Image: Top Row (L-R): Sugi Navaratnam, Fernanda Dal Pozzo - HR/Admin, Alex Papadatos - Finance Assistant, Liza Vanspall - ATAR, Nava - CEO, Dan Laws - VISHN Co-ordinator, Karen Derschow - SHS | Middle Row (L-R): Carlie Potter - IHSHY, Jida McCartney Youth Justice | Bottom Row (L-R): Dylan Potter - ATAR, Triphina Bradshaw, Ruby Coltzau - SHSCEO
Ngwala Willumbong is 43 years strong and shows no signs of stopping
Ngwala Willumbong (Pitjantjatjara for ‘dry place’) Ltd (Ngwala) is a key service provider offering specialist alcohol and drug rehabilitation, and outreach support services to Aboriginal communities in Victoria.
It began as a support group, set up by the community, for recovering alcoholics in 1974. It now employs close to 60 staff, has seven branches, including two rehabilitation centres for men and one for women. Ngwala operates around 30 outreach programs. VACCHO sat down with Ngwala CEO, E.N. Navaratnam (Nava), to find out what’s ahead for Ngwala and what drives him to keep working towards a healthier community. Nava: I’m originally from Sri Lanka. I completed my higher education in London and migrated to Australia in 1983. I joined Ngwala in January 1984 and at the time there was only Galiamble with about five staff. I was appointed as Administrator of Ngwala when the then Program Director Max Wood retired in mid-1985. We started building the Winja Ulupna Women’s Recovery Centre in 1985. The Valley Halfway House in Shepparton was about to close down and I was asked by our Chairperson Kevin Coombs if Ngwala could take over it. So we took over that facility in 1987 and then around 1990/91 the name was changed to Percy Green Centre (now Yitjawudik). The number of outreach programs has continued to grow to include Youth Justice, Drug and Alcohol, Housing, Family Violence, etc - almost 30 outreach programs. VACCHO: So has staff had to do a whole lot of training to deal with the size and scope of the work now.
Nava: Yes, We make sure that our staff are up-todate with training and abreast with current practices. We avail our staff with advice and support from VACCHO. We are planning a three-day training course in November. It will be run by First Nation Canadians, covering areas like lateral violence and drug and alcohol rehabilitation. VACCHO: Do you have any problems because there’s so many locations? Nava: It would be easier if we were centralised, however getting a big place in St Kilda is very difficult. Plus if we move away from the city, a lot of our clients – especially those in the rehabilitation program - will have problems in accessing other services. Maybe if we come across some capital money we could rebuild this place or one of the branches in St Kilda to bring the programs together under one roof. VACCHO: So what keeps you here? I have had committed staff and definitely very committed board members. I have had the privilege of working with community leaders like Richard Ambrose, Kevin Coombs, Joan Vickery, Marion Hanson, Joe Day (our current Chairperson) and John Murray (who has been on our board for nearly 20 years) and Roslyn Gardner and Marcia Guild who have been associated with Ngwala for nearly 25 years. This is my thirty-fourth year with Ngwala and this association has inculcated a strong sense of belonging and enjoyment towards working for the community. For more information on the great work that Ngwala do, contact them on reception@ngwala.org.au or 03 9510 3233.