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CEO Update
The national conversation on First Nations recognition and voice continues, with the referendum date now confirmed for October 14.
The Anglicare NT Board and Anglicare Australia see the YES vote as the key driver to stop the status quo and improve the decades long malaise and shame of poor outcomes and inequality. No reform will ever be perfect, and will need maturing over time, but the principle is right. In my experience, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have had little say in correctly identifying challenges, and in designing and implementing solutions. This just has to change if there is any hope of closing the gap in social, health and economic outcomes.
I’m loving the recent activity our amazing staff have undertaken. From advocacy on rental affordability to dry season day trips for our older community members.
We are investing in our skills, knowledge and practice so we can continue to have something of value to offer the community. Our Aboriginal Cultural Security Framework will guide and instruct constant improvements, and as you can see we are investing in language resources at headspace Katherine and some great co-designed training on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) with our partners in Central Australia. We must always strive to invest in prevention while being ready to respond when urgent needs present, and this strategy is embedded in our planning and advocacy.
Enjoy reading,
Craig Kelly
CEO |
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Why are we voting YES?
Anglicare NT are actively supporting a YES vote in the upcoming referendum, following our Board of Director's commitment to advocate for implementing the full Uluru Statement from the Heart.
We support the call by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, through the Uluru Statement from the Heart, for real and lasting structural change to our current systems of authority and decision making. It is a clear path forward to justice and self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Anglicare NT recently joined a group of more than 70 Reconciliation Action Plan partner organisations in a unified position with Reconciliation Australia by releasing a Joint Statement in support of a "Yes" vote.
Hear from some of our staff on why they are voting YES. |
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The SHAK joins Anglicare NT
A dedicated space for young people, The SHAK Youth Hub, was transferred to Anglicare NT management from 1 August 2023. Anglicare NT will operate the SHAK in collaboration with CAAPS Aboriginal Corporation. Young people in Darwin have accessed services from The SHAK since the 1980s, with Red Cross managing the service for the past 20 years.
The SHAK is open after-school and on Saturdays, with extended hours and programming on school holidays. It offers a safe and inclusive space for young people aged 8-18 years to connect, have a hot meal and take part in a variety of activities.
For more information on opening hours and activities, connect with The SHAK on Facebook.
Above: SHAK staff Kayllah and Boab. |
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Science Week in Binjari
HIPPY is a free two-year program, supporting parents to develop their child’s love of learning. The HIPPY Katherine team have started weekly visits to Binjari, 17km from Katherine, to deliver fun activities for children in partnership with the 54 Reasons team.
During National Science Week, HIPPY Katherine Coordinator Heather Dingle engaged local families and children with a boat making activity. Children were provided with a range of items including empty cans, bottles, lids, wooden sticks, clay, tinfoil and other recycled materials to create with.
Magical making commenced, with children drafting designs, building with different materials and doing some scientific testing on the water. Boats that sank were quickly rebuilt stronger and with new materials to help them sail better.
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Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme
From 1 July 2023, the national Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS) replaced the Community Visitors Scheme. Anglicare NT delivered the Community Visitors Scheme across the NT for over 25 years and are excited to continue supporting volunteer visitors to older people at risk of social isolation and loneliness through ACVVS.
As the NT State Network Member, Anglicare NT arranges volunteer visits across the Territory, including in Darwin, Palmerston, Nhulunbuy, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs. We recruit and assist volunteers, offer training and help them understand the needs of the person they are visiting.
Volunteers spend time doing enjoyable activities together such as reading, listening to music, chatting and reminiscing, doing a craft activity or playing a board game. Visits are flexible and can include going for a walk, or heading out to a museum or movie, depending on the older person’s health and support needs. Contact us to find out more!
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Working together for children
Alice Springs Communities for Children (CfC) work towards achieving positive outcomes for children and families experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage. They build on local strengths to meet community needs and create capability within the service system. CfC partner with six community organisations to deliver a range of programs supporting children and their families in Central Australia, including Children’s Ground, Australian Childhood Foundation, Akeyulerre and Tangentyere Council.
Communities for Children recently partnered with NoFASD Australia to deliver free one day workshops to over 40 people from local organisations and family/carers. People with FASD will experience some degree of challenges in their daily living, and may need support with motor skills, physical health, learning, memory, attention, communication, emotional regulation and social skills to reach their full potential.
CfC have re-established the Alice Springs Communities for Children Advisory Committee and were a major financial supporter for Children’s Ground Utyerre Apanpe- First Nations Education Network Forum held at Ross River. The team also helped to distribute over 350 Indigenous Literacy Foundation books to local organisations, including to the Paediatric Ward at the Alice Springs Hospital and for the creation of a children’s library at the Alice Springs Correctional Centre. |
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 | Dry season day trips
Men’s and women’s groups at our Nhulunbuy office help older people maintain connection to country, community and culture. On a recent trip to Daliwuy Bay, the women's group spent time fishing and collecting weaving and dyeing materials. A freshly caught seafood lunch with damper was enjoyed, washed down with cups of tea. The gunga (pandanus) and dyes were brought back to town for the group to make into weavings.
The men visited Middle Beach and were lucky to find miyapunu mapu (turtle eggs). These provided a sought after and nutritious meal, together with damper made on the coals. The men shared left over eggs with other Elders in the community.
