Bidyadanga
Improving children’s well-being and school readiness in Armadale West
Bidyadanga Aboriginal Community (La Grange) is located on the Kimberley coast in Western Australia, 1,590 kilometers from the capital city of Perth and 180 kilometers from Broome.
Bidyadanga was chosen as the very remote community in the EYP and is the largest remote Aboriginal community in Western Australia with a population of approximately 850 residents.
The area is home to the Karajarri, Juwalinny, Mangala, Nyungamarta and Yulpartja language groups, and the Karajarri people are the Traditional Custodians of Bidyadanga.
Bidyadanga was selected due to the demonstration of interest and capacity to benefit, taking into consideration: A need for better outcomes for children 0-4 and their families, sufficiently broad and genuine interest within the community to achieve change, and a level of capacity to do so.
With a commitment to work differently with communities, the EYP is designed to deliver the support Bidyadanga families need to improve their children’s health, wellbeing and school readiness.
Key Community Priorities
The Bidyadanga EYP community and working group is committed to achieving the following outcomes for all.
Child Development
To increase the number of children meeting developmental milestones and entering school developmentally ready (as measured by the Ages and Stages Questionnaire and Australian Early Development Census tools [adjusted for cultural relevance as appropriate]).
Parent Health
To strengthen cultural identity and overall wellbeing of parents and carers to enable positive parenting practices.
Family Financial Wellbeing
All children aged 0-4 years live in households with an adequate standard of living.
Community Physical and Social Aspects
To create the physical and social infrastructure in the community that strengthens the cultural identity of families and supports families to care for their children.
Community Service Aspects
To provide culturally safe, coordinated health and wellbeing service delivery within Bidyadanga.
Weekly Service Meeting
An opportunity for local community-based service providers to come together to discuss priorities, programs, events and activities.
The meeting provides a space for shared accountability for EYP goals and objectives. Attendees include:
- Bidyadanga Aboriginal Corporation La Grange (BACLG)
- Kimberley Aboriginal Medial Services (KAMS)
- Minderoo Foundation
- Department of Communities
- Department of Education
- Department of Health
- Kullarri Regional Communities Indigenous Corporation (KRCIC)
- Karajarri Traditional Lands Association (KTLA)
- WA Police
- Royal Life Saving WA
- Job Pathways
- Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation
Bidyadanga Aboriginal Community La Grange Council
A council of community representatives governs the organisation and is comprised of two members of each of the five language groups and a chairperson that resides in Bidyadanga.
The Bidyadanga Aboriginal Community La Grange Administration Office manages and coordinates the delivery of all services including many non-essential services to the residents of the community.
The role of the council in the Early Years Partnership is to endorse the proposed actions and implementation that relate to the Bidyadanga community plan.
Local Partner Organisations
Bidyadanga Aboriginal Community La Grange Inc
Bidyadanga is the largest remote Aboriginal community in Western Australia with a population of approximately 850 residents and is home to the Karajarri, Juwalinny, Mangala, Nyungamarta and Yulpartja language groups.
Rich in history, art and culture and with a developing economy, Bidyadanga has many community facilities and infrastructure to support community’s people.
Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services Ltd (KAMS)
Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services Ltd (KAMS) is a member based, regional Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO), providing support and representing the interests of eight independent ACCHOs from towns and remote communities across the Kimberley region of Western Australia, and Kimberley Renal Services, which is a wholly owned subsidiary.
Resources
Bidyadanga 2023 EYP Community Plan – Yija Tili (True Sparks)
This community plan is the result of a co-design process with the Bidyadanga community involving group model building workshops. This plan articulates the priorities identified by the community as critical factors to improving the wellbeing and school readiness of their children.
Contact EYP Bidyadanga
Kristy Brittain
Senior Community Engagement Officer, Early Years Partnership
+61 455 213 170
Kristy.Brittain@communities.wa.gov.au