Link-Up

Information about the Link-Up program is collected here, together with contact details of Link-Up services across Australia.

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About the Link-Up Program

The Link-up program (known formally as the Family Tracing and Reunion Services Program) was first supported by the Australian Government in 1998 as a part of the Australian Government's response to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission's publication Bringing them home that reported the findings of a national inquiry into the separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families.

The Link-up Program, which provides a national network of services supporting and assisting Indigenous people affected by past removal policies in tracing their genealogy and family history and potentially reuniting them with their families.

The Link-up program was administered by the former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) until 2003, but administration was transferred to OATSIH on 1 July 2004 2004 as part of the Australian Government's changes to the administration of Indigenous affairs.

Funding for the Link-up Program, the BTH Program and the SEWB RCs has now been rolled into the base funding of the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA), and is allocated on an annual basis.

For 2006-2007, $24 million was allocated for the four programs: BTH Program, Link-Up Program, the SEWB RCs, and the Mental Health Programs. Of this, $4.55 million is allocated to the Link-Up Program.

The Link-Up Program was included in an independent evaluation undertaken by Urbis Keys Young for OATSIH. The report ‘Evaluation of the Bringing Them Home and Indigenous Mental Health Programs’ [1] was publicly released on 9 May 2007. The evaluation found that:

• the Link Up and Bringing Them Home Counselling (BTHC) programs provided services to a large number of Indigenous clients, generally in culturally appropriate ways, who in most instances would not have received services otherwise;
• there is a generally high level of client satisfaction and positive outcomes for clients of the Link Up and BTHC Programs, and Mental Health Service Delivery Projects and a lower level of satisfaction with the Regional Centres;
• there is a significant level of unmet demand for the services, and services are under-resourced for the high workloads currently experienced;
• given the trans-generational impact of forced separation, the demand for services is likely to continue to be at least the same level for the foreseeable future;
• Mental Health Service Delivery Projects have long waiting lists and have limited capacity to respond to clients’ full range of needs; and
• there is a need for greater national consistency in service delivery in each of the programs.

References

1 Wilczynski A, Reed-Gilbert K, Milward K, Tayler B, Fear J, et al. (2007) Evaluation of the Bringing Them Home and Indigenous Mental Health Programs, final report. Canberra: Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
2 Swan P, Raphael B (1995) "Ways forward": national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health policy national consultancy report. Canberra: AGPS
3 New South Wales Link-Up (n.d.) Our journey. Retrieved 23 May 2007 from http://www.linkupnsw.org.au/content/3

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Publications

Wilczynski A, Reed-Gilbert K, Milward K, Tayler B, Fear J, et al. (2007)
Evaluation of the Bringing Them Home and Indigenous Mental Health Programs, final report.
Canberra: Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
View report (PDF - 605KB)

Audit and Evaluation Services, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services (2003)
Evaluation of the link up program.
Woden, ACT: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services
View report (PDF - 567KB)

Bringing Them Home Taskforce, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Commission (1999)
Evaluation of Indigenous family reunion (Link-Up) services and development of best practice model/s for service delivery by KPMG: executive summary.
Canberra: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Commission
View report (PDF - 55KB)

KPMG (1999)
Evaluation of Indigenous family reunion Link-Up services and development of best practice models for service delivery: phase one report.
Canberra: KPMG
View report (PDF - 313KB)

KPMG (1999)
Evaluation of Indigenous family reunion Link-Up services and development of best practice models for service delivery: phase two report.
Canberra: KPMG
View report (PDF - 1.23MB - large file warning!)

