Empowered Communities is a national reform initiative created by Aboriginal people, for Aboriginal people.

In the Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Lands of Central Australia, we are an alliance of Aboriginal organisations working with families, communities, service providers and Governments towards better life outcomes for Anangu.  ​
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​Through the Empowered Communities partnership, we are stronger in speaking up for empowerment and change.
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Supported by a small team of staff, ​we are working from the ground up to ensure Aboriginal people are leading the design, delivery and decision-making ​for programs and services in the NPY region.

We believe that Anangu-led answers are the best solutions to Anangu-identified issues. We are increasing Anangu leadership and decision-making, and supporting Anangu culture, authority and agency, today and into the future.

We are transforming the system to enable sustainable change. We are demonstrating an approach that ensures Anangu have a greater role in leading the development of our communities and the systems and policies that impact our families. 
Learn more about our story here...
​​​Learn about our story in Ngaanyatjarra​​​
​Learn about our story in Pitjantjatjara

There are three parts to our approach...

The Empowered Communities approach is built on the principles of Empowerment, Development and Productivity. This approach aims to close the gap on social and economic disadvantage, enable cultural recognition and promote self determination. 
“Traditional Anangu lifestyle was about sharing, connection, looking after one another and working together to get things done. The principles of Empowered Communities build on this foundation... it is about sitting down together and forging a common pathway. This is our new framework for survival and now is the time to create it.”
​(Bruce Smith, Blackstone)
"We are stepping together for a better future..."

​Back in 2014, when the idea of Empowered Communities was first discussed amongst Anangu leaders in the NPY region, M. Smith from Imanpa created this artwork to describe her vision for the initiative. 
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​Read the story behind the artwork here...
"This is what the picture shows…The outer circles represent each of the different communities and the center circle is a place where we all meet. The feet going into the meeting in the center, from all sides, show that the whole community is working together – young and old; the large feet are the men and women and the small feet are our children. The feet going out show that we are taking action and that information is flowing back to all of our communities and organisations. We are stepping together to a better future." 
 
Kulira nyakulu kutjutu palyantjaku – Empowered Communities is about everybody working together for a common vision and shared strategy. Tjungungku – Empowered Communities is about creating a genuine and balanced partnership where everyone is united and working together on a level playing field – wiru way – proper way.
Tristate Empowered Communities