Supporting community-led impact in the Northern Territory

For Yagbani Aboriginal Corporation, community is at the centre of everything they do.

Based in the Northern Territory, as the Warruwi Remote Australia Employment Service (RAES) service provider, the organisation is focused on creating meaningful opportunities and support for local Aboriginal people through employment, training, cultural connection and community-led initiatives that create long-term impact.

The Remote Australia Employment Service (RAES) is the Australian Government’s remote employment and community development program. Launched to replace the Community Development Program (CDP), RAES provides flexible, culturally safe support, mentoring, and tailored training to help job seekers in remote areas overcome employment barriers and secure work

From community projects and school lunch programs to market gardens and the development of a locally driven oyster farming enterprise, Yagbani Aboriginal Corporation continues to invest in initiatives that strengthen both community wellbeing and economic participation.

Their work is practical, hands-on and deeply connected to the people they support.

Working with PKF Merit has never felt transactional. They’ve taken the time to understand our community, our goals and the work we’re trying to achieve. Having a team that genuinely cares and works alongside us has been incredibly important to our organisation.

PKF Merit supports Yagbani Aboriginal Corporation across a range of services including bookkeeping, payroll, supplier payments and grant reporting, with regular communication forming an important part of the relationship.

Rather than a transactional engagement, the relationship has evolved over many years into a genuine partnership built on trust and shared commitment to community outcomes.

The PKF Merit team works closely with the organisation each week, supporting the reporting requirements attached to grant funding while helping maintain the operational structure behind a wide range of community programs and projects.
From visiting the market gardens and seeing fresh produce grown locally, to learning more about the oyster farm currently progressing through final approvals, the work being undertaken by Yagbani Aboriginal Corporation reflects a strong sense of pride, purpose and community involvement.

Importantly, community members themselves remain actively involved across the organisation’s initiatives - something that continues to set the organisation apart. Traditional Owners and Elders play an important leadership role within the community, helping guide initiatives while maintaining strong cultural connection and respect across the region.

For PKF Merit, supporting organisations like Yagbani Aboriginal Corporation is about more than financial management. It is about building long-term relationships with organisations that are creating meaningful outcomes for their communities and contributing to the future of the Northern Territory.

As Yagbani Aboriginal Corporation continues progressing toward the next stage of its oyster farming enterprise, the team at PKF Merit will be there alongside them - continuing to support the journey.