Erica Harvey

Erica Harvey is an Anmatyerre woman from Central Australia and spent most of her life living between Alice Springs and Darwin.
Since leaving school Erica has extensive experience in the legal sector, specifically criminal law, prison reform and legal education. Working with the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency for 6 years, Erica spent time as a Client Service Officer in the criminal section before progressing to Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer.
In 2018 Erica became a mentor at the Don Dale Correctional Facility and created a cultural therapeutic program for the girls that consisted of make-up, skin care and hair care, whilst providing culturally safe engagement. Erica was the youngest person to sit on the Elders and Mentors Program for Don Dale and had input creating the framework for this program.
Being a part of the Youth Justice Space, Erica was nominated to sit on the Aboriginal Advisory Panel for Aboriginal Children in Care with Life Without Barriers, giving advice and cultural insight for matters and outcomes that involved Aboriginal Children in out of home Care.
In 2022, Erica moved to Adelaide, South Australia, to chase her career opportunities and became a Family Practitioner at Kornar Winmil Yunti (KWY) Aboriginal Corporation. Working with families referred by the Department of Child Protection SA, her work included risk assessments, NDIS referrals and holistic support to parents and children to prevent any child removal.
Erica is qualified as a Mental Health First Aid Facilitator, Circle of Security Facilitator, Dynamic Risk Assessment for Offender Re-Entry and completed a 5-day intensive of the Narrative Therapy training.
At present, Erica is employed as an Aboriginal Programs Officer for the Department for Correctional Services in the Aboriginal Services Directorate (ASD), Adelaide, South Australia. Having a very broad role, specifically delivering programs to Aboriginal peoples who are incarcerated across South Australia. Most importantly implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission to Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and addressing the over-representation by intervening and supporting to reduce the percentage of Aboriginal peoples who are incarcerated. Erica is the Aboriginal representative for the Home Detention Committee and the Serious Offenders Committee, advocating for placements and outcomes for those transitioning back into community.

Erica has dedicated most of her working career to social justice for Aboriginal peoples and will continue to commit to this area, advocating for better outcomes and strive for change within systems that oppress Aboriginal peoples every single day.