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Bunjilwarra Residential Rehabilitation

Bunjilwarra Residential Rehabilitation is a peaceful and calming place

The Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) and Youth Support + Advocacy Service (YSAS) are delighted to have the opportunity to harness the expertise and experience of both agencies to jointly provide the new Bunjilwarra Koori Youth Alcohol and Drug Healing Service in close partnership with the Victorian Government, VACCHO and ACCHOs.

Bunjilwarra is a 12 bed Alcohol and Other Drugs residential rehabilitation and healing service for Aboriginal young people (male and female) aged between 16 and 25 years. It is a purpose-built, statewide service situated on a 1.7 hectare site in Hastings, Victoria.

Staff and residents will help you to adapt to your new surroundings and routine, while also ensuring that you feel safe and supported.

You will be welcomed into the program and guided to work on yourself in a way that encourages connection with culture, family, community and country. Reach

On a day to day basis, Bunjilwarra is guided by the following 12 practice principles:
  • Healing and culture underpin all aspects of the service
  • Adopt the key features of the Aboriginal worldview – a holistic approach embedded in culture and inclusive of family and community, and connected to country.
  • Work at the intersection between western and traditional understandings of trauma and wellbeing.
  • Acknowledge the transitional, identity-forming nature of adolescence and young adulthood and the importance of mastery and self-efficacy.
  • Aboriginal community ownership, particularly cultural leadership and cultural integrity, are integral.
  • Use a strengths-based approach.
  • Focus on safety and reliability – embed positive role modelling and adequate routine.
  • Respect each young person and the pace and nature of their healing journey.
  • Address the underlying causes of alcohol and other drug misuse and of trauma.
  • Actively promote connection to community; create opportunity to build social and bridging capital.
  • Incorporate a positive gendered approach – women’s and men’s business.
  • Empower young people to evaluate and make choices, and to give back to the Bunjiwarra and wider community.
Healing

Bunjilwarra acknowledges that healing is a journey of return to physical, emotional, spiritual and cultural wellbeing; one that will occur over an extended period of time far beyond the time a young person will spend at Bunjilwarra. The service also recognises that many Aboriginal young people will have a tenuous relationship with culture, that (re)connection to culture must be self-paced and that it requires diverse opportunities alongside and in the context of activities focused on education, employment, sport, art, recreation and wellbeing.

Bunjilwarra shares the Healing Foundation’s view that healing is a process that respectfully turns hurt from the past into something positive for individuals, for community and for future generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Healing recognises the strengths of Aboriginal young people and the assets of Aboriginal culture and community including resilience in the face of extreme adversity, strong kinship systems and connection to spiritual traditions, ancestry, country and community.

Stronger Youth Family Violence Project Manager Brooke
(03) 5979 2011
info@bunjilwarra.org.au

Services:

Residential Rehabilitation

Bunjilwarra Koori Youth Alcohol and Drug Healing Service is a 12 bed residential rehabilitation and healing service based in Hastings.

The service is for young people aged 16 – 25 who identitify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander who want:

• Support with their drug and/or alcohol use, trauma, loss of culture, youth justice support available on site
• Support with building a stronger connection to culture
• Don’t have any other safe drug-free places or much support you can really on to help you try to have a break from using drugs
• Really want to make some changes and be drug free for a longer time
• Are not working or going to school

The Aboriginal-defined understanding of healing is protected and cultivated in this environment and is central to a cultural framework that guides the support of young people who enter the service. This means that moving toward a return to physical, emotional, spiritual and cultural wellbeing can begin in this safe place.

Bunjilwarra is staffed 24 hours a day by a team of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal workers. They are skilled in the areas of alcohol and other drugs, mental health, and complex life experiences so they can help you during your journey.

The program is structured with therapeutic activities including individual and group therapy, regular recreational, educational and training opportunities. These all help develop living skills, strengthen cultural identity, and increase physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

Improving connection to family, community and culture is a priority along with building up your ability to care for yourself now and in the future.

At Bunjilwarra you can also access:

  • Youth justice support coordinator (justice and legal work done on site)
  • Family violence education programs (for young people)
  • Koori leaders for change
  • Anger management course

Eligibility and Screening Criteria

To be eligible for acceptance to Bunjilwarra, a young person must:

  • Identify as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent.
  • Be between 16 and 25 years of age.
  • Require treatment to manage their alcohol and/or drug problem.
  • Be prepared to enter the program voluntarily.

In addition, the young person must:

  • Demonstrate that they are ready to address their alcohol and other drug issues, including a willingness to participate in the development and achievement of personal goals.
  • Make a commitment to actively participate in all aspects of the program, in particular group based and one-on-one activities.
  • Be willing to participate and live in a therapeutic community environment

Referral Process

  1. Fully complete and sign the Expression of Interest form (pages 1 to 4)
  2. Complete and sign the Consent to Release Information (page 5 and 6 of Expression of Interest form). Please note this is to be signed by the young person.
  3. Complete and sign the Emergency Discharge Plan (page 7 of Expression of Interest form).
  4. Complete the Checklist (page 8 of Expression of Interest form).
  5. FAX OR EMAIL TO BUNJILWARRA INTAKE WORKER on info@bunjilwarra.org.au
  6. Once received, the intake worker will organise a time to conduct the Comprehensive Assessment with the young person (pages 1 to 9). ALTERNATIVELY, the young person and/or their worker can complete the Comprehensive Assessment and FAX OR EMAIL TO BUNJILWARRA INTAKE WORKER on info@bunjilwarra.org.au
  7. Once both forms are completed, the referral is then considered at the Referral Meeting, which is held weekly.
  8. The outcome and any other information that may be required will be communicated to the Referrer as soon as possible.

Things to think about

If you decide to go to Bunjilwarra you will need to be prepared. So getting support from Elders and workers in the community who can help you go through an assessment and make sure you are ready for the program is a good idea. When you are part of this intensive program you are expected to participate and will be challenged, supported and given time to build connections to self, community and culture.

The service is accessible state wide and run by Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) and YSAS.

YSAS Rehabilitation Services, including Bunjilwarra are free, confidential and voluntary.

Meet Brooke

Hi! I’m Brooke. I am a proud Palawa woman who has a passion for the Mental Health, AOD and Family Violence sector. As a lived experience family violence advocate and practitioner, I have been working within areas of youth substance use, mental health and family violence for the prior five years and hold qualifications in these domains.

My passion is working with Koori Youth and am currently employed with Bunjilwarra Koori Youth Healing Service and Rehabilitation. Whilst at Bunjilwarra, I have undertaken robust projects with youth to provide holistic healing within an Aboriginal youth residential AOD treatment setting with a focus and passion for working within a social and emotional framework that promotes cultural, developmental, vocational, physical and mental health support and seeks to address addictive behaviours, family violence, trauma and criminal behaviours.

I love that Bunjilwarra is on a large property and has a sense of healing. A lot of young people that come here feel a sense of guidance from our elders and spiritual connection and its quiet.

Brooke

Bunjilwarra Residential Rehabilitation

“A lot of young people that come here feel a sense of guidance from our elders and spiritual connection”