State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin has congratulated Lismore-based Women Up North on securing two grants in the first-ever domestic and family violence specific Aboriginal Community Safety Grant program.

Ms Saffin said Women Up North will use a $138,996 grant to run an outreach service to support Aboriginal pregnant teenagers and young mothers at high risk of domestic, family and sexual violence with culturally safe health and life education. 

Women Up North will also use a $74,626 grant to work with Northern Rivers Aboriginal communities to encourage appropriate responses to domestic violence risk and occurrence to improve safety,” Ms Saffin said.

“Women Up North is just a great organisation which has stood the test of time; it’s still delivering a wide range of targeted support services to local women and children.”

Women Up North’s Chief Executive Officer Jillian Knight-Smith said: "Women Up North is led by an Aboriginal Chair and a majority Aboriginal board.

“We are proud and excited to share that our Bugalma Bihyn program team has secured funding to support our local communities,” Ms Knight-Smith said.

“This funding will help fill critical service gaps for young Aboriginal mothers and their children, while also empowering our communities with knowledge of trauma-informed responses to domestic, family, and sexual violence."

Ms Saffin said the Albanese and Minns Labor Governments were investing $3.8 million a total of 32 projects under the Aboriginal Community Safety Grant program.

This program is part of a wider effort by both governments to close the gap in family safety outcomes and improve the lives of Aboriginal people in New South Wales. 

All projects strengthen services for victim-survivors and align with:

• The First Action Plan 2023–2027 under the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022–2032
• The upcoming NSW Aboriginal Domestic Family and Sexual Violence Plan
• Commitments under both the NSW and Commonwealth Government’s Closing the Gap implementation plans to help achieve:
  • Target 13 to reduce the rate of all forms of family violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children by at least 50 per cent, as progress towards zero
  • Priority Reform Area 2 to build a strong and sustainable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled sector to deliver services that meet the needs of indigenous communities.

By supporting Aboriginal-led program development, the grants promote self-determination, community innovation, and culturally grounded, place-based responses.

In addition, Aboriginal-led, trauma-informed, and culturally safe strategies recognise the importance of culture, connection to Country and the role of men’s and women’s business in responding to and healing from family violence.

For more information on the 32 projects, go to:  https://www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/grant-recipients?nid=90454