Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation Walking Together Program
Tracks
Dingo Room: In-Person Only
| Tuesday, October 21, 2025 |
| 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM |
| Dingo Room (M4) |
Overview
Harpreet Kalsi-Smith, Tiffany McComsey, Richard Campbell, Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation
Presenter
Ms Harpreet Kalsi-Smith
Senior Projects Manager
Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation
Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation Walking Together Program
Presentation Overview
The Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation (KBHAC) community is made up of Kinchela Boys Home (KBH) survivors, their descendants, and families—each carrying unique experiences of trauma and healing needs. Survivors were forcibly removed from their families and institutionalised, often experiencing abuse. Their descendants face diverse impacts of intergenerational trauma, including addiction, PTSD, and disconnection from culture and identity. These traumas are deeply linked to broader social challenges such as family violence, incarceration, and poor mental health.
Mainstream rehabilitation and support services often fail the KBHAC community, lacking cultural safety and understanding of Stolen Generations experiences. Many services apply a Western biomedical model, which can retraumatise individuals and deny them the culturally grounded, holistic support they need. Some KBHAC members have been denied entry into rehabilitation programs or exited early due to unsafe environments and lack of appropriate care.
In response, KBHAC developed the Walking Together Program—a culturally embedded, fit-for-purpose rehabilitation model co-created over 12 months through yarning circles with survivors, descendants, and partner organisations. The program acknowledges the deep and specific needs of the Stolen Generations and addresses critical gaps in both mainstream and Aboriginal service systems.
The Walking Together Program prioritises self-determination, community co-design, and healing through connection to culture, kin, and Country. It challenges existing paradigms by centring the voices and choices of survivors and their families, advocating for trauma-informed, culturally safe, and responsive care. This model highlights the urgent need for tailored rehabilitation services that meet each person where they are on their healing journey.
This work invites mainstream and Aboriginal services alike to learn from the KBHAC approach and begin walking together with Stolen Generations communities toward truth, healing, and justice.
Three Key Learnings:
1. An understanding about Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation and the multigenerations impacts from the kidnappings that occurred across the nation
2. One-size-fits-all services do not work for Stolen Generations communities
3. Community-led, culturally embedded approaches are essential
Mainstream rehabilitation and support services often fail the KBHAC community, lacking cultural safety and understanding of Stolen Generations experiences. Many services apply a Western biomedical model, which can retraumatise individuals and deny them the culturally grounded, holistic support they need. Some KBHAC members have been denied entry into rehabilitation programs or exited early due to unsafe environments and lack of appropriate care.
In response, KBHAC developed the Walking Together Program—a culturally embedded, fit-for-purpose rehabilitation model co-created over 12 months through yarning circles with survivors, descendants, and partner organisations. The program acknowledges the deep and specific needs of the Stolen Generations and addresses critical gaps in both mainstream and Aboriginal service systems.
The Walking Together Program prioritises self-determination, community co-design, and healing through connection to culture, kin, and Country. It challenges existing paradigms by centring the voices and choices of survivors and their families, advocating for trauma-informed, culturally safe, and responsive care. This model highlights the urgent need for tailored rehabilitation services that meet each person where they are on their healing journey.
This work invites mainstream and Aboriginal services alike to learn from the KBHAC approach and begin walking together with Stolen Generations communities toward truth, healing, and justice.
Three Key Learnings:
1. An understanding about Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation and the multigenerations impacts from the kidnappings that occurred across the nation
2. One-size-fits-all services do not work for Stolen Generations communities
3. Community-led, culturally embedded approaches are essential
Biography
Harpreet has over 20 years' experience working with First Nations, migrant, and refugee communities, leading innovative health, healing, and research programs. She specialises in systems change, strategic planning, and complex stakeholder engagement. A nationally recognised consumer advocate with Palliative Care Australia, she also serves as a Board Director of Compassionate Communities Australia. Harpreet supports special projects with Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation and founded the Kindness Company in 2023 to help communities live well, age well, and die well. Her work is grounded in compassion, collaboration, and deep commitment to First Nations communities across Australia.
