This year marks the 30th anniversary of Wyanga Aboriginal Aged Care, a vital organisation based in Redfern that provides culturally safe, in-home care and social support for Aboriginal Elders.

Founded in 1996 by Wiradjuri Elder Sylvia Scott and Dunghutti Elder Mary Silva, Wyanga was established to address a critical gap in care for Elders, ensuring services were culturally appropriate and community-driven.

Proud Wiradjuri woman from Cowra and CEO, Jarin Baigent, shared her reflections on the organisation's history and mission.

"Aunty Sylvia acknowledged that our Elders were not being looked after properly in the mainstream system," she said.

"Because families weren't given the proper resources and support to be able to look after our Elders like we used to... Aunty Sylvia started Wyanga, and we're still here 30 years later."

A Commitment to Cultural Care

Wyanga delivers a broad range of services, including in-home domestic support, transportation, and social activities.

The organisation prides itself on going beyond compliance with government standards, ensuring its care model reflects Aboriginal cultural frameworks.

"Our organisation goes that bit further in that we are a culturally safe service provider," Ms Baigent said.

"For example, when an Elder goes from home care into a residential facility... a mainstream service provider would stop their care provision there."

"But we don't stop there. We know that we have that cultural responsibility to go beyond that."

Wyanga's staff, most of whom are Aboriginal, bring deep cultural competency to their work.

"We are completely Aboriginal community-controlled, not just Aboriginal, Redfern Aboriginal community-controlled and led," she said.

"So we're all connected, and we all have a responsibility and accountability piece to each other, but also to the community and more importantly to our Elders."

Social Connections and Family Integration

Social support programs at Wyanga aim to reduce isolation and maintain cultural connections for Elders.

"We do programs and activities and offer all the same things that a mainstream service provider offers, but we operate as a family," Ms Baigent explained.

"For example, we have staff who have grandparents that are clients here."

"So all of our clients are looked after to the standard that each of us individually expect our grandparents to be looked after."

Wyanga also integrates family dynamics into its operations, recognising the central role Elders play in Aboriginal communities.

"Our kids, who from time to time will be inside the building, witness that," she said.

"So they're raised and bred, understanding their responsibility."

One of the standout events on Wyanga's calendar is the annual Elders Olympics, which brings together local organisations in a celebration of culture and competition.

"Our athletes get really competitive," she said.

"It's a great event and probably the biggest one on our calendar."

Challenges and Barriers

Like many community-controlled organisations, Wyanga faces significant challenges, particularly in securing resources.

"We're heavily dependent on things like our furniture is all donated," she said.

"We don't have access to exorbitant amounts of resources, and we need to see that growing."

She highlighted the importance of donations, noting that many essential items—like vacuum cleaners, washing machines, or fridges—cannot be covered under aged care packages.

Another challenge is navigating changes in the aged care sector.

"There are significant reforms being implemented this year," she said.

"We're not quite sure how that's going to impact us, but we certainly are working closely with the department to get ready for those changes."

Retention and Workforce Development

Retention is often a challenge in the aged care sector, but Wyanga has seen success in this area.

"Inside of our communities and our families, looking after your Elders is an honour and a privilege," Ms Baigent said.

"We have staff here that have been here for 20 years... all the way through to new prospective young ones that want to come in for their career."

Wyanga also prioritises workforce development, creating pathways for young people to pursue careers in areas like finance, marketing, and leadership.

"We're training the next generation of leaders... many of our staff are grandchildren of those civil rights warriors who fought for our rights," she said.

"They understand their responsibility and are passionate about continuing this work."

The Role of the Board

Wyanga's strength and longevity are deeply tied to its board, which includes founding directors and respected community leaders.

Chairperson Norma Ingram, Treasurer Millie Ingram, and Director Beryl Van-Oploo continue to play active roles.

"These women are incredible," Ms Baigent said.

"They've been working tirelessly to ensure Wyanga has what it needs to support Elders."

The board's contributions have been widely recognised, with Aunty Millie named 2024 National NAIDOC Elder of the Year and Aunty Beryl receiving an Order of Australia Medal the same year.

Looking Ahead

As Wyanga celebrates 30 years, its focus remains on sustainability and growth.

"Our priorities are to ensure our sustainability into the future so that our Elders can feel reassured that they've got a solid service that's always going to be there to look after them in their elderly years," Ms Baigent said.

She emphasised the importance of community support to achieve this vision.

"We need to see a lot more support behind Aboriginal community-controlled organisations... so that we can do this into the future."

For three decades, Wyanga Aboriginal Aged Care has stood as a testament to the power of community-led initiatives.

With a strong foundation and vision for the future, it continues to honour the Elders who paved the way while inspiring the next generation to carry that legacy forward.