Funding has been terminated for an Aboriginal youth foundation in the south of Western Australia following a compliance review by its federal funding body. 

Albany's Great Southern Indigenous Corporation, which operated as the Baldjamaar Foundation, closed its doors early this year amid allegations of fraud.

The foundation was established in 2016 to assist Aboriginal children struggling to stay in school.

But since February, the foundation's website and Facebook page have been removed, and its office is vacant due to breaches of the now-terminated lease.

Since 2019 the foundation had been financed by federal funding body the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA).

After a lengthy compliance review dating back at least as far as January, the NIAA has officially terminated its funding agreement with the group.

"NIAA will work with the community to identify another suitable provider for the school readiness and attendance project," a spokesperson said.

'Something happened along the way'

Albany community elder Lester Coyne said it was a disappointing conclusion to the situation.

He said despite the outcome of the review, the foundation began with good intentions.

"I suppose they tried to do their best; I know when they first started off it was fairly successful, they had a good crew in there, people who were in touch with community needs and community views.

"So they did have a good start to it but something happened along the way."

Mr Coyne said the absence of a functioning body providing the school readiness service had been felt in the community.

"It's difficult times for kids to be attracted to going to school, and this program was to entice kids to get back and consider education an important part of their lives."

Parental involvement critical

If the NIAA finds a replacement for the service, Mr Coyne believes the focus should be on the inclusion of parental responsibility in the program.

He said children could only understand the importance of education if they had solid foundations at home.

"It is crucial that you line up the base, for kids to want to go to school and then come back home to talk to their parents about it.

"That's what I had in my youth … when we came home from school, mum was there to show off what we'd learned that day.

"Were we lucky? Yes, we were."