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CEO Update
It’s been a busy start to the year! We presented a Financial Inclusion Forum with ASIC, co-hosted the 12th annual Couch Surfing event on Youth Homelessness Matters Day with City of Darwin and brought together over 60 people for the annual We Grow Them Up Learning Forum in East Arnhem. That’s on top of our everyday work supporting Territorians with homelessness and housing support, young people with mental health and wellbeing at our headspace centres, children, young people, older people and people in financial need – plus much more!
We continue to advocate across a range of areas in partnership with local organisations and peak bodies. The annual Anglicare Australia Rental Affordability Snapshot shows Territorians on low incomes struggle to find a safe place to live. An increase in the number of calls to the National Debt Helpline, managed by Anglicare NT across the Territory, affirms NTCOSS’s latest Cost of Living reports which show Territorians are being pushed to the brink by the rising cost of necessities, transport and rent.
It was exciting to see the federal budget announcement of a seven-fold increase in homelessness support for the NT. The pledge of an increase from $5.9 million to $42.8 million shows a welcome turnaround in the way the NT is funded.
On the flip side, the NT budget was a major disappointment, with the only solution offered for tackling community safety being more police and prisons. More police and prisons are not going to improve safety. Recidivism rates alone prove jail doesn’t work. We need to invest in things that do work, like delivering on existing early intervention plans that have been carefully co-designed, more housing options for women and children experiencing family violence, supporting community led efforts to improve school attendance and more youth engagement activities like the SHAK.
I hope you enjoy our latest Newsletter.
Craig Kelly,
CEO |
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Financial regulators and sector leaders connect
Anglicare NT hosted a forum with Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) in March and were lucky to have the ASIC Commissioner Alan Kirkland attend as a guest speaker. Alan spoke about why it’s important for government and community stakeholders to work together on local issues, reflecting the theme of the forum - Working Together.
The Forum brought together local financial counsellors and regulators who all work to create a fairer, more inclusive society. It was a rare opportunity to gather, identify NT issues and workshop how we can achieve fairer business practices.
Pictured above: Anglicare NT Financial Inclusion workers from across the Territory came together for the forum. |
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Couch surfing raises awareness of youth homelessness
Each year on Youth Homelessness Matters Day hundreds of young people, families, community organisations and supporters gather in Darwin City to race couches for a cause. The event raises awareness of youth homelessness, brings people together to talk about solutions and celebrates young people’s resilience.
Too many children and young people in Australia live in unsafe or overcrowded home environments, couch surf or sleep rough. In the Northern Territory there are over 3,000 young people aged 12- 25 years who are homeless on any given night (ABS 2021). That’s almost twelve times the national average.
This year, teams of young people travelled from as far away as Katherine and Nhulunbuy to take part in the action-packed day. Overall, more than 20 teams of young people competed in fast-paced race heats and more than 30 local organisations were on hand to provide information and advice in a non-judgemental space.
Couches decorated with beautiful artwork and important messages vied to take home the best-decorated award, won this year by Grassroots Community Engagement. With free food and drinks, music, speeches, prizes and lots of media present, Couch Surfing is a great day and important lever for awareness raising and advocacy efforts.
Anglicare NT and City of Darwin organise the annual Couch Surfing event with support from major sponsor First Nations Broadcasting. We thank the many organisations, schools, local businesses and sponsors who combine with young people to help make this event happen.
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Families are the best!
We celebrated National Families Week with local families at a fun, free event in Jingili Water Gardens. Our children’s services teams from Darwin and East Arnhem asked families to draw or write about what family means to them. Participating families entered a draw to win a basket of groceries - the winning family were thrilled with their prize!
Here are some of the responses:
Family fills my life with everything
Family makes me feel safe
My family is the best because they love me and I feel safe with them
Even though my family drives me crazy I love them so much and I’m so grateful they are in my life |
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Help pregnant young women and young parents
With a gift to the Pandanus Program, you can help young women thrive in their journey as a parent.
For over 20 years our Pandanus Program has provided non-judgemental childbirth education, personal and practical support and hope.
Donate this tax time to help pregnant young women and young parents access essential care and timely support.
Donate here
All donations $2 or more are tax-deductible. |
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Sharing breakfast to develop life and tenancy skills
Each Tuesday, Gabby (pictured) and Bridie cook up a big breakfast and serve it in the Anglicare Activity Room in Nhulunbuy to people living rough.
“I know how hard it is to eat good food when living rough, plus I enjoy cooking for people,” said Gabby Kennedy, Coordinator of the Housing Options Pathway Program (HOPP) in East Arnhem.
Feeding people is an important part of the outreach breakfast program, but equally important is the opportunity to help connect people without a home with services like housing support, health checks and legal aid support.
When people are sleeping rough, they can be hard to find and harder still to support. Sharing breakfast on Tuesdays means Gabby and Bridie know who’s in town and what services they need to be linked up with.
HOPP also offers tenancy support to families and individuals who are experiencing issues that put their tenancies at risk. Through short to medium term, flexible case management and practical support tailored to agreed case plans, the program staff work with families to avoid eviction.
“There are families learning about tenancy for the first time," said Gabby. “We work with people so they can pass rental inspections and protect their tenancy in the short term and in the long term.”
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Deadly Vision
Getting your eyes checked is easy when the specialists come to you! Residents of the Garaworra transitional accommodation complex in Darwin had the chance to get their eye problems sorted with a visit from the Deadly Vision Centre.
