MARABISDA (Mackay And Region Aboriginal and Islander Development Association) Inc. We are an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled organisation incorporated in 2009.
Our main objective on being incorporated was being to support particularly Mackay’s young Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Australian South Sea Islander people to participate in the sporting or cultural activities of their choice. Many of our young people are very talented in their chosen sport, but are unable to excel due to their financial limitations. MARABISDA has continued with this objective, although our service delivery programs are now the main priority for us as an organisation.
MARABISDA’s Governing Committee currently consists of six (6) Directors, who are all of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, or Australian South Sea Islander heritage, and are living in or strongly connected with the Mackay community.
We currently employ 12 staff and deliver the following programs from our office at 2/17 Macalister Street, Mackay:
- Piccaninny Foster and Kinship Care Service (commenced in 2012) – Recruitment, support, training and assessment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander foster and kinship carers in Mackay, Sarina, Proserpine, Bowen, and Moranbah.
- Indigenous Family Wellbeing Service – We deliver the IFWS as a Consortium in the Mackay/Whitsunday region with Mudth-Niyleta Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation (Sarina), and Girudala Community Co-operative Society (Bowen), as the lead agency. We have employed a Men and Boys Worker and Early Childhood Development Coordinator with the IFWS Consortium to work with our mob across the Mackay/Whitsunday region.
- Recognised Entity – MARABISDA were approached to auspice the Mackay Recognised Entity workers in early 2017, and this arrangement continues until such time as the Recognised Entity review is completed. We only have two (2) workers for the RE in the Mackay region, and these ladies cover the geographical area from St Lawrence in the South, West to Moranbah, and North to Bloomsbury/Midge Point.
Our other past community activities include the sponsorship of education programs such as Knukela Binbi Beerkou (Year 10 Certificate II Work & Life Skills) and the PaCE Program that ran from 2012 to 2015.
Our self-generating income activity, MARABISDA Bingo on Friday nights, enables us to continue with financially supporting our local young athletes and leaders in their chosen sport or field.
Please visit our website, www.marabisda.org.au, to learn more about our staff, Board and activities.
