services should be funded, designed and delivered.
Community consultation identified stronger leadership pathways, food security, youth development and better-coordinated health and wellbeing services as key priorities for local children and families.
Mr Leha said community control was essential to achieving long-term change.
"When communities lead the commissioning of their own services, they are not just improving outcomes for children and families today," he said. "They are building the governance, the capability, and the sustained investment that will carry those outcomes forward for generations."
For Mr Coe, the initiative represents a new approach for the community.
"In Condobolin, we are choosing a different path — one built on genuine partnership, shared effort and a common goal," he said.
"Working alongside AbSec, I know we will achieve something real for our children, our families and our community."
