Northern Territory

We continue to actively strive to improve our networks, awareness and reach across the Northern Territory. Isolation, inequality in access to services, and food security issues were exacerbated by COVID lockdowns, and community groups responded with innovative projects aimed at contributing to a culturally vibrant community (25% of grants) and developing organisational resilience and capacity (21% of grants).

The importance of flexibility in our programs is clearly evidenced in the NT, where 75% of all grants awarded were via the Strengthening Rural Communities program (21 grants totalling $199,458). This program funds a broad range of grassroots, community-led initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities that strengthen local people, places and climate solutions.

Awarded
$324,971

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28 Grants
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Strengthening Rural Communities | Tim Fairfax Family Foundation & Pinnacle Charitable Foundation | $5,000

Art diversion in Daly River

On Malak Malak Country

The people of the Aboriginal community of Nauiyu, 2.5 hours from Darwin, hold a strong connection to their land and culture. Despite the idyllic location, Nauiyu experiences alcohol and drug misuse within its small population. Yet there is strong community support for culturally appropriate and real solutions that respond to community needs and build local capacity and leadership.

Red Dust is an organisation that co-designs innovative health and community development programs through trusted relationships with First Nations communities. For the people of Nauiyu, a diversion program celebrating cultural identity and pride provides a means to connect and engage the vulnerable community.

Red Dust’s