Stronger Communities for Children (SCfC)

Stronger Communities for Children (SCfC) is a place‑based, community‑led program supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and families in the Northern Territory.

SCfC is based on the principle that local communities are best placed to determine what children and families need to thrive. Through strong local governance, communities set a shared vision and priorities for children, and guide coordinated activities that respond to local strengths, challenges and aspirations.

SCfC uses a shared decision‑making and community‑driven planning model, where Local Community Boards lead decisions about priorities and investment, and local Aboriginal organisations coordinate delivery in line with this direction. SCfC commenced in 2013 and now operates across ten Northern Territory communities.

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Aims of the Stronger Communities for Children Program

SCfC is guided by a clear set of aims that provide a consistent foundation across all SCfC communities while allowing flexibility in how they are achieved locally.

SCfC seeks to:

• Increase support for the nurturing of young children
• Improve school readiness of young children
• Increase support for children and young people to attend school and gain an education
• Increase opportunities for children, young people and families to participate in cultural events
• Improve family and community safety
• Build community capacity to lead, plan and prioritise services that children, youth and families need
• Build the capacity of Aboriginal organisations to deliver these services and increase local employment opportunities

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Where SCfC Is Delivered

SCfC commenced in five communities in 2013, with a further five communities joining in 2015. Each participating location has its own governance arrangements, priorities and mix of activities, reflecting the diversity of communities across the Northern Territory.

SCfC is currently delivered in the following communities:

Ngukurr

• Local Community Board: Strongbala Pipul Wanbala Bois Komiti
  Facilitating Partner: Yugul Mangi Development Aboriginal Corporation

Galiwin’ku

• Local Community Board: Yalu Board
  Facilitating Partner: Yalu Aboriginal Corporation

Wadeye

• Local Community Board: Thamarrurr Aboriginal Women’s Council (TAWC)
  Facilitating Partner: Thamarrurr Development Corporation

Ntaria (Hermannsburg)

• Local Community Board: Western Aranda Leaders Group
• Facilitating Partner: Wanta Aboriginal Corporation

Ltyentye Apurte (Santa Teresa)

• Local Community Board: Ltyentye Apurte SCfC Decision Making Group
• Facilitating Partner: Atyenhenge-Atherre Aboriginal Corporation (AAAC)

Gunbalanya (Oenpelli)

• Facilitating Partner: Adjumarllarl Aboriginal Corporation

Maningrida

• Local Community Board: Nja-merleya Board
• Facilitating Partner: Nja-merleya Cultural Leaders and Justice Group

Utopia Homelands

• Local Community Board: UAC Board
• Facilitating Partner: Urapuntja Aboriginal Corporation (UAC)

Atitjere & Engawala

• Local Community Board: Atitjere Decision Making Group / Engawala Decision Making Group
• Facilitating Partner: Children’s Ground

Lajamanu

• Local Community Board: Jaru Jinta
• Facilitating Partner: Yandamah Indigenous Corporation

Visit our Interactive Map of delivering organisations.

How SCfC Works

SCfC is delivered through a community‑led model, where decision‑making authority rests with local communities. Local Community Boards lead the program by setting the vision and priorities for children, young people and families. Facilitating Partner organisations work under this direction to coordinate activities in the community. Ninti One and the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) support this approach by providing implementation support, funding and assurance, enabling communities to lead locally while meeting program requirements.

The SCfC model brings together:

• Local Community Boards
• Facilitating Partner organisations
• Ninti One as the Implementation Support Provider
• The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA)

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Community Leadership: Local Community Boards

Local Community Boards are central to SCfC. Boards are made up of respected community members who bring local knowledge, experience and cultural authority to decisions for children, young people and families. Through this role, Local Community Boards ensure SCfC reflects community priorities and remains locally driven.

Local Community Boards:

• Set the community vision for SCfC
• Identify local priorities
• Endorse the Community Plan
• Oversee progress and outcomes over time

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Facilitating Partner Organisations

Facilitating Partners are local Aboriginal community‑controlled organisations funded by NIAA to manage SCfC at the community level. They work under the direction of the Local Community Board to implement the community vision and priorities through coordinated services and activities.

Their role includes:

• Working with the Local Community Board to implement agreed priorities
• Coordinating services and activities aligned to community direction
• Managing funding and contracting
• Supporting local employment and organisational capability
• Reporting on delivery and outcomes

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Ninti One’s Role in SCfC

Ninti One is funded by NIAA as the Implementation Support Provider for the SCfC program. Ninti One does not deliver services directly and does not make decisions about community priorities or activities.

Instead, Ninti One works alongside Local Community Boards, Facilitating Partners and government to support strong, consistent and high‑quality implementation of SCfC across all locations.

Ninti One’s role includes:

• Supporting strong governance, planning and decision‑making
• Strengthening community‑led planning processes, including Community Plans
• Building monitoring, evaluation and learning capability
• Supporting locally meaningful measurement of change
• Facilitating shared learning across communities
• Building a program‑wide evidence base on outcomes and impact

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From Community Priorities to Real Change

SCfC follows a continuous, community‑driven cycle that connects community voice to real activities and outcomes. The cycle supports communities to plan, deliver, reflect and strengthen activities over time, ensuring the program remains responsive and locally relevant. Ninti One supports this process by strengthening systems, skills and shared understanding across the program.

SCfC follows this cycle:

• Community vision for children, young people and families
• Local priorities identified by the Local Community Board
• Activities designed in response to those priorities
• Development and endorsement of the Community Plan
• Funding eligibility checks with NIAA
• Activities delivered in the community
• Monitoring, reflection and learning
• Review and strengthening to improve outcomes

What Has Been Achieved Through SCfC

SCfC has delivered meaningful outcomes for children, families and communities across participating locations, while the longer‑term impact of the program continues to emerge. Local Community Boards have played a central role in identifying gaps, strengthening local governance and prioritising activities that support safer, stronger futures for children.

To capture outcomes and learning across the program, Ninti One led a program‑wide evaluation resulting in the SCfC Storybook. The Storybook shares evidence of change at individual, community and systems levels, and highlights the importance of strong local governance, cultural authority and coordination in achieving positive outcomes.

You can read more about the Stronger Communities for Children Storybook here.