In short:
An East Kimberley youth organisation credited with reducing crime rates stopped running its services a month ago.
asserted
organisation → credit → services
The Wyndham Aboriginal Youth Corporation claims the National Indigenous Australians Agency reneged on a funding commitment.
uncertain
Agency → claim → commitment
NIAA told the ABC it did not comment publicly on grant management discussions with individual organisations.
asserted
it → tell → organisations
An Indigenous youth organisation in Western Australia's north has shut its service without warning, leaving locals confused and children without a designated night space.
asserted
organisation → shut → space
The Wyndham Aboriginal Youth Corporation (WYAC) has operated programs in the remote community, around 3,100 kilometres north of Perth, since 2018.
asserted
Corporation → operate → 2018
Until recently, it delivered a range of services, including a cafe, mechanic workshop, educational programs with certification pathways and a safe night space for young people.
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it → deliver → people
WYAC has been credited with reducing crime rates and fostering positive community-led solutions.
However, the ABC has been told services stopped in mid-September with no warning.
asserted
services → credit → warning
Crashing down
Former WYAC chief executive Neville D'Silva claims the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) reneged on funding commitments, which left the service with limited options.
uncertain
which → crash → options
In a statement, NIAA said it was unable to comment publicly on grant management discussions with individual organisations, but said it was "continuing to engage with WYAC".
asserted
it → say → WYAC
Mr D'Silva, who said he had now returned to help WYAC, said his heart went out to the at-risk children and staff.
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heart → say → children
"These kids need somebody to take up the fight for them … now it has come crashing down,"Mr D'Silva said.
"WYAC was the one providing them with social enterprise, education … crime came right down."
asserted
crime → need → enterprise
The service had been put on hold because NIAA "is not paying their share", according to Mr D'Silva.
uncertain
NIAA → put → D'Silva
"They're supposed to give us the cash flow from July, they didn't pay us that money, and that's why WYAC is in the situation they are in," he said.
asserted
he → suppose → situation
"So the workers are sitting at home, there are no jobs, they're not getting paid."
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they → sit → home
Mr D'Silva, who stepped down from the CEO position for a period of time this year, said he was uncertain when services would operate again.
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services → step → time
'Devastating' impact
Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley president David Menzel said it was "devastating" programs had halted.
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programs → say → Kimberley
Mr Menzel said he was worried about the impact on residents.
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he → say → residents
"I think we've become quite accustomed to the high level of service WYAC's been providing, a high level of engagement, particularly in the space of at-risk youth," Mr Menzel said.
asserted
Menzel → think → youth
"I'm not sure there's any other organisation in place to take on all of that, it's inevitable there'll be some gaps and I'm not sure what the outcome of the current situation will be."
asserted
outcome → be → situation
A source familiar with WYAC, who the ABC has chosen to keep anonymous, said the operation stopped on September 18.
asserted
operation → choose → September
They said staff and community members had not been informed about the future of the organisation, despite repeated attempts at contact.
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staff → say → contact
"We had no idea it was heading in this direction, it was just business as usual up until mid-September," they said.
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they → have → September
"No-one really knows what's going to happen in terms of employment, whether they should be looking for a new job, nothing's been communicated."
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nothing → know → job
They said children in Wyndham approached them daily, asking when services would start again.
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services → say → them
The most important thing is the young people and the diversionary programs are no longer functioning," they said.
asserted
they → function → ?
"The night space, which was a big part of keeping young people away from the streets, giving them an alternate safe space to go, is no longer operational."
asserted
which → keep → space
In a statement, the Department of Justice said it recognised the importance of youth services to the Wyndham community and was focused on understanding the implications of the current disruptions.
asserted
it → say → disruptions
It said it was engaging with relevant stakeholders to explore the options available to support the continuity of services.
asserted
it → say → services
The Aporia