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Contacts: Link-Up services

Below a list of contact details of Link-Up services is provided. An Australia-wide map of various Indigenous social and emotional wellbeing services is also provided. » View map of services: Link-Up services

New South Wales

Link Up (NSW) Aboriginal Corporation
5 Wallis Street
PO Box 93
Lawson NSW 2783
Ph: (02) 4759 1911
Fax: (02) 4759 2607
Freecall: 1800 624 332
Contact:
Glendra Stubbs (Manager)
Email: glendra@nsw.link-up.org.au
Email: linkup@nsw.link-up.org.au

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Northern Territory

Alice Springs

Central Australian Stolen Generations & Families
Aboriginal Corporation
86 Hartley Street
PO Box 744
Alice Springs NT 0871
Ph: (08) 8953 3899
Fax: (08) 8953 6684
Contact:
Jacky Baxter
Email: jacky.baxterneville.perkins@central.link-up.org.au

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Queensland

Brisbane

Link Up Queensland Aboriginal Corporation
6 Cordelia Street
South Brisbane QLD 4101
PO Box 5487
West End QLD 4101
Ph: (07) 3255 0855
Fax: (07) 3255 2099
Contact:
Delma Roe
Email: delma.roe@qld.link-up.org.au
Email: contact@qld.link-up.org.au
Website: http://www.link-upqld.org.au/

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South Australia

Adelaide

Nunkuwarrin Yunti of South Australia
182-190 Wakefield Street
Adelaide SA 5000
PO Box 7202
Hutt Street SA 5000
Ph: (08) 8223 5217
Fax: (08) 8223 6086
Contact:
Kay Goodman-Dodd (Program Manager)
Email: kaygd@nunku.org.au
Website: http://www.nunku.org.au/

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Victoria

Melbourne

Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency Co-operative Ltd
139 Nicholson St
East Brunswick VIC 3057
PO Box 494
Northcote Plaza
Northcote VIC 3070
Ph: (03) 8388 1855
Fax: (03) 8388 1898
Contact:
Lance James (Coordinator)
Email: RodM@vacca.org
Email: vacca@vacca.org

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Western Australia

Albany

Great Southern Aboriginal Health Service
144 Albany Hwy
PO Box 5223
Albany WA 6332
Ph: (08) 9842 8453
Fax: (08) 9842 8463
Contact:
Michelle Dunne (A/BSF & BTH Program Manager)
Email: Michelle.Dunne@health.wa.gov.au
Willa Farmer
Email: Willhemina.Farmer@health.wa.gov.au

Broome

Kimberley Stolen Generation Aboriginal Corporation
28 Barker Street
PO Box 2775
Broome WA 6725
Ph: (08) 9193 6502
Fax: (08) 9193 7352
Contact:
Mark Bin Bakar (Chairperson)
Raelene Councillor (Snr Caseworker)
Frank Parkes (Caseworker)
Email: Margaretfrank.ksgac@iinet.net.au
Email: ksgac@iinet.net.au
Website: http://www.kimberleystolengeneration.com.au

Perth

Yorgum Aboriginal Corporation
176 Wittenoom St
East Perth WA 6004
PO Box 236
Northbridge WA 6865
Ph: (08) 9218 9477
Fax: (08) 9221 0487
Contact:
Jade Maddox (CEO)
Email: jmaddox@yorgum.org.au
Lionel Gregory
Email: lgregory@yorgum.org.au
Laurence Krakouer (BSF Caseworker)
Email: lkrakouer@yorgum.org.au
Website:http://www.yorgum.org.au/

South Hedland

Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre
12 Leek Street
PO Box 2736
South Hedland WA 6722
Ph: (08) 9172 3275
Fax: (08) 9172 2355
Contact:
Fran Haintz (Coordinator)
Rose Murray (Caseworker)
Brett Derschow (Caseworker)
Email: wangkamaya@kisser.net.au
Website: http://www.wangkamaya.org.au/index.htm

Wyndham

Ngnowar Aerwah Aboriginal Corporation
60 Great Northern Highway
PO Box 250
Wyndham WA 6740
Ph: (08) 9161 1496
Fax: (08) 9161 1510
Contact:
Les Evans (Administrator)
Julie Woods (BSF Coordinator)
Graeme Trust(Caseworker)
Loretta Hamilton (Caseworker)
Email: ngnowar@bigpond.com
Website: http://www.wyndham.wa.au/living/community/ngnowar-aerwah

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Last updated: 19 February 2008