Kimberleys Region of W.A.

The Background

Whatever led us to venture into the remote far North West of Australia?

Over the years of our involvement in the Solomon Island we have networked with many people. One of those is an Aussie bloke, married to a Solomon Islander.

In January 2005 this Aussie bloke, Tim, accepted a job as Child Protection Officer at a strife torn community called Kalumburu.

He spoke of the impact of our involvement in the Solomon Islands and said we would never understand the full impact of what was being achieved, as he witnessed and heard accounts of kids whose lives had been dramatically changed.

In May 2005 Tim rang and said something like “Brian, is there any chance of you bringing a team up here? When you bring the soccer balls, can you also bring God, because there is no sign of God in this place”! What an invitation!

So we advertised for a team and were blown away with the response. Thirty (30) people, a mixture of Sports Centre and church people, embarked on this expedition as we camped our way across this vast continent and engaged with our Aboriginal friends.

Being able to share life, to simply talk, play, plan and dream with our indigenous friends was a truly wonderful experience. Our team was involved in all those dimensions of life together. From kicking soccer balls (and the occasional AFL ball) and conducting coaching clinics through to assembling bikes, cleaning community facilities, welding and electrical repairs and the distribution of the Samaritans Purse Gift shoeboxes, our team was privileged to be involved.

In true Aboriginal style, the athleticism of some of these kids was amazing. We decided to investigate then the possibility of bringing a team of thirteen year old girls down for the Australian National Futsal Championships in January 2007.

And that was the start of what has been an ongoing association with a community of people we have grown to love.

The Process

May 2005. Discussions start in earnest with the Kalumburu community about a possible trip in the middle of 2006. From that time invitations were extended to potential participants both those within Dural Sport and Leisure Centre and those regular church attenders.

February 2006. The team starts to take shape and starts preparation in earnest. This preparation as well as the obvious preparation of cars and accessories, included an orientation program as we sought to understand more about Aboriginal culture and in particular the culture and experiences of the communities we were to visit

June, July 2006. The 30 member team depart Sydney at different times, with Alice Springs the meeting point on June 24^th. From this point the excitement and experience of team together commenced as we travelled up the Tanami Track visiting the Aboriginal community of Yuendumu briefly. We then headed over the WA border and into the communities of Looma and One Arm Point before journeying up the Gibb River Road to our final destination of Kalumburu. Read more about this experience. (Josh need a link here)

December 2006.  Brian heads back to Kalumburu for ten days to train the 13 year girls team as they prepare to visit Sydney and the ACT for participation in the Australian National Futsal Championships.

January 2007.  Eight girls and two leaders from Kalumburu Community venture to Sydney for a two week visit. In the middle of the trip the team travelled to Canberra for the week long Championships. Either side of the trip to Canberra the team stayed at Dural Sport & Leisure Centre and also had the opportunity to see the sites of Sydney.

July 2007.  A team of seven head from Dural to the Kimberleys for Futsal holiday clinics.

Nine days were spent in Kalumburu and the balance of the two week trip in Kununurra, where visits were also made to Wyndham and Oombulgurri.

September 2007.  Brian heads back to the Kimberleys to investigate the possibility of another Kimberley team attending the Australian National Futsal Championships. The aim was to expand the Futsal program, to include players from a wider selection of communities. Visits were again made to Wyndham and Kununurra. The opportunity was taken to further research wider opportunities for mission in the Kimberley region.

December 2007.  Brian and Sarah Codrington journey to Kalumburu for two weeks to train the 13 years girls Futsal team in their preparation for the Australian Nationals.

January 2008.  Nine girls and two leaders venture to Sydney for a two week visit. In the middle of the trip the team travelled to Canberra for the week long Championships. Either side of the trip to Canberra the team stayed at Dural Sport & Leisure Centre and also had the opportunity to see the sites of Sydney.

January 2008. Tim & Belinda Shields with boys Jacob and Riley make the bold move from Dural to Kalumburu. Tim has taken the position of Deputy CEO and Belinda Women’s Project Coordinator. We are confident they will do an excellent job fulfilling these strategic roles in the community.

February, 2008.  Two Kalumburu girls are offered educational scholarships at William Clarke College, Kellyville. The girls are expected to arrive in Sydney in early March.

April, 2008.  A historic trip as the Dural representatives travel back to Kalumburu for a visit conducting sports clinics returning to Sydney with two girls on an educational scholarship with William Clarke College.

July 2008.  Another Dural team of 6 people head over the Kalumburu community for 10 days of sports clinics before embarking on clinics in Kununurra and Wyndham. This trip has some of people engaged in medical services as well as outdoor recreation, abseiling and rock climbing activities.

The Future

Our desire is to work alongside the communities of the Kimberley region of WA to see “lives transformed and communities transformed”

We are there to partner with each community, not to direct the community. We will try to respond to the needs of the community as outlined by community CEO’s and Community Councils and to increase the resources available to each community to overcome specific challenges as they arise.

So what does the future hold? In the light of the above philosophy of involvement it is hard to be specific, but our discussions and research have highlighted the following as possibilities, if not specifically in Kalumburu then in the wider Kimberley Region of WA.

We will continue to discuss these possibilities with the Kalumburu and wider Kimberley communities.

1.         Further development of the sport and recreation program, particularly focused on Futsal. This program to include “whole of life coaching” where issues of the physical, relational, emotional and spiritual dimensions of life are addressed

2.         Accreditation of available youth and young adults as coaches and referees in the Kalumburu community.

3.         Solomon Islands leaders to visit and encourage the community of Kalumburu. 

4.         Counselling facilitators from personal counselling and sexual abuse counselling through to financial counselling.

5.         Multilit (MULTILIT). Making Up for Lost Time in Literacy course. Investigations among our contacts have revealed potential people, teachers and others, prepared to come to the Kimberleys to assist Kalumburu teachers with the Multilit program.

6.         Job Creation programs to investigate opportunities with the people of the Kimberleys for the commencement and managing of businesses and the mentoring of the business “proprietors”.

7.         Parenting Courses and “Strong Foundations” to help equip parents with the skills for raising healthy and well balanced kids. It is recognised that this involves a whole range of separate issues eg nutrition; the importance of making use of the available medical resources; instructing kids re substance abuse; effective discipline and a whole range of other issues.

8.         Outdoor recreation activities eg abseiling and ropes courses. It offers an alternative for those who do not find the kicking of a ball particularly interesting.

9.               A General Practitioner and nurse have expressed their availability for a short term placement (up to two to three weeks) should there be a specific need or project within the community. 

10.       Acting and dance classes for indigenous children and young people   

We will continue to discuss these possibilities with the Kalumburu and wider Kimberley communities. If you have skills and/or accreditation in the above areas and would like to be involved further contact Brian on bcodring@bigpond.net.au