Baabayn Aboriginal Corporation was founded by five Aboriginal elders from Western Sydney. Their purpose is to connect with individuals and families in a welcoming environment, providing them supports and links to services that help them heal from the past and nurture their sense of confidence and pride in the future. The group has strong knowledge of the community and has built contacts within and outside the community.

The establishment and incorporation of Baabayn (Ancestral Woman) was the culmination of 18 months of determined effort and dedication on the part of five elders who are known and respected in the Aboriginal community of Western Sydney. Having lived in the community for many years the elders know the needs of the people and as directors of Baabayn believe that they can work with other organisations to bring the community together for the good of all.

We connect with individuals and families in a culturally appropriate way that values the importance of welcoming them into an environment where there is freedom to express needs and difficulties. By listening to these various needs we are able to provide care, services and support that help individuals and families to heal from past traumas.

We have a strong knowledge of the community and very extensive contacts within both the local and wider community and are constantly strengthening our presence in Western Sydney.

Mission Statement: We, five Aboriginal Elders, founded Baabayn because we believe that by providing a place of healing, where Aboriginal people connect with culture and have a strong sense of belonging they will be able to recover from past traumas, regain their self-esteem and realise their potential.

Our main purpose: Is to support our people in healing from the past and building towards the future. We work as a group to support individuals; we seek to build our people’s pride in who they are, their
sense of belonging, and their sense of connectedness to community and culture.

Our Aims are to:

• Nurture local Aboriginal people’s confidence, self-esteem, spirituality and knowledge of their culture.
• Provide a supportive, healing, low-stress environment for local Aboriginal people.
• Promote networking; help people to link up.
• Form lasting partnerships for the more effective support of disadvantaged people.
• Assist, and advocate for, people who are struggling in their dealings with government departments, etc.

Running our organisation

Conducting regular Directors’ planning meetings is an important part of our strategy for developing a sustainable organisation that is run by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people.

Regular meetings with Baabayn Committee members, ‘Friends of Baabayn’ and representatives of partner organisations benefit our organisation by developing even greater teamwork and recognition of the importance of working together on developing and supporting new projects.

Leadership Skills; Building Confidence; Public Speaking

We have made significant progress in the development of leadership skills and confidence through our keen determination to embrace every opportunity afforded in this important area. This has further confirmed our pride in our Aboriginal culture and in what we have been able to achieve so far. Our growing confidence in our ability to address an audience has also helped us build public awareness of Baabayn and its objectives.

We acknowledge that Baabayn Healing Centre is located on the lands of the Darug Peoples and pay our respects to Darug Elders past, present, and emerging.

We pay our respects to our Elders and community leaders for their past and ongoing commitment to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in Western Sydney.