The Healing Foundations Programs

The Healing Foundation is a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation that provides a platform to amplify the voices and lived experience of Stolen Generations survivors and their families. They work with communities to create a place of safety, providing an environment for Stolen Generations survivors and their families to speak for themselves, tell their own stories, and be in charge of their own healing. They promote trauma-aware, healing-informed practice to help government, policymakers, and workforces understand their role in intergenerational healing. By addressing unresolved trauma in First Nations communities – trauma that was caused by colonisation and actions like the forced removal of children – they are walking alongside communities on the path to healing. They are governed by a First Nations Board and Executive and guided in our work by their Stolen Generations and Youth Reference Groups. Their work honours our First Nations ancestors and our future generations.

Stolen Generations

The Stolen Generations are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed as children from their families and communities through race-based policies set up by both State and Federal Governments from 1910 to the 1970s.

The Healing Foundation supports people to better understand their trauma and they work with communities to lead their own healing solutions. They have provided healing for over 7000 Stolen Generations survivors and their families through a range of different projects that address their unique needs. The Healing Foundation has brought a national focus on trauma and healing in Australia.

Their projects are designed to encourage collective healing, where people are supported and empowered to heal through group activities such as gatherings and family reunions. This is particularly important for Stolen Generations survivors who were institutionalised and had connections with land and culture damaged. More than 70% of Stolen Generations survivors that have participated in their projects have reported an improved ability to care for their loss and grief and nearly 80% said they now have an increased sense of belonging and connection to culture. Their Stolen Generations work is supported by an expert reference Group made up of Stolen Generations’ survivors.

Some of the projects that they support are shown below:

Cherbourg Historical Precinct - QLD
The initiative Looking, Listening, Yarning brings together Stolen Generations survivors, Elders, and the wider Cherbourg community to connect through filmed, photographic, and audio testimonies of former Cherbourg Dormitory and other Stolen Generations children, such as the interviews featured in the Domo Boys and Domo Girls films. The Cherbourg Historical Precinct hosts weekly gatherings in the Elders’ Room within the Boys’ Dormitory Building. Facilitators from the Ration Shed Museum use these visual and audio narratives to encourage discussion, reflection, and healing.

Link-Up Queensland Aboriginal Corporation
Link-Up (Qld) is organising a healing camp near the site of Old Mapoon. This camp is intended for members of the Stolen Generations and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members who were forcibly removed from Old Mapoon by the Queensland Government. The event aims to reunite Stolen Generations individuals with one another and with the Mapoon Community. Activities will include therapeutic programs, singalongs, and yarning circles.

Coota Girls Corporation Initiative in Cootamundra NSW

The Coota Girls Corporation is set to organise a five-day event in Cootamundra dedicated to filming a tour of the Cootamundra Girls Home. This project aims to document and preserve the shared memories of those who lived at the Home, ensuring these stories are passed down to descendants and local communities.

The Corporation is focused on addressing the issue of inaccurate or incomplete narratives surrounding their experiences at the Home, particularly relating to the human rights abuses endured under the Aborigines Protection Act 1909-1969. A comprehensive understanding of these violations is crucial, as it represents a form of reparations and supports efforts to prevent similar injustices in the future. The directors of the Coota Girls Corporation will manage the entire process—from planning through to filming and editing—to guarantee the film authentically represents the collective perspectives of the survivors.

Link-Up NSW Aboriginal Corporation

Link-Up NSW Aboriginal Corporationwill host a healing camp for up to 50 members of the Stolen Generations. The camp will include cultural activities and counselling, providing a supportive environment for participants to share their stories and connect with others who have faced similar experiences. Free medical checks will also be offered. Additionally, video recordings will be available throughout the weekend for those who wish to share their stories publicly, with the aim of helping others in similar circumstances.

Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation (NSW)

This initiative involves two key activities:

KBHAC Healing Gathering: A two to three-day healing event scheduled for October 2017 in Kempsey, NSW. This gathering welcomes all KBHAC members, as well as descendants and family members of KBH Survivors who may not currently hold membership but wish to take part. The event aims to connect the KBHAC community with the sites designated for the KBHAC Healing Centre and Museum, while fostering ongoing relationships with both Aboriginal and non-Indigenous communities in the Kempsey area.

KBHAC Descendants, Families, and Community Healing Workshops: Four separate two-day workshops will be held across regional NSW. These workshops target communities with concentrations of KBH Survivors’ descendants and extended family members who have shown interest in engaging with KBHAC but have been unable to attend previous healing gatherings or participate actively in recent projects.

Kimberly Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation WA
This initiative offers support to Stolen Generations members by organising healing trips on country, day excursions, and opportunities to engage in yarning circles. Participants may choose to sell their artworks, retain them, or donate to meaningful causes. Additionally, members are encouraged to enter art exhibitions and competitions to celebrate and enhance their sense of self-worth.

Nunkuwarrin Yunti of South Australia Inc.

This is leading a project that involves members of the Stolen Generations and their families in creating a volunteer network. Participants from the Stolen Generations will build strong peer connections, take part in training, and help select activities where they wish to have an impact. These activities include significant commemoration events such as Sorry Day and NAIDOC Week, healing camps, men’s and women’s groups, visits to schools and universities, as well as other community gatherings. This initiative aims to enhance self-determination within the Stolen Generations community and promote the wider sharing of their experiences and knowledge.

The Healing Foundation’s amazing work