Healing the future,

one child at a time.

Every child, no matter where they come from or who they are, deserves the chance to dream, grow, and thrive. A future filled with opportunity, safety, and belonging should not be a privilege. It should be a right.

It’s heartwarming to see so many Australians, from all walks of life, share this vision. Thank you for supporting our work with communities to create a brighter future for our children and our children’s children.

We know that there’s still a long way to go; that Indigenous youth in Australia face systemic disadvantages rooted in colonisation, intergenerational trauma, and structural inequality.

Sadly, in Western Australia’s beautiful Kimberley region the statistics are particularly alarming. A report by the University of Western Australia (2020) revealed that the suicide rate among Indigenous people in the Kimberley was three times the national average, and twice that of other Indigenous Australians.

We hear about the devastating effects often. What we don’t hear about nearly enough is how, through the tireless work and passion of caring people, the tides are slowly beginning to change.

Each supporter of Community First Development is a part of the solution.

Your kindness and generosity today can change the story for our young people.

Yawardani Jan-ga (meaning “horses helping” in Yawuru language) is a unique, culturally grounded mental health program using Equine Assisted Learning to support the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal children and young people aged 6 – 26 years in the Kimberley region.

Founded by First Nations’ woman, Professor Juli Coffin, the program was born from deep frustration to address the critical gap in culturally secure, effective mental health services tailored to Indigenous youth in remote and regional areas.

It responds to the community’s concerns over youth social and emotional wellbeing, including the disproportionate rates of suicide, with a strength-based research program to build healthy coping skills and support healing among Aboriginal youth. 

Through Yawardani Jan-ga, horses are more than companions – they are co-facilitators in healing. They help young people build trust, resilience, and leadership skills in a safe, non-judgmental environment.

With over 2,500 Aboriginal youth already engaged, Juli has seen firsthand how this approach is changing lives and futures. She shared:

“The Yawardani Jan-ga program is changing young people’s trajectories, we have documented and created an evidence base for this unique approach to validate its outcomes, we want to continue this work. Our dream in this space is to change the story to a positive one with our Aboriginal children and young people.”

At Community First Development, we believe in the power of community-led solutions. We’ve seen that when communities drive the change they want to see, the outcomes are more sustainable.

That’s why we’re proud to have supported Yawardani Jan-ga to promote healing and wellbeing among Aboriginal children and young people in the Kimberley.

Our role is to walk alongside communities, providing resources, expert guidance, support, and respect – never imposing, always listening. The impact of Yawardani Jan-ga is a testament to what’s possible when First Nations’ leadership is at the heart of community development.

When Juli first reached out to Community First Development it was because she was committed to ensuring Yawardani Jan-ga would be accessible to all those who need it.

Senior Community Development Officer, Nikkeeta, worked with Juli at the speed of trust. Nikkeeta took the time to listen, learn, and understand Juli’s dream while developing a strong foundation grounded in respect. She was then able to connect Juli with the resources and expert support she was seeking to make her dream a reality.

Juli shared what the support from our team has meant to her and the program:

“Community First Development has provided me and Yawardani Jan-ga with an opportunity to be connected to volunteers who have expertise in the areas we need; and create a network of varied skills that we can tap into to grow and move forward into the space of delivery and opportunity. Accessing support to develop grant applications, strategic planning, business development, and media strategies are all avenues where we are working together to grow, strengthen and develop our program of work.”

Yawardani Jan-ga is more than a program, it’s a culturally grounded response to the urgent need for trauma-informed care and youth empowerment.

Will you join us and continue to walk on this path with First Nations’ communities?