New light, new day as PM opens village

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has officially opened a new accommodation village for homeless Indigenous people in Alice Springs, which will be managed by Mission Australia.

The Aherlkeme Village will offer transitional housing and help homeless people move into more permanent housing by giving them the skills to access and hold a tenancy in either the public or private market.

Aherlkeme, meaning ‘new light, new day’, is designed to help break the cycle of homelessness and reduce over crowding in town camps. It will provide 75 supported accommodation places, in 29 units of one to four bedrooms.

The $8.3 million village is part of a government plan to transform areas of Alice Springs and its town camps so they are safe, healthy places to live.

Mission Australia will manage the village, as well as providing case management and tenancy support services.

Through these services, tenants will develop:

• Knowledge and skills to maintain a safe and healthy home
• Skills to resolve conflicts and manage visitors
• An understanding of tenancy rights and responsibilities
• Greater responsibility in their homes and neighbourhoods
• An understanding of how to access support services once they leave the village

Ms Gillard opened the Aherlkeme Village today, with Mission Australia's Northern Territory director Phillip Leslie. Aherlkeme is about 5km from the township of Alice Springs.

Image: Prime Minister Julia Gillard at the new Aherlkeme Village with Mission Australia's Northern Territory director Phillip Leslie (centre) and staff from Mission Australia's Alice Springs office.

Hotel refurbishment helps those in need

An Alice Springs hotel has generously donated 180 desks, 50 chairs and 180 televisions to support Mission Australia’s range of local community programs.

The Crowne Plaza, which is a national supporter of Mission Australia, saw the donation, as an opportunity to help out on a local level.

“We are currently refurbishing our guest rooms and replacing some of the furniture. It just makes sense to pass it on to someone else who can use it,” said General Manager Monique Harmer on Tuesday, when the shipping container of donated goods arrived.

“This is one way we can give back and say thank you to the community in which we operate.”

Mission Australia’s NT Operations Manager Community Services, Brad McIver, said that the furniture will make a valuable contribution to a number of support programs the organisation is establishing in Alice Springs and the surrounding region as part of the Australian Government initiative to help people who are either homeless or at risk of being so.

“There are so many things we take for granted in our daily live that are beyond the reach of others. These donations will really make a difference to individuals and families in the Alice Springs area,” said Mr McIver.

Photo (L to R): Monique Harmer, General Manager Crowne Plaza Alice Springs and Jeff Prossor, Mission Australia’s Alice Springs Services Manager.

Spirit of adventure

Cally Faithful describes herself as fun-loving and adventurous. Not just for parachuting solo, but also for moving to Darwin to become Mission Australia’s Northern Territory Chaplain.

Cally is passionate about serving God. This passion has seen her pursue chaplaincy work in Melbourne hospitals before feeling the call to move north. When Cally saw the advertisement for the position of NT Chaplain her “heart did a flip” and she felt called to go.

The focus of Cally’s role as a Chaplain is to build positive relationships with Mission Australia staff and encourage the expression of our values. This means regular one-on-one conversations with our employees; visiting services across Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs; leading reflections at staff meetings and writing regular inspirational pieces for the Territory team.

Developing relationships with such a great team with flexibility and autonomy is a highlight of the job. Such flexibility allows Cally to be available to those who need her at the drop of a hat, enabling genuine relationships to be built.

During her year in the Northern Territory Cally has seen the need for reconciliation for Aboriginal people as well as changes in attitudes. Through our Reconciliation Action Plan, she believes Mission Australia can be advocates for change in the community and engage with the government, police and justice bodies.

Cally continues to be inspired by what the NT team is doing in the community and feels blessed to be able to support and encourage them in the work that they do.

Cally is one of Mission Australia’s 14 full-time Chaplains who work across the nation – five in New South Wales, three in Queensland, two in Western Australia and one each in the Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. They are joined by three volunteer Chaplains.  For more information please visit www.missionaustralia.com.au/about-mission-australia/chaplaincy