Deadly Enterprises is Australia’s first Aboriginal-owned optical provider, whose aim is to contribute to closing the gap in eye health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians by providing access to culturally safe eye care.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and an optometrist were joined by Australia’s first Aboriginal ophthalmologist, Dr Kris Rallah-Baker, who flew into Darwin to conduct clinics.
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Pastoral care for people in prison
Jo Vandersee is one of two part-time Prison Chaplains who offer pastoral care to people at the Darwin Correctional Centre. Jo provides thoughtful activities, Bible studies and opportunities for prayer or reflection. She also helps coordinate other paid and volunteer visitors from a range of religious traditions who provide prisoners with religious support, materials and services.
Jo said, “In the short time I’ve been working at the prison I’m amazed in the interest from prisoners to meet with a Chaplain, go to religious services, have someone to listen to their concerns and to support them in personal growth and change. All Chaplains see both male and female prisoners, and I lead a Bible study each week in one of the lower security male sectors.
Being able to remind people they are valued and valuable, and that there is hope for the future is a joy for me. Being able to say a kind word to the prison staff now and then, as they have a very difficult job, is also a part of my care for all.
Being a Chaplain is providing pastoral care – human care and kindness – to all who I come across. Prisoners are firstly human beings who are worthy of dignity, care and opportunities to change and grow.
My faith in the goodness of God keeps me grounded in care and genuine regard for others, no matter what they have done or what they are facing in life. It seems like a very small gesture to listen and be a caring presence, yet this is foundational for anyone who is in difficulty.”
In another part-time role, Jo works as Staff Chaplain at Anglicare NT, supporting staff through pastoral care and activities.
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Police impart safety and wellbeing skills
People who stay in our transitional accommodation learn life skills at regular workshops. Acting Assistant Commissioner for Alice Springs Police Kylie Anderson recently led a community safety session for Alice Springs residents, together with three Aboriginal Liaison Officers.
The session focused on safety and wellbeing within the community, covering general etiquette, security, visitor management, illegal alcohol supply and the process of contacting police when necessary. Attendees appreciated the opportunity to voice their concerns and contribute to ongoing efforts to improve safety and security within the community.
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Territorians are happy with our services
We asked participants from 13 of our services to tell us what they think about us in our first ever Feedback February. Five hundred and eight participants completed surveys and answered questions about their experience with our services, satisfaction levels, areas for improvement and if they would recommend us.
The responses tell a fantastic story about the work we do.
- 95% of respondents said they were happy with our services
- 96% said staff were kind to them
- 95% said staff respect them
- 94% said staff take their culture and beliefs into account
- 92% said we made a difference
- 93% would recommend Anglicare NT to someone who needed support
These are amazing results that highlight and acknowledge our services and the incredible work of Anglicare NT’s dedicated staff. Please enjoy reading some quotes from our participants:
I tell all my family to come and visit Anglicare when they are in my community if they have money problems.
Anglicare workers followed up and did not treat you as a number. I will always refer Anglicare to anyone. They made a big difference in my life.
Anglicare has made a big difference in my life getting a place for me and my son to live.
I thought I was going to lose my unit but with the advocating of the Financial Counsellor at Anglicare NT I was able to budget a little better and could afford to pay my mortgage on my unit, very grateful.
I've found the counselling provided at Anglicare very helpful and relevant to my life situation. Talking my issues with the counsellor has helped me gain a different perspective. They suggested things to integrate into my life to better manage the life situations I am currently going through.
Photo above: Nan and her son love HIPPY - a fun and free program that supports children's learning in the two years before school. |
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No affordable rentals for struggling Territorians
The 2024 Rental Affordability Snapshot shows that Territorians on low incomes struggle to find an affordable place to live.
Of 577 private rentals advertised in the NT on the weekend of 16 March 2024:
- NO properties were affordable for singles, single parents or couples with children living on the JobSeeker payment
- NO properties were affordable for singles aged over 18 on Youth Allowance
- Only 5 properties were affordable for couples on the Age Pension, with NO properties affordable for singles on the Age Pension or Disability Support Pension
Due to a lack of affordable accommodation in the NT, many individuals and families find themselves living in overcrowded or dangerous conditions. The scarcity of suitable housing perpetuates a cycle of disadvantage, making it difficult for people to maintain employment, live with dignity and actively participate in their community.
People need a decent income, more housing options, flexible responses and appropriate supports to live safely and with dignity.
While we are encouraged by recent funding announcements by Government to improve housing in NT remote communities and homelands, these Snapshot results demonstrate the importance of needs-based funding. |
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New workshop helps Dads tune in to kids
Fran, Simone and Sue from our Resolve family and relationship service presented at the Family & Relationship Services Australia National Conference in May.
Last year they worked with researchers from The University of Melbourne and other providers around Australia to gain evidence-based status for the new Tuning in to Kids for Dads program.
Tuning in to Kids for Dads helps fathers better connect with children, helps them cope with feelings and supports them to learn social and emotional skills.
“It’s completely changed the way I parent, improved the way I connect with my kids and it’s changed my life” - workshop participant.
The 7-session program is being offered to Dads in Darwin each Thursday from 5.30pm -7.30pm starting 1 August 2024. Contact resolveintake@anglicare-nt.org.au for more information and to register. |
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New multicultural walking group
Walk together and celebrate diversity!
Join us for a fun and inclusive walk each week in Darwin. Meet new friends, enjoy the fresh air and explore different cultures together. This is a great way to stay active while celebrating diversity.
Contact Natalia at the Refugee and Migrant Settlement Service to find out more: phone 8946 4800 or email nmunozrodriguez@anglicare-nt.org.au |
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Copyright © 2024 Anglicare NT
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