Kaata-Koorliny Employment & Enterprise Development Aboriginal Corporation (KEEDAC), provides a holistic and comprehensive service for Aboriginal people living between Perth and Kalgoorlie. 

Who and what is the purpose of KEEDAC?

KEEDAC provides a diverse range of services for Aboriginal people. It focuses on lifting people out of poverty, providing mental health support, improving community engagement, and offering training and work-related skills and qualifications programs.

Active in the community for more than 25 years, KEEDAC has locations in Northam and Narrogin. Its reach extends from Jurien Bay in the north, to Wagin and Williams in the south, and as far east as Southern Cross and Kalgoorlie.

How does a donation or grant make a difference for an organisation like KEEDAC?

KEEDAC experiences high demand for its services and stretches its funding and donations as far as possible.

A Kleenheat Community Grant allowed KEEDAC to stock a fully operational kitchen that is now used to cater for workshops, activities, and training at the Community Centre in Narrogin. The kitchen facilities provide a welcoming and functional space, where clients and visitors are encouraged to enjoy a hot drink and engage with KEEDAC.

Kerry Hobbs is a local Aboriginal woman from the surrounding Ballardong – Kaartdijin country. She is a Team Leader for KEEDAC’s care workers and peer support staff, and directly manages the care of clients.

She joined the KEEDAC team after experiencing its services as a client, and greatly appreciates the difference the organisation made to her life. She’s pleased to be able to puts her skills and knowledge to use and looks forward to making a difference to the lives of others.

“Many people aren’t aware that we have large Indigenous communities here in the Wheatbelt. We share many of the challenges of the more remote areas and care for thousands of our Aboriginal family over nearly 10,000 square kilometres!.”, Kerry Hobbs, Team Leader at KEEDAC, from Ballardong – Kaartdijin country.

Connecting the local community.

Linda Phillips is a non-Aboriginal woman, and is Chief Finance Officer and Treasurer of KEEDAC. She moved to Narrogin and joined KEEDAC after experience in similar roles in Perth. She focuses on applying best practice standards to grow KEEDAC’s success and longevity.

“There are great benefits in engaging with the Aboriginal community and KEEDAC aims to grow the ways in which this is encouraged.”

KEEDAC delivers workshops, training and activities with a team of 10 staff including care workers, and via a joint venture with Wanslea, which provides another 15 case and care workers.

KEEDAC also works with local organisations with common interests, including the Shire of Narrogin, YMCA at the Leisure Centre, Accessibility over physical disablement issues, the Chamber of Commerce, job provider companies, local businesses and the local Community Garden.

To assist in recruiting local staff and Aboriginal staff in particular, KEEDAC also facilitates local training courses, so local people can gain the skills they need to work with KEEDAC.

In 2021, KEEDAC ran a Certificate IV course in Mental Health in Narrogin, in which 10 new students attained their qualification. It has also worked with TAFE in Northam and Narrogin to provide Certificates II and III in Community Support. It aims to recruit qualified students to join the KEEDAC team.

“We see providing local skills training as a key factor in empowering local people to join KEEDAC in our care worker roles.”

You can learn more about KEEDAC by following its Facebook page, or visiting its website at www.keedac.org.au.