Dr Tiffany McComsey
CEO
Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation
Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation Walking Together Program
Presentation Overview
The Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation (KBHAC) community is made up of Kinchela Boys Home (KBH) survivors, their descendants, and families—each carrying unique experiences of trauma and healing needs. Survivors were forcibly removed from their families and institutionalised, often experiencing abuse. Their descendants face diverse impacts of intergenerational trauma, including addiction, PTSD, and disconnection from culture and identity. These traumas are deeply linked to broader social challenges such as family violence, incarceration, and poor mental health.
Mainstream rehabilitation and support services often fail the KBHAC community, lacking cultural safety and understanding of Stolen Generations experiences. Many services apply a Western biomedical model, which can retraumatise individuals and deny them the culturally grounded, holistic support they need. Some KBHAC members have been denied entry into rehabilitation programs or exited early due to unsafe environments and lack of appropriate care.
In response, KBHAC developed the Walking Together Program—a culturally embedded, fit-for-purpose rehabilitation model co-created over 12 months through yarning circles with survivors, descendants, and partner organisations. The program acknowledges the deep and specific needs of the Stolen Generations and addresses critical gaps in both mainstream and Aboriginal service systems.
The Walking Together Program prioritises self-determination, community co-design, and healing through connection to culture, kin, and Country. It challenges existing paradigms by centring the voices and choices of survivors and their families, advocating for trauma-informed, culturally safe, and responsive care. This model highlights the urgent need for tailored rehabilitation services that meet each person where they are on their healing journey.
This work invites mainstream and Aboriginal services alike to learn from the KBHAC approach and begin walking together with Stolen Generations communities toward truth, healing, and justice.
Three Key Learnings:
1. An understanding about Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation and the multigenerations impacts from the kidnappings that occurred across the nation
2. One-size-fits-all services do not work for Stolen Generations communities
3. Community-led, culturally embedded approaches are essential
Mainstream rehabilitation and support services often fail the KBHAC community, lacking cultural safety and understanding of Stolen Generations experiences. Many services apply a Western biomedical model, which can retraumatise individuals and deny them the culturally grounded, holistic support they need. Some KBHAC members have been denied entry into rehabilitation programs or exited early due to unsafe environments and lack of appropriate care.
In response, KBHAC developed the Walking Together Program—a culturally embedded, fit-for-purpose rehabilitation model co-created over 12 months through yarning circles with survivors, descendants, and partner organisations. The program acknowledges the deep and specific needs of the Stolen Generations and addresses critical gaps in both mainstream and Aboriginal service systems.
The Walking Together Program prioritises self-determination, community co-design, and healing through connection to culture, kin, and Country. It challenges existing paradigms by centring the voices and choices of survivors and their families, advocating for trauma-informed, culturally safe, and responsive care. This model highlights the urgent need for tailored rehabilitation services that meet each person where they are on their healing journey.
This work invites mainstream and Aboriginal services alike to learn from the KBHAC approach and begin walking together with Stolen Generations communities toward truth, healing, and justice.
Three Key Learnings:
1. An understanding about Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation and the multigenerations impacts from the kidnappings that occurred across the nation
2. One-size-fits-all services do not work for Stolen Generations communities
3. Community-led, culturally embedded approaches are essential
Biography
Tiffany holds a PhD and MA in Social Anthropology from the University of Manchester, UK and a BA from New York University, USA. Her doctoral dissertation examined Aboriginal community development practices in Redfern during a time of significant government policy change and community disquiet (2005- 2007). It was during this time that she first met and worked with some of the Kinchela Men and other members of the Stolen Generations and their families. In 2011 she was engaged by the Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation to assist with the implementation of the KBHAC Strategic Plan and in 2015 was appointed Chief Executive Officer by the KBHAC board.
Though practical at-the-coal-face experience, Tiffany believes on-going commitment, openness to differing points-of-view and passionate compassion are vital qualities required in working with Aboriginal people to facilitate better outcomes within their communities. Since 2005 she has involved with National, State and local Aboriginal focused organisations and campaigns on a number of levels. Organisations have included the NSW Sorry Day Committee, National Sorry Day Committee, Just Reinvest NSW and was a member of the Law Society of NSW’s Indigenous Issues Committee.
