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CEO Update
ABC Gives!
The work of Anglicare NT was showcased on ABC Radio across the Territory during November. Through a partnership for the annual ABC Gives Appeal, over 30 staff members spoke on air about their important work.
We are grateful for the support of the ABC to tell our stories. We also thank the more than 170 generous individuals and organisations who donated through the appeal.
So far we have raised over $25,000. All donations will go to these Anglicare NT programs:
- Pandanus childbirth education and support for young mothers and families in the Darwin region
- Aged care support in the East Arnhem region
- Post-prison release support through our OutCARE program in Alice Springs
- Homelessness services in Katherine
In this Newsletter you will meet some of the staff who spoke on radio
and hear about the services they are a part of and how they help fellow
Territorians.
Hear the ABC Gives interviews here!
You can donate any day of the year to Anglicare NT! However we are keeping our ABC Gives appeal open until 31 December.
2023 was a busy year and our services were in demand as people struggled with cost-of-living pressures. This year we also launched our Aboriginal Cultural Security Framework, commenced the new Care Finder service for older people, became the auspice for the SHAK Youth Drop-In Centre (in collaboration with CAAPS Aboriginal Corporation) and supported 13 Aboriginal Controlled Organisations through our Partnership Support Service.
I highly recommend a read of Anglicare NT’s Annual Report 2022-23. This helps us tell the story of our work and how 388 staff and 89 volunteers supported over 24,000 Territorians through our 99 services and capacity building activities.
On behalf of the Board, management, staff and volunteers of Anglicare NT I wish you well for Christmas and the New Year. May it be a time of reflection and restoration for you and your families.
Kind regards,
Craig Kelly,
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Pandanus Childbirth Education & Perinatal Support
For over 20 years, Anglicare NT’s Pandanus Program has offered inclusive and welcoming childbirth education, personal and practical support and hope – helping to grow strong parents and give children a good start in life.
ABC Gives spoke to Pandanus Case Manager Eva (pictured) and participant Natisha:
“I definitely wouldn’t be where I am without Eva and the Pandanus program. I say definitely jump in for Eva because Eva is amazing – I call her my fairy god mum because she came into my life when we had no one,” said Natisha.
"I had no self-confidence. I thought it was not Ok to feel not OK. Pandanus pointed me in the right direction. Especially if you’ve got no support at home or outside of home.”
Pandanus makes an important difference for pregnant women 25 years and under – helping them and their partners transition and prepare for parenthood. It offers a range of services including childbirth education, postnatal education and peer support for new parents and one-on-one support and case management.
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 | OutCARE post-release accommodation and support
The recidivism rate (going back to jail) in Alice Springs sits at about 75% but for OutCARE participants, that rate drops to around 20%.
Our OutCARE program supports men being released from jail…and it works! When people on parole are supported with finding a place to live, getting a job and building a life, they are less likely to go back to jail.
“It’s an amazing program, it’s straightforward, its blokes looking after blokes. We’re not a heavily funded program, we’re probably one of the least funded programs in Anglicare NT,” OutCARE Case Manager Jason Lord (on the right) shared with ABC Gives.
OutCARE’s transitional accommodation and strengths-based casework support men in Darwin and Alice Springs as they exit a correctional facility. Case workers link people with services and study and employment options and help create opportunities to reconnect with family, culture and community. |
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 | SHAK Youth Drop-In Centre
A little-known fact: SHAK stands for SAFE HANGOUT FOR ALL KIDS. Currently based at Sanderson Middle School, The SHAK is open after school and on Saturdays, with extended hours and programming on school holidays. Young people take part in a range of programs and activities and enjoy a hot meal in this safe and inclusive space.
SHAK Team Leader Boab and Youth Worker Lyndal spoke to ABC Gives:
“Every day is totally different. The day-to-day is sport of every kind, we do arts and self-run things. We bring in different service providers and activities including music, dance, tech-based stuff like egaming and virtual reality, skateboarding and run basketball workshops. We’ll do anything that the kids are keen to do,” said Boab.
Lyndal said it’s like a second home for a lot of young people. “They come and hang out, play games, interact with youth workers, get a feed, experience different things and have a bit of mentorship.”
The SHAK came under Anglicare NT’s auspice in August this year, in a partnership with CAAPS Aboriginal Corporation.
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 | Services for older people
Life begins at 60 - get out there and enjoy it! That’s the message Sue Austin (on the right), Aged Care Services Manager at Anglicare NT shared through an interview for ABC Gives.
Sue and her team work across Darwin, Palmerston and surrounds offering support to older people. For Sue, the goal is for all older people to enjoy their lives for as long as they can.
Through the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CSHP) and Home Care Packages (HCP) our dedicated support workers, care coordinators and managers help people live independently for as long as possible through the provision of tailored supports and practical assistance.
For anyone needing more info about aged care services in the NT, Sue recommends heading to the My Aged Care website or calling 1800 200 422.
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 | Care Finder
Care Finder works with vulnerable older people in Darwin, Palmerston (and surrounds), Katherine and Alice Springs. Kellie and Karen had a chat with ABC Darwin about their jobs in the Care Finder program.
“We’ve had referrals from doctors, the hospital, politicians, the police, from a neighbour who rang up and said he was worried about his next-door neighbour, anyone can refer to us, anyone at all,” said Kellie Wright (on the right).
