About GSNAC

Founded in 2017, the Great Southern Noongar Aboriginal Corporation (GSNAC) is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Corporation based in Albany in the Wagyl Kaip Region of the Great Southern. GSNAC is registered as not-for-profit Indigenous Corporation and under Supply Nation.  

GSNAC's purpose is to empower Noongar children and families to live fulfilling lives through early intervention, capacity building, and fostering strong community connections. We offer education, cultural mentoring and wraparound services for Noongar children aged 0-25 and families focused on prevention, self-determination and cultural identity. Since 2019, GSNAC’s culturally mentored Waabiny Time has been delivering holistic support to children aged 0-4 and their families (parenting support, referrals, advocacy, transport, emergency relief).

GSNAC aims to create a safe cultural space and opportunities for Noongar children and their families to grow and thrive through:

• Providing support and assistance for those identified as most vulnerable within our community

• Improving community health and social and emotional well-being

• Improving education and training attendance

• Increasing employment and retention of Aboriginal people in the Great Southern Community

• Supporting children in care

• Seeking out investments and funding to enable economic development of services.

GSNAC is led by a volunteer Board of Wagyl Kaip Traditional Owners and Elders with expertise in youth work, family services, justice diversion and early childhood. The Board employs and oversees three part-time Aboriginal Support Workers.

Corporate Governance and Compliance

The GSNAC Board has a strong governance background with expertise in community services, early years, education, justice and training. Three Board Directors have recently completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors course.

The profiles of its four current members are provided at Attachment 1. GSNAC is currently in the process of recruiting a Board Director for a vacant position. 

The Board’s oversight of the organisation’s programs is guided by our co-designed cultural governance framework community engagement and ownership. The community consultation indicated positive support of GSNAC in Albany and surrounds. Consistently well-attended playgroup sessions and engagement with Aboriginal Corporations shows local community acceptance.

GSNAC is experienced in obtaining, managing and acquitting grants to achieve its strategic direction across funders: National Indigenous Australians Agency, Department of Communities, Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport, the Noongar Charitable Trust, the Wagyl Kaip Charitable Trust, Carers WA and Wanslea). The Board’s governance, compliance and corporate functions are supported by:

• Meridian Corporate Consultants for company secretary services including minutes, annual general meetings and ORIC compliance.

• Board pro for secure Board governance systems

• Desert Accounting and Business Support for accountancy, payroll, financial acquittals and human resources.

• Consultancy services for marketing, contractual reporting, grant writing, research and strategic advisory services.

GSNAC is in the process of developing its website: https://www.gsnac.au/.

Our Services

GSNAC provides culturally safe wraparound community services to build the strength and resilience of Noongar families and children to better meet their needs and aspirations to live safer, healthier, more prosperous lives. The services include:

• The Waabiny Time culturally mentored playgroup and wraparound services in Albany. Delivered since 2019, the service was first undertaken in partnership with Playgroup WA before fully transitioning to GSNAC in 2024.
  
  The Waabiny Time healing approach focuses on early support for children aged 0-4 and their family, including capacity building, community connection, employment and responsive, preventative services. The service provides practical, wraparound assistance for the whole family: quality early learning, supported access to early intervention/specialists, training, referrals, advocacy and parenting support. The culturally empowering, strengths-based approach is led by the families, supported and mentored by an Elder and Aboriginal Support Workers.

• Moorditj Koolingars is a program of cultural and on Country activities in the Great Southern for older children of the Waabiny Time playgroup families and young people in the Noongar community. Funded by the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, and Sport and the Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar Charitable Trust, the program aims to pass on intergenerational knowledge strengthening family connections and renewing young people’s interest in learning. 

• Ngullah Mia Parenting Support Program (Parenting Connection WA, Wanslea Family Services) provides holistic parenting support to Noongar families. The service assists parents to increase their parenting skills, knowledge and confidence through working with them on parenting issues, better connecting them to community networks and providing practical support to access services (e.g. transportation to school or appointments, support with Centrelink).

• Emergency relief and capacity building training for families, funded by the Noongar Charitable Trust.