INNER SYDNEY

 

OVERVIEW

Jawun began working with the Indigenous community in Redfern in 2010, and in 2012 broadened its boundaries to include La Perouse.

One of the most well-known Aboriginal meeting places in Australia, Redfern is a hub for many strong Indigenous organisations, businesses and institutions, all with a common goal to support the local community and drive social reform through provision of essential services, family support and mentoring, and generating employment and economic development opportunities. Located in urban Sydney, Redfern is ideally situated to receive support from corporate Australia and bring about positive change for the community.

La Perouse (known as ‘La Pa’ to locals) is located in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs 14 kilometres from Redfern. La Perouse, was the first point of contact for European settlers at Botany Bay. The main challenges for La Perouse are location, with limited public transport to the area, and a lack of key community services. The community refers to it as ‘urban remoteness’. La Perouse is also a place of potential tourism and business opportunities for the local community to tap into.

WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY

Jawun also supports key reform agendas including Gadigal Information Service, Guriwal Aboriginal Corporation & La Perouse Youth Haven.

FIELD TEAM

  • Regional Director, Inner Sydney

    Mihka Chee is a Māori (Waikato-Maniapoto), Chinese and Pākehā woman from Aotearoa, born and raised in Auckland. She grew up surrounded by music and continues to write and perform. At university, while studying popular music she was employed as a tuakana (older sibling) mentor to fellow Māori and Pacific Island students of the arts and was a tutor of te reo Māori (language).

    Mihka relocated to Sydney in 2013. Before joining Jawun, she worked with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra for four years in partnerships including several projects which increased access to music for children and residents of regional NSW, and built capacity for educators. She also has four years of experience in risk management in the live events and retail sectors, in Australia and the UK.

    To contact Mihka, please email: mchee@jawun.org.au

  • General Manager, Regional Investment

    Sarah joined Jawun as Regional Director for the Lower River Murray, Lakes and Coorong, and Far West Coast Regions in South Australia in May 2019 before moving into General Manager Regional Investment role in November 2022. 

    Sarah comes to Jawun from a career in project management across the community based and higher education sectors, delivering diverse projects to support the housing, health and wellbeing needs of people sleeping rough in Adelaide. This included service delivery model review, establishment of a social enterprise to provide training and employment opportunities, and coordination of a peer-to-peer disaster resilience project, delivering safety messaging and assistance during extreme weather events to people sleeping rough. Sarah played a key role in a sector-wide collaboration to address, and end, rough sleeping in Adelaide through the delivery of SA’s first two annual Connections Week projects to better understand and support people sleeping rough. 

    Personally, Sarah is committed to supporting young people to make positive choices in their lives. Sarah mentors high school students through The Smith Family’s Learning for Life program and is guardianship carer for a young person through Time for Kids.

    To contact Sarah, please email: scollyer-braham@jawun.org.au

CASE STUDIES

Case studies show how Jawun secondees have achieved real results. If you are interested to learn more about Jawun's work in this region, click on the case studies below.

EMPOWERED COMMUNITIES IN THREE REGIONS

EMPLOYMENT FOR YOUTH

ONGOING BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY

TRANBY ABORIGINAL COLLEGE

LA PEROUSE LOCAL
ABORIGINAL LAND COUNCIL

JAWUN INAUGURAL ‘REVERSE SECONDMENT’ IN ACTION

COMMUNITY PANELS - JOINT DECISION MAKING INTO PRACTISE

NEW WAYS OF WORKING WITH GOVERNMENT TO DESIGN ABORIGINAL LED AGED CARE HUB

A STRONG PARTNERSHIP - QBE AND TRIBAL WARRIORS

LA PEROUSE LOCAL
ABORIGINAL LAND COUNCIL

TRIBAL WARRIOR ASSOCIATION