‘The more I talk the stronger I get’

Development of the Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation Practice Framework

Abstract

Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation (KBHAC) was established by Survivors of the Kinchela Boys Home, a government run institution that forcibly removed 400–600 Aboriginal boys from their families between 1924 and 1970. Their vision is to improve the social, emotional, and cultural wellbeing of Survivors, as well as their descendants and families. KBHAC delivers a range of services and programs across social and emotional wellbeing, healing, disability, aged care, family reconnection and many other areas. To guide the delivery of these programs for a community who still suffer with the unique, complex traumas associated with institutionalisation, KBHAC identified the need to create a Practice Framework that imbued their values as a Survivor-led, trauma-informed, and culturally strong organisation. To develop the Framework, KBHAC worked with an Aboriginal-led consulting group and developed a partnership built on trust and truth-telling. A series of workshops identified a structure for the Framework that details the healing journey of the KBHAC community, typical experiences of KBHAC service-users, and the required competencies and skills of KBHAC staff. The iterative process, involving continual reflection and ongoing communication between KBHAC and the consulting group, led to the creation of a living document that is user-friendly, visually engaging, and incorporates artwork by a Gomeroi artist.

This journal article showcases some of the key pages and elements of the Practice Framework. Through implementing a genuine partnership approach and best research practices, KBHAC created a Framework that serves as their central document, offering a comprehensive guide for staff, service-users, and the community. This Framework, and the process of its development, can be a best practice example for other stakeholders when working with Stolen Generation Survivors, and has potential implications for casework and service delivery in Australia and internationally.