An innovative new joint venture will result in the establishment of social housing, specialised care and a training centre in WA following the establishment of the Aboriginal Housing Foundation.
“This venture is the beginning of a new way of doing things,” said Wayne Nannup, CEO of the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council (SWALSC) and of the Aboriginal Housing Recovery Centre Limited.
“Our partnership and constructive working relationship with Equity Trustees, as trustee of the Noongar Charitable Trust, has opened the door to a new approach – it has been driven by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people. We are excited about what we can achieve – and the opportunities in the future.”
The Aboriginal Housing Foundation is a newly created special purpose charitable Trust, created to benefit Noongar people of South West WA, through the acquisition of properties for housing, care and training programs for Noongar people.
The first property acquisition, facilitated through the Noongar Charitable Trust, will be the ‘El Caballo’ an existing resort and lifestyle village, which will be used as the basis of a multipurpose complex to ultimately house nearly 180 Aboriginal people, facilitate a domestic violence refuge and support service, rehabilitation centre, cultural awareness centre, childcare places for 50 Aboriginal children and specialist aged care facilities.
The vocational training program will have a diverse range of offerings – from horticulture through to language, childcare and property management – while the Trade centre will be equipped to support hospitality and catering training through to building and construction facilities.
The Aboriginal Housing Foundation will be overseen by two co trustees – the Noongar not-for-profit Aboriginal Housing Recovery Centre Limited, and Equity Trustees.
“It is our privilege and responsibility as a trustee to ensure that trusts established for the benefit of Aboriginal communities enable and empower those communities,” said Ian Westley, Executive General Manager, Trustee and Wealth Services, Equity Trustees.
“We have enjoyed a very positive and constructive partnership with Noongar people and organisations through our work with other trusts, and are looking forward to extending this partnership through this new innovative joint venture to improve housing outcomes for Aboriginal people in the South West,” he concluded.
