Kooyoora

28/08/2026

💜 Wear It Purple Day 2026

Kooyoora is proud to Wear It Purple and celebrate the diversity, strength and individuality of LGBTQIA+ young people and communities.

Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected, accepted and valued for who they are: at home, at school, at work and in their community.

Creating safe and inclusive environments is something we all have a role in. It starts with listening, challenging discrimination and making sure people know they belong.

Today, we wear purple to say:

💜 You belong.
💜 You are valued.
💜 You deserve to be safe.
💜 You can be yourself.

We believe that safety, dignity and respect should be at the heart of every community.

16/08/2026

Building connections at the Anglican General Synod.

It was wonderful for the Kooyoora team to attend Synod, connect with people across the Church, and have meaningful conversations about our work in safeguarding, complaints management and supporting safer communities.

These opportunities to listen, share ideas and build relationships are an important part of our work. We value the chance to talk about how independent safeguarding and complaints processes can strengthen organisations and, most importantly, support people who come forward.

We were very excited to give away a Safe Church in the Box. This is an amazing resource developed by the Anglican Diocese of Bendigo. Bishop Matt Brain assisted with the draw and congratulations to Aunty Di Langham from the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Anglican Council (NATSIAC), who was the lucky winner! 🎉 We have no doubt this box will be used to create safe space. Get yours here https://lnkd.in/gjk5R6ZM

Thank you to everyone who took the time to connect with us at Synod. We look forward to continuing the conversations and working together to strengthen safeguarding across our communities.

10/08/2026

Kooyoora is excited to be part of these important conversations.

Kooyoora is excited to be part of such an important event. Thanks Kim Porter

08/08/2026

🌏 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

Today, we recognise and celebrate the strength, resilience, cultures, knowledge and enduring connections to Country, land, sea and community of Indigenous Peoples around the world.

Kooyoora are privileged to work alongside people and communities from diverse Indigenous cultures including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Māori and Pacific peoples.

While every culture and community is unique, there are important shared lessons about the value of culture, connection, community, identity, collective responsibility and self-determination.

For safeguarding and complaints work, cultural safety means more than recognising difference. It means listening, understanding context, respecting cultural ways of knowing and being, and creating processes where people can participate safely and meaningfully.

Today, we honour the voices, knowledge and lived experiences of Indigenous Peoples and reaffirm our commitment to working respectfully alongside communities to strengthen culturally safe, fair and independent safeguarding and complaints processes.

Listening is the beginning of respect. Respect is the foundation of trust.

10/07/2026

Kooyoora hosts: Building Stronger Safeguarding Networks Across Australia.

Over two enriching days, Directors and leaders responsible for Compliance, Safeguarding and Professional Standards from Anglican dioceses across Australia gathered for a valuable Network Conference focused on collaboration, support and sharing best practice.

Representatives attended from the Dioceses of Sydney, Ballarat, Bathurst, Northern Territory, Tasmania, Perth, Bunbury, Melbourne, Bendigo, Wangaratta, Gippsland, Adelaide, The Murray, and Willochra, creating a unique opportunity to learn from one another, strengthen professional connections, and discuss shared challenges and opportunities in safeguarding.

A highlight of the conference was an address from the newly appointed Archbishop Ric Thorpe of the Diocese of Melbourne, who shared insights into his background, ministry journey, and vision for the future. His commitment to fostering safe, healthy and thriving church communities provided both encouragement and inspiration for attendees.

Participants were also introduced to the innovative "Safe Church Box", presented by the Registrar of the Diocese of Bendigo. Developed in Bendigo for use by parishes in any diocese, this practical resource assists churches in teaching child-safe standards through engaging and age-appropriate Sunday school sessions. The box contains lesson plans, activities and learning materials centred on specific Child Safe Standards, making safeguarding education accessible and meaningful for children. Can be purchased at https://www.kooyoora.org.au/store/p/protectivebehavioursbox

Another significant contribution came from Dr Gabrielle Hunt, registered psychologist and PhD Candidate at Australian Catholic University. Dr Hunt shared her research into the prevalence and prevention of child sexual abuse and sexual harassment, with a particular focus on faith-based settings. Her presentation explored current safeguarding practices, emerging research findings, and the broader implications for child protection policies and practices across faith communities.

The conference reinforced the importance of working together across diocesan boundaries, sharing knowledge and resources, and maintaining a collective commitment to creating safer environments for children, young people and all members of our church communities.

Anglican Diocese of Wangaratta Anglican Diocese of Melbourne

The aim of this box is to empower children, youth and churches to build loving and safe communities of faith. It is based on biblical texts and principles for child safe organisations. It includes activities for the young and old(er) alike.

09/07/2026

Mānawatia a Matariki

Tomorrow, Aotearoa New Zealand celebrates Matariki, the Māori New Year; a time to remember those who have gone before us, celebrate the present with whānau and community, and look to the future with hope.

This year’s theme, Matariki Herenga Waka: For Everyone, reminds us that safe and thriving communities are built through inclusion, respect and shared responsibility.

As we acknowledge Matariki, we celebrate the wisdom of Māori culture and the importance of connection, reflection and collective care.

Mānawatia a Matariki – may the Māori New Year bring hope, renewal and strength to all.

06/07/2026

Recent headlines have sparked discussion about political figures seeking to influence decisions that should remain independent. Whether in sport, government, faith communities, or workplaces, public confidence depends on decisions being made fairly, transparently, and free from external pressure.

The conversations surrounding FIFA are a timely reminder that independence is not a procedural nicety, it is the foundation of trust.

Kooyoora see this every day in safeguarding and complaint management. People are more likely to come forward, engage with a process, and accept an outcome when they know decisions are based on evidence, professional standards, and procedural fairness, not on influence, status, or power.

Independent decision-making protects everyone. It strengthens accountability, supports integrity, and helps ensure that those affected by complaints can have confidence in the process and its outcomes.

Safeguarding begins with systems that are trusted because they are independent.

05/07/2026

Wes thought he had his life mapped out. Taking over the family farm, building a future, and raising a family on land that meant everything to him.

But years of drought brought financial pressure, isolation and loss that built steadily over time. Reaching out didn’t fix the drought, but it helped reduce the weight he was carrying alone.

In our Holding on to Hope podcast, Wes shares how connection helped him find strength during prolonged financial stress.

Listen to Wes’ story at: http://bit.ly/podlifeline.

05/07/2026

This NAIDOC Week, Kooyoora celebrates the history, cultures, achievements and enduring strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The 2026 NAIDOC Week theme, “Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy,” reminds us that creating safer communities is both a responsibility we hold today and a legacy we leave for tomorrow.

Effective safeguarding is built on listening, respect, truth-telling and accountability. It means creating environments where every person is heard, where culture is valued, and where children, young people and adults at risk are safe to participate and belong.

As an independent safeguarding organisation, Kooyoora recognises the importance of working in ways that are culturally safe, respectful and informed by the voices and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

This NAIDOC Week, we acknowledge the strength and leadership of First Nations communities and recommit ourselves to supporting safer organisations for current and future generations.

27/06/2026

It’s okay to ask for help, and it’s okay to need support more than once. When things feel overwhelming, reaching out can make a difference. You don’t have to face it alone.

If you need support, please call Lifeline anytime on 13 11 14, or text us on 0477 13 11 14, or visit
www.lifeline.org.au for our online chat service or for resources to self-manage what you’re going through. All our crisis support services are available 24/7.