Alstonville-based Namatjira Haven has secured $20,000 in State Government funding for an on-Country Aboriginal women’s cultural camp that will help shape a new healing service for women and children.

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin congratulated Namatjira Haven on receiving the funding through the NSW Cultural Grants program for its Listening to Country Aboriginal Women’s Cultural Camp – ‘Aunty Sandra’s Place’ project.

“This is a wonderful recognition of the important work being done by Namatjira Haven and the value of listening to Aboriginal women in designing services for their communities,” Ms Saffin said.

The cultural camp will help inform the service design and cultural principles of Aunty Sandra’s Place, a new women and children’s healing service.

According to the project description, the initiative is intended to benefit Bundjalung, Yaegl and Gumbayngirr communities, including Aboriginal families, children and young people who will be future users and stakeholders of the service.

Namatjira Haven is among 85 Aboriginal community organisations across NSW sharing $1.5 million through this year’s Cultural Grants program.

The grants support locally led projects ranging from cultural gatherings and language preservation to storytelling, dance, art and the sharing of traditional knowledge.

NSW Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty Minister David Harris said the program recognised that Aboriginal communities were best placed to determine how culture should be protected and celebrated.

“These grants provide funding support for everything from gatherings on Country to cultural knowledge publications, helping communities share, preserve and protect intergenerational knowledge,” Mr Harris said.

The State Government says strengthening Aboriginal cultures and languages is one of the outcomes being pursued under Closing the Gap.