Kunga Stopping Violence Program
On 30 October 2023, the Kunga Stopping Violence Program celebrated the graduation of ten women from the month-long Kunga Program held at the Alice Springs Correctional Centre. The women successfully completed the program and now will have a delegated First Nations Case Manager from the Kunga Stopping Violence Program team to assist them with their reintegration for up to two years post release.
The photo is of the mural that the women completed at the end of the course which will be hung in the Kunga Office so that women can admire it alongside other Kunga Program murals when they utilise the drop-in service.
2023 Sisters Inside 10th International Conference
The Kunga Stopping Violence Program team were able to recently attend the 10th International Sisters Inside Conference in Brisbane. The three-day program was First Nations led with inspiring and notable international and Australian guest speakers that included professor Angela Davis, Dr Lila Watson, Professor Chelsea Watego, Amy Mcquire, Andrea James, Dr Gina Dent and of course; Debbie Killroy.
There were also incredible guest speakers with lived experience of the criminal justice system and the family members of people who have died in custody. The panels were inspiring as were the poetry and songs of First Nations women, many of whom were formally incarcerated. We have all learned a great deal from the experience and feel reinvigorated in the work we do with Central Australian women and their families. The theme of the conference was Abolition Feminism Now, and how we collectively “re-humanise” in the face of systems and oppressive powers that operate from a place of de-humanising.
Moving Forward…
The Throughcare Program is currently preparing to move into our mid-year reporting round and are pleased to be doing so with all but 1 vacancy remaining, and a 40% representation of First Nations staff within our teams.
KUNGA STOPPING VIOLENCE PROGRAM (KSVP)
The Kunga Program is based in Alice Springs and works with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who have been incarcerated in Alice Springs Correctional Centre with a history of violent offending. The program runs a 4-week course in prison twice a year on topics such as: trauma, grief, loss, violence and anger for the Kunga participants to build trust, gain personal insight, skills, and confidence. The program graduates are then visited and supported by case managers and are assisted to make plans for when they are released. It is a voluntary program and seeks to help women break cycles of violence in their lives and to keep them out of prison. The Kunga program continues working with women after they are released through intensive and responsive support, home visits, referrals, mentoring, a drop in space, and social programs. The Kunga program is delivered in a professional and culturally safe way by local Aboriginal staff and a qualified social worker.
Women are referred to the Kunga program through Alice Springs Correctional Centre and/or through the criminal lawyer representing their case. Some women are referred when they have received their sentence, while other women are referred while they are on remand in custody, awaiting their sentence. When a woman is referred, we conduct a lengthy assessment with the woman to understand her circumstances and explain the Kunga program and assess eligibility and suitability for the group work. Participation in the Kunga program is voluntary so a woman decides if she wants to participate. The Kunga team work with whole families and have completed training on family therapy.
Please see this evaluation from August 2020 to learn more –
“It’s good to know each other, to be Kungas” (apo.org.au)