Local solutions

Kornar Winmil Yunti Aboriginal Corporation working with communities to reduce domestic violence


This photo captures team members from the Kornar Winmil Yunti Aboriginal Corporation. They are Tod Stokes,Stephanie McGarrigan, Brad Hart, Prue Adamson and Teri Di Salvo. Front row from left, Jenni Greenhill,Craig Rigney, and Dianne Martin. The Corporation works with their communities to reduce family violence in South Australia.

Kornar Winmil Yunti Aboriginal Corporation team members, back row from left, Tod Stokes, Stephanie McGarrigan, Brad Hart, Prue Adamson and Teri Di Salvo. Front row from left, Jenni Greenhill, Craig Rigney, and Dianne Martin.  The Minister for Indigenous Affairs Nigel Scullion, announced a $25 million investment in frontline Indigenous organisations and Family Violence Prevention Legal Services..

Kornar Winmil Yunti Aboriginal Corporation (KWY) is committed to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to reduce family violence in South Australia.

KWY received $2.76 million under the Third Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-22 to co-design and deliver culturally safe projects. Prior to receiving this funding, KWY was specifically delivering services to Indigenous male perpetrators.

KWY has been working with local communities and the Australian Government to design services aimed at reducing family violence, improving the safety of women and children at home, and breaking the cycle of harm stemming from violence associated with intergenerational trauma.

The co-design project has led to the development of an integrated and holistic model that offers trauma-informed therapeutic services for children, intensive counselling support for women, services for perpetrators of violence, and family-focused case management.

KWY Chief Executive Officer, Craig Rigney, says he is proud to lead the project.

“The co-design project started with the Government listening to Aboriginal communities and organisations about how to design family violence services,” Mr Rigney says.

“KWY is proud to be establishing a new family violence service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Adelaide and Riverland regions.”

The service is recruiting at least 10 staff and will operate in three communities across outer northern Adelaide, southern Adelaide, and the Riverland region.

“We look forward to seeing positive and sustainable outcomes for families by supporting Aboriginal women, children and men in South Australia to reduce family violence. The safety of women and children is at the heart of everything we do,” Mr Rigney says.