We are the Kapululangu Aboriginal Women's Law and Culture Centre in Western Australia south-east Kimberley region.
We are currently looking for women volunteers to assist us in caring for five Aboriginal Women Elders (aged 75 to 85) in their own shared home.
Job: Personal Caring, Cooking, Cleaning/Housework, Shopping, Driving (must have licence). The nearest comparable job description would be: Aged Care - although we are not an aged care facility. We're an Aboriginal Women's Culture Centre.
Work Hours: 7am to 7pm with one to three nights (7pm to 7am) (depending on staff numbers sleeping in same room as the Elders. Please note that the work is hard and the hours are long. Need to be flexible to the needs of our Elders.
The Kapululangu Aboriginal Women's Law and Culture Centre is Australia's most remote women's centre. It is a core provider of Aboriginal Women's Law and Culture events and activities to Indigenous and Non-Indigenous women from the Kimberley, across Australia and around the world.
A local Indigenous initiative, we are Australia's only Women's Centre 100% dedicated to Aboriginal Women's Law (ie Ceremony) and Cultural Customs.
Please note that our cultural activities are seasonal. This means that it is not guaranteed that we'll be doing any traditional cultural activities during your stay. So please don't come expecting there to be any ceremonies or cultural activities while you are here.
We are located in Balgo in the South-East Kimberley. Balgo is 850 km north-west of Alice Springs and 295km south of Halls Creek.
Kapululangu is the residential home of five Aboriginal Women Elders who grew up in the desert before White Society arrived in their ancestral homelands - only 50 to 70 years ago.
In accordance with Aboriginal Culture, Kapululangu is women-only. We welcome women of all cultural backgrounds to join us living with and caring for the Elders. We cannot accommodate men or children.
The average workload exchange is 10 hours per day spread over 12 hours with two days off per week. But we are looking for women who are flexible and are prepared to do what it takes to ensure our elders have their needs met.
In exchange you will get to live with the Women Elders, share their lives, and learn about their Community.
We can only accept women able to stay for a minimum of one month. In our experience most visitors don't want to leave once they get here. So it's best not to tie yourself into a "must return home" date.
Balgo is surrounded by beautiful desert and you will get the opportunity to enjoy some of the very special out-of-the-way places. But just being in the community is a unique experience in its own.
Kapululangu has two residential houses, a Culture Shed, and a Keeping Place for women's sacred ceremonial items.
You will live in the same house as the Elders, or one nearby. You will be expected to share a room with other volunteers and to occasionally sleep in the same long-room as the Elders.
All meals are eaten together. You will be required to contribute $100 per week to food. If you have any special needs please discuss them with us prior to coming as they may not be available at our local Store.
Balgo community is 95% Aboriginal residents. In addition to the Women's Centre, our community has a Medical Clinic (with doctor), well-stocked Store, a Primary School and a Trade Training Centre (for higher education), a Catholic Parish (the main Church service is Saturday evenings), a Police Station, a world famous Art Centre (where you can see wonderful art by local people), and a Local Aboriginal Council.
Balgo doesn't have a bank, but we have an ATM at the local Store. We have a weekly mail plane which carries both postage and passengers.
Phone must be Telstra NextG. Internet is available - please bring your own laptop computer and Telstra NextG modem.
You can fly into Balgo on the weekly Wednesday mail plane from Kununurra. The flight from Kununurra costs $300 One way. You must cover your own cost of travel as Kapululangu is not funded and we are all volunteers, even the Executive Director.
Balgo is a legally Closed Community. You must be granted a permit before coming here. So please do not come without arranging with Kapululangu to obtain a permit for you. We also need to give you permission to be able to get on the plane to fly into our community.
If you have any other question please contact us
on [email protected]
If you want to make a difference to Aboriginal peoples' lives while having fun and learning heaps then Kapululangu is a great place to do it.
We guarantee that if you come you will have a remarkable experience. Spending time with the Kapululangu Women Elders is undeniably an opportunity of a lifetime!
(Sorry but you must have passable English spoken language as English is our Women Elders fourth or fifth language - after all the Indigenous languages they speak and understand.)