Support Services & Advocacy Groups

13YARN (https://www.13yarn.org.au/) is a 24/7 phone support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are going through a tough time and needing someone to talk to. Calls are taken by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporters, who provide a confidential and culturally safe space to yarn. Phone 13 92 76.

​

​​

​​

​

Thirrili (https://thirrili.com.au/) is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisation providing emotional and practical support to families and communities impacted by loss from suicide or other traumatic events. Aboriginal Support Advocates provide 24/7 phone support on 1800 805 801. General inquiries can be directed to intake@thirrili.com.au.  

​

​​

​​

​

Brother to Brother (https://www.dardimunwurro.com.au/brother-to-brother/) is a 24/7 phone support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men who are needing to talk to someone about relationship issues, family violence, parenting, drug and alcohol issues, or who are struggling to cope for other reasons. Calls are taken by Aboriginal men with lived experience. Phone 1800 435 799.

​​

​​

​​

​​

Nunkuwarrin Yunti of South Australia Inc. (https://nunku.org.au/) is a South Australian-based Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation providing culturally based primary health and social and emotional wellbeing services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Social and emotional wellbeing services include counselling, narrative therapy, case management, drug and alcohol support, and emergency relief. Support is also offered to Aboriginal people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse through the National Redress Scheme. Aboriginal people who have been separated from their families and culture under past policies and practices of the Australian Government can also receive support to reconnect with their families through the Link-Up program. 

 

​​

​

​

Kornar Winmil Yunti (KWY) (https://www.kwy.org.au/) is a South Australian-based Aboriginal Corporation providing support to improve safety, social and emotional wellbeing, and cultural connection. They provide specialist knowledge and culturally responsive services that aim to break the cycle of family, domestic, and sexual violence, and reduce the number of Aboriginal children that end up in child protection systems across Australia. They deliver a broad range of programs across metro Adelaide and regional South Australia. Learn more here: https://www.kwy.org.au/our-programs 

​


 

Warida Wholistic Wellness (https://www.warida.com.au/) is a South Australian-based social enterprise that was founded by Bianca Stawiarski, a mental health Indigenous Healing practitioner, facilitator, and coach. Warida Wholistic Wellness offers a range of services that integrate traditional Indigenous healing methods with contemporary mental health and wellbeing practices. This includes an Indigenous Employee Assistance Program providing confidential counselling, cultural support, and workplace support. They also host immersive wellbeing retreats on Kaurna country and deliver a range of trauma-informed workshops.

​

 

​

Wonky Lines Counselling (https://www.wonkylinescounselling.com.au/) is an Adelaide-based Aboriginal owned and operated small business providing counselling for individuals, families, and communities. They also offer a range of wellbeing-related workshops using expressive and narrative approaches.  

 

​

​

​

Dardi Munwurro (https://www.dardimunwurro.com.au/) is a Victorian-based organisation providing specialist Aboriginal family violence services. They deliver a range of family violence programs, tailored to Aboriginal men and young people, to help break the cycle of intergenerational trauma in Aboriginal families and communities. 

 

​

​

​

Djirra (https://djirra.org.au/) is a Victorian-based Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation providing holistic, culturally safe, legal and practical support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - primarily women - who are currently experiencing family violence or have in the past. Djirra develops and delivers community-based early intervention and prevention programs, in addition to working towards policy and law reform to improve access to justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

​

​​

​​

​​

​​

​​

Witness to War (https://www.fasstt.org.au/witness-to-war/) is a free, confidential multilingual phone service for people affected by overseas conflicts, providing a listening ear and information about other available support. The service was established by the Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT). Calls are taken by mental health practitioners and bicultural support workers. Phone 1800 845 198. 

 

​

​

​

Refugee Council of Australia (https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/) is the peak national body for refugees, with approximately 200 organisational members. They work alongside refugee communities to advocate on issues relating to refugee protection at both a national and international level. Among many other things, the Refugee Council provides information for refugees and asylum seekers on a broad range of topics, including Australian law, visas, working in Australia, and health and wellbeing.  

 

​

​

​

Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (https://asrc.org.au/) is Australia’s largest human rights organisation providing support for refugees and asylum seekers. They deliver a range of frontline services, including food and material assistance, healthcare, legal aid, detention advocacy, and education and employment support. ASRC is Victorian-based, but information and support can be received by phone on (03) 9326 6066.  

​

​

 

Survivors of Torture and Trauma Assistance and Rehabilitation Service (STTARS) (https://www.sttars.org.au/) is a South Australia-based organisation providing culturally sensitive services to address the physical, psychological, and social needs of people who have been tortured or who have suffered refugee-related trauma prior to their arrival in Australia. Services include individual and family counselling, group programs, advocacy, specialist mental health care, and complementary therapies such as massage and yoga.  

 

​

​

​

Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) (https://www.startts.org.au/) is a New South Wales-based service providing culturally relevant psychological support and community programs to help people recover from torture and refugee-related trauma. These include psychiatry, psychotherapy, group counselling, social support groups, youth camps, and allied health. 

 

​

​

​

Queensland Program of Assistance to Survivors of Torture and Trauma (QPASTT) (https://qpastt.org.au/) is a Queensland-based organisation providing culturally responsive services to promote the health and wellbeing of people who have sought safety in Australia from persecution, torture, and war-related trauma. Free services including counselling, group programs, youth work, community-led recovery programs. 

​

​

​

​

Centre for Migrant and Refugee Health (https://www.cmrh.org.au/) is a Victorian-based organisation offering education and therapeutic care to address the mental health and wellbeing challenges facing migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers from CALD backgrounds in Australia. They provide a broad range of on-site, referral, and outreach (home-based) programs that are culturally safe and mental healthcare-specific, including counselling, telehealth, and mental health assessment for children and adults. 

​

​

​

​

Companion House (http://www.companionhouse.org.au/) is a non-government organisation based in the ACT. They support adults and children who have sought safety in Australia from persecution, torture, and war-related trauma. Services include counselling and complementary therapies, and community programs such as discussion groups, sporting activities, gardening and cooking groups, and cultural celebrations. 

​

​

​

​

Foundation House (http://www.foundationhouse.org.au/) is a Victorian-based specialist refugee trauma agency delivering support services for survivors of torture and other traumatic events. They have developed a guide for people working with survivors of torture and trauma from a refugee background, titled ‘Rebuilding Shattered Lives’. The guide provides an overview of the refugee experience, the psychosocial impact of torture and trauma, and strategies for working with refugees with these experiences. It is available for purchase here: https://foundationhouse.org.au/rebuilding-shattered-lives-2nd-ed-dr-ida-kaplan/ 

​

​

​

​

Association for Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors (ASeTTS) (http://www.asetts.org.au/) is a Western Australia-based organisation providing a wide range of services for survivors of torture and trauma/ These include individual counselling (all ages), family counselling, parenting education, and youth mentoring services.  

​

​

​

​

Melaleuca Refugee Centre (http://www.melaleuca.org.au/) is a small organisation based in the Northern Territory that provides support for individuals and families from diverse cultural backgrounds. Services include a humanitarian settlement program, counselling, family and children’s services, and specialised health and health-related services.  

​

​

​

​

Phoenix Centre (http://www.mrctas.org.au/phoenix-centre) is a specialist mental health service operated by the Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania. They provide therapeutic and individual mental health support, mental health promotion, and prevention and early intervention programs for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Specialist support is also available for survivors of torture and trauma and their communities. Free services include counselling, psychoeducational group work, and social connection programs.