David Malouf visits Mission Australia Centre

Author David Malouf at the
Mission Australia Centre, Surry Hills

One of Australia's greatest authors, David Malouf, visited the Mission Australia Centre in Sydney's Surry Hills yesterday to take part in a groundbreaking program which offers university-accredited study to support and inspire disadvantaged and marginalised people.

The Catalyst-Clemente program is a joint initiative between the Australian Catholic University (ACU) and Mission Australia and uses the Arts and Humanities - eg: literature, drama - to build participants' self-esteem, create a feeling of community engagement and develop new possibilities for the future.

The visit - which had been kindly arranged the Australian Catholic University - coincided with the current Catalyst intake's study of one of Mr Malouf's best known novels, the Booker Prize-shortlisted, Remembering Babylon.

Class members had the unique opportunity to ask Mr Malouf a range of questions related to the novel and it's structure, formation of characters and writing style.

Catalyst-Clemente is based on the belief that poverty is more than just exclusion from material goods - it's also about social exclusion.

Accordingly, the way out of poverty is about giving people access to more than just a wage or vocational training, it's also about engaging them in activities that lead to social interaction, learning and community participation.

Since beginning in 2003, Catalyst-Clemente is now offered in Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra, Perth, Melbourne and with Adelaide soon to follow.