For Karen Ah Mat (on the left) improving people’s lives is the best part of her job. “Seeing someone who is possibly homeless with nowhere to go, and no aged care support, not even knowing they were eligible and then 6 months later seeing a change in their attitude, their general wellbeing, and happiness compared to when we first met them.”
Anglicare NT commenced delivery of the Care Finder program earlier this year. |
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 | Refugee and Migrant Settlement Service
Our Refugee and Migrant Settlement Service (RAMSS) offers a wide range of support, including housing support, assistance with employment, citizenship applications and social support.
RAMSS Settlement Worker Natalia Munoz works with participants to build social, emotional and cultural connections. In the true spirit of the service, Natalia taught people to dance the Flamenco at an R U OK? Day event organised by collaborative partner STEPS Adult Migrant English Program.
“Flamenco dancing is actually part of what I do for work, it’s community engagement. It’s a fun and meaningful activity that people can get together and enjoy. Through this community engagement I can build strong connections, build strong relationships so I can get to know people. I can create a safe relationship with people so in the future they can come to me and know me already, the trust is already built through fun activities,” said Natalia.
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Housing and homelessness services
Housing and Homelessness Program Manager Donna Warland (pictured with team) knows a thing or two about housing and homelessness in the Katherine region and is sadly accustomed to working with not nearly enough public housing to meet demand.
Donna spoke to ABC Gives about the demand she sees every day in her job as well as the difference support makes to individuals and families.
“The Katherine region has 33 times the national average of youth homelessness and 20 times the national average of family homelessness. You can imagine the demand is high and the resources are few,” Donna said.
“We can give people the tools and resources for them to be able to make their own decisions and empower themselves to a stronger future.”
The eleven properties managed by Anglicare NT in Katherine offer some respite through temporary accommodation for families and young people who are waiting for longer-term housing options.
For people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, the team also provide information, supported referrals, outreach, tenancy support, advocacy assistance and emergency relief. Staff also help people access essential goods like food and blankets and find safe accommodation.
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 | Spectrum of Fun
Older children and young people who are neurodiverse or on the autism spectrum connect at Spectrum of Fun after-school activities in Nhulunbuy. The inclusive space promotes social interaction and celebrates participants’ unique strengths and perspectives.
Teegan White is the coordinator of Spectrum of Fun in Nhulunbuy and was interviewed on Drive ABC Darwin about the playgroup designed for neurodiverse children.
"I create a space for young people who are neurodiverse to be themselves, let their guards down, be creative, have some fun and share with their peers.
To keep the fun and make it a safe non-judgemental space I also do the activities. I meet them at their level and get a lot out of it as well. It’s great to engage with people in different ways."
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 | headspace
Our headspace centres are busy hubs providing diverse services and tailored responses for young people aged 12 to 25 in the Darwin, Palmerston and Katherine regions.
Leila Heinrich is a Senior Peer Support Worker at headspace. As part of ABC Gives, Leila shared her story of using mental health services, what peer support workers do, how headspace works, and her top tip for young people having challenges.
“The joke is – the hardest part about being a peer support worker is explaining what peer support is. In a nutshell it’s somebody who has experienced mental health challenges and accessing mental health services, who has been trained to use those experiences to support people coming through services now. Part of it is providing a space for people to talk about what is going on without having to fix it or worrying about any judgement. We are also a guide through services sometimes, because people don’t know what to expect.
One thing I always say to people I work with is don’t wait until things get really bad. Often we tell ourselves that it’s not bad enough or that someone else has it worse, but if it’s starting to affect you and it’s starting to not feel right, it is never too early to reach out for support.”
Read the full transcript here.
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 | Home Interaction Program for Parents & Youngsters
Getting work-ready and learning to teach children through play are not two things you’d think would belong to the same program, but the Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) is not just any program!
“HIPPY as a whole does so much. We are working with families to strengthen their children and get them ready for school. We are working with families to help them understand that what they are doing at home is important and that they are teachers at home,“ said Heather Dingle HIPPY Coordinator in Katherine (pictured left).
“Then we look at employment pathways for our tutors to come through, and have a supported pathway out into the working world. HIPPY just has the most wonderful model that builds communities.”
The Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) is a free two-year program, supporting parents to develop their child’s love of learning. Anglicare NT offers HIPPY in Darwin, Katherine and Milingimbi.
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 | Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme
Your spare time could change a life! Volunteers with our Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS) visit an older person for an hour each fortnight. They go out for coffees, visit scenic locations, play board games and share stories.
Buddy visits 94 year old Terry and loves hearing Terry’s stories about his time as a crane driver, buffalo shooter, croc skinner, station owner and host at the Bark Hut Inn on the Arnhem Highway. They are tales of a life lived in full in country both wild and full of promise.
“Volunteering provides another dimension to my week, a kind of off-ramp from my regular routine of family and study and the noise of the outside world. In every room at the aged care facility each resident holds a story. Experiences of life and lessons to anyone curious or brave enough to ask,” said Buddy in an interview with ABC Gives.
Find the full interview here.
To find out how you can volunteer to visit an older person in Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs and Nhulunbuy email volunteers@anglicare-nt.org.au
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Copyright © 2023 Anglicare NT
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