The Tiwi Youth Diversion and Development Unit (TYDDU)

The Tiwi Youth Diversion and Development Unit (TYDDU) is a service based in Nguiu, Tiwi Islands. Originally beginning as a juvenile diversion program, TYDDU has expanded to offer a wide range of initiatives aimed at responding to family and community disputes. The service is locally run and prioritises respect for cultural values, rules and protocols.

Members of the Tiwi community have recognised the importance of the training and education programs to prevent conflict from arising. The type of education sessions suggested include:

• budgeting
• housekeeping
• parenting skills
• dealing with emotions
• anger management
• communication skills
• conflict-resolution skills.

The goal of these initiatives is to equip individuals with tools to navigate challenges and strengthen relationships to ensure the safety and peacefulness of their community.¹Toni Bauman, Juanita Pope, David Allen, Margaret O’Donnell and Rhiân Williams, Federal Court of Australia’s Indigenous Dispute Resolution & Conflict Management Case Study Project, Solid work you mob are doing: Case studies in Indigenous dispute resolution & conflict management in Australia, report to the National Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisory Council (Barton, ACT: National Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisory Council, 2009), 72.