Deadly Connections are committed to building strong, safe, and healthy communities by providing a culturally safe and respectful space for First Nations people to engage in healing, access culturally responsive services/programs, and participate in decision-making processes.
Community Services
A LIFETIME OF LIVED EXPERIENCE
Our strength is in our lifetime of experience living as First Nations people in First Nations families/communities combined with our professional expertise across a multitude of human service areas, therefore we are best placed to assist our people in overcoming complex challenges that we have also faced and continue to face as Aboriginal people.
We understand the complexities of these challenges from a lived experience perspective and we continue to be confronted by the myriad of factors that project and entrench our people into the justice/OOHC system. Our professional experience, skills and knowledge adds to our intrinsic expertise. We are in a unique position to provide necessary, culturally competent support at very critical times.
INNOVATIVE, SPECIALIST AND FOCUSED SUPPORT
Our programs are innovative and culturally responsive, the foundation of our organisation is grounded in culture and empowering our communities. As the only culturally specific, specialist agency that specifically focuses on the child protection and justice system/s – we are in a unique position to create positive change for the people, families and communities we work with. Our service provision is not limited by age or boundaries, we can therefore provide services to communities when and where they are needed.
It is critical that any service response for First Nations people/communities is equipped to promote healing and enhance functioning in individuals and families with multiple and complex needs.
FROM THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE COMMUNITY
Reducing the over representation of First Nations people in child protection and/or the justice system requires a multi-layered approach of legislative, program/service and policy attention. Deadly Connections is dedicated to targeting each tactic to create lasting change and modify the trajectory of our people for future generations.
As an Aboriginal community-led organisation, we embody the principles of local community responsibility, self-determination, control and self-management. Deadly Connections continues to acknowledge and recognise the importance of leadership from our Elders. Central to the foundation of our organisation is that we continue to encourage and strengthen connection to cultural identity, country, culture, language, communities and families.
Our Communities and Elders are a source of information, knowledge and expertise. We adopt a community-led (bottom up) approach to owning, managing and dealing with community matters, as opposed to the “top-down” approach imposed by government.
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE PROGRAMS TO BRIDGE THE CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY
Aboriginal epistemology informs our organisation, services and programs in which we authentically embed Aboriginal ways of being, knowing and doing. Our strength also extends to our experience in enabling the development of community capacity and leadership to affect change.
Deadly Connections has been developed to bridge identified and well documented barriers to service delivery by providing a culturally responsive service including culturally strong casework supports and to assist Aboriginal people, families and communities to access and navigate the broader service systems.