VALERIE RILEY RECOGNISED FOR WORK STRENGTHENING MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING ACROSS THE PILBARA

Pilbara mental health advocate Valerie Riley says being recognised with the Indigenous Heart of the Pilbara Award was a surprise — but one that carried deep meaning after years of supporting people across the region.

Valerie Riley, founder of Nih Kaartdijin Mia, was named joint winner of the award alongside Peter Cooper at the 2026 Pilbara Community Services Excellence Awards.

Speaking live with Lynnese O’Donoghue on the Ngaarda Radio Breakfast Show this morning, Riley said she had attended the awards expecting to celebrate the work of others.

“I was very surprised,” she said.

Peter Cooper, Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation and Valarie Riley, Founder of Nih Kaartdijin Mia accpeting their joint award for Idigenous Heart at the 2026 Pilbara Community Services Excellence Awards. Photo Credit: Kevin Michel MLA

“I normally just go there just to listen and congratulate everybody else, but then hearing my name and being up on stage as well was special.”

Valerie Riley giving a workshop at the Manga Bura Womens Wellness Camp in Millstream earlier this year

Riley said the award was particularly meaningful because it recognised work that had grown directly out of conversations with family, colleagues and community.

“It represents all my conversations I’ve had with my own family, all my workmates, colleagues, everywhere, the people I’ve met along the way, the community I live in, where I’ve travelled,” she said.

“All them conversations have shaped who I am.”

Valerie Riley again facilitating a workshop at the Manga Bura Wellness Camp in August

Riley said the trust people had placed in her by sharing their own experiences had strongly influenced the direction of her work.

“Listening to what my people or my vulnerable people have said to me and trusted me with them conversations, it has shaped who I am,” she said.

“I believe that I’ve been that voice for them.”

Creating culturally safe support

Nih Kaartdijin Mia was created by Valarie after her own experiences navigating support systems and seeing the challenges people could face when trying to find the right help.

She told Ngaarda Radio the name reflected Nih (listening) , Kaartdjijin (knowledge) and Mia home, in Noongar language, and their values are at the centre of the organisation’s work.

“I’ve been through my own ups and downs, life challenges, and navigating a system where you find it tough learning about where to go to when you need support, or how to find a service or the right service that suits you,” she said.

“I just want to ensure that people are supported and know where to go when they are needing help.”

Valerie, who has lived in the Pilbara for around 17 years, has also drawn on her experience working in the mining sector and witnessing the pressures faced by families and workers.

She said those experiences eventually led to the creation of Bounce Back, a community wellbeing event designed to make conversations about mental health safer and more accessible.

“I thought, well, I’m going to create an event. So that’s where Bounce Back was born,” she said.

Valerie Riley with Cherylea Walker on Manga Buru Wellness Camp August

“A community wellbeing day where we can all come together on a safe platform, creating a safe space, having safe conversations.”

She said the aim was to bring community services and local people together in a welcoming environment where people could learn where to seek help for themselves or someone they care about.

Bounce Back returns to South Hedland

Bounce Back will return to South Hedland on Friday, October 2, with a full day of activities aimed at physical health, mental health, culture, sport and community connection.

Riley said this year’s program would include physical health checks, mental health support services, sporting activities, business support and community organisations.

“We’ve got 13YARN returning again, so if you want to have a yarn and learn more about 13YARN, get in and have a yarn,” she said.

The event will also feature hockey with the Hockey Roos in attendance, basketball, West Coast Eagles involvement and information about mental health first aid programs for both adults and young people.

Ngaarda Media would also be attending the event, giving community members another opportunity to come together and share their stories, we will be live broadcasting from the event aswell as capturing all the moments during the day.

Bounce Back is a free, alcohol-and-drug-free community event and will run from 11.30am to 6pm at Wanangkura Stadium and Kevin Scott Oval in South Hedland.

Valerie said the event had grown through years of community support and volunteering.

She said she had volunteered around six months of her own time each year to bring Bounce Back to life over the past three years.

“We’re getting louder and louder as a collective and a community, showing that there is support available in the community and we do know how to work together, even with limited resources,” she said.

Building the next generation

Looking ahead, Valarie said she wanted Nih Kaartdijin Mia to continue growing so it could employ more local people and expand culturally safe support across the Pilbara.

“We want to make sure that we can employ more people down the track, bring more of our local mob into the picture and deliver more safe, culturally safe workshops to our families throughout the Pilbara,” she said.

She said reducing barriers to support meant working directly with people at community level and encouraging service providers to remain open, compassionate and understanding.

“We’ve got to reduce that and we’ve got to work with our people on a ground level,” Valerie said.

“Open your doors, be more compassionate and understanding.

“People do need help and we’ve got to be those supporters.”

For Valerie, the award represents not only personal recognition, but the experiences, relationships and community conversations that have shaped her work.

“It does mean a lot to me to win something so close to my heart and representing my people, representing my family,” she said.

Bounce Back, Created by Valerie Riley and Nih Kaartdijin Mia and supported by community and organisations

Bounce Back 2026
Friday, October 2
11.30am – 6pm
Wanangkura Stadium and Kevin Scott Oval, South Hedland
Free community event