Being on country engaging in traditional activities is integral to good wellbeing for people of all ages!
Above: Dianne collecting bush fruit on a day trip. |
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Aboriginal Cultural Security Framework
Anglicare NT’s first ever Aboriginal Cultural Security Framework lays the foundations for how we can strengthen and transform our work and continue to be open and willing to learn from Aboriginal people.
Aboriginal cultural security embeds Aboriginal cultural values and rights at critical points in service design, policy and practice. It goes further than shifting or changing attitudes and behaviours of individuals. Cultural security includes organisational change through addressing structural inequalities.
For Anglicare NT to truly engage in genuine partnerships with Aboriginal communities and people, culture must be recognised, celebrated, respected and drawn upon. We must consult, collaborate and work with Aboriginal people and communities, with awareness of and responsive to their culture, history, needs and aspirations.
Our Aboriginal Cultural Security Vision
Anglicare NT is responsive and safe for Aboriginal people and is an organisation where cultural values, strengths and differences are integrated into the governance, management, design and delivery of services.
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Celebrating NAIDOC Week 2023
During NAIDOC Week, Anglicare NT staff come together to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and culture by holding internal events and participating in community activities.
In Darwin, a flag raising ceremony and barbecue at our Ludmilla site provided an opportunity to learn, share and enjoy time with colleagues, visitors and partner organisations. Mary Williams gave a heartfelt Welcome to Country and staff were thrilled to learn pandanus weaving and contribute to a sand painting with local Aboriginal artists.
Together with Nicole Brown – Following in Their Footsteps, we co-hosted a free screening of the movie The New Boy at Palmerston Cinema. Anglicare NT staff joined record crowds in the Darwin NAIDOC march and held a stall at the event.
Photos of Elders involved in our Aged and Disability program in Nhulunbuy were displayed at an event at Yirrkala, a fantastic way of acknowledging Elders and this year’s NAIDOC theme ‘For Our Elders’.
In Katherine, our regional office and headspace staff attended the NAIDOC Market Day and served over 200 sausage sandwiches to those attending.
In Alice Springs, an event was held for residents of our accommodation complex with food, face painting and games for children. Staff also joined the traditional NAIDOC march.
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National Children & Youth Homelessness Conference
Housing and homelessness staff from Darwin and Katherine travelled to the Traditional Lands of the Kulin nation, or Naarm/Melbourne, for the recent National Children and Youth Homelessness Conference.
Jem Wood, Anglicare NT Director Community Services, was on the conference organising committee and Tracey John, Regional Operations Manager in Katherine, presented as part of a panel on youth homelessness in regional and remote areas.
It was a privilege for attendees to hear from Prof Brian Burdekin AO, former Federal Human Rights Commissioner and tireless advocate for youth homelessness and mental health. He authored the esteemed Burdekin report 30 years ago on human rights and mental illness.
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Take a Step in Kriol
Take a Step are a set of online and printed resources aimed at empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people to take charge of their social and emotional wellbeing. They were developed in 2021 through a partnership with headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation and the headspace Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth Reference Group.
headspace Katherine recently engaged a consultant to translate four of the resources into Kriol. The resources cover Mental Health, Healthy Relationships, Stress and Pressure and Alcohol and Drugs. Kriol is spoken in Aboriginal communities across a large area of northern Australia, including most of the Katherine region.
As well as providing services from the headspace hub in Katherine, staff regularly visit local communities including Wugularr, Barunga, Jilkminggan, Pine Creek, Kybrook Farm and Binjari. They provide social and emotional wellbeing supports, community education and group sessions.
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Work and study help for young people
Young people accessing headspace Darwin services can connect with the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) team for help with work or study issues. Support includes setting goals, identifying work and training options, resume and interview assistance, help to build confidence and conflict management techniques. The team also work with employers to support the mental health and wellbeing of their employees.
20-year-old Toni* was seeking support at headspace Darwin for anxiety, life stresses, difficulty sleeping, AOD concerns and other challenging experiences. Toni wanted to get a job that she could maintain during her recovery journey. She was finding it hard to find a job due to issues with self-confidence, suitability of clothing and transport issues.
IPS supported Toni to create a resume and cover letters, met weekly to practice interview techniques and looked at more appropriate work clothing. Toni was supported to enrol in a driving program and register with Centrelink for payments.
Toni has now been employed for 6 months and has the opportunity to start an apprenticeship. She has her licence, has bought a car and is living in her own apartment. She is no longer using substances and is sleeping and eating better. Toni now shares her IPS support worker’s belief – she can make positive changes and look forward to a bright future!
*Name changed for confidentiality
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Christmas Cards
Anglicare NT have designed a collection of Christmas Cards that are now
available for purchase.
There are four designs to choose from as pictured above including Christmas Trees, Territory Christmas, Birth of Jesus and Three Wise Men. The locally made Territory Christmas card features a beautiful bush scene from Ngukurr captured by staff member Catherine Phillips. Cards are sold in packs of 10 for $12.
All proceeds support our ongoing work in the community. To place an order
or donate, visit our website anglicare-nt.org.au/cards. |
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Copyright © 2023 Anglicare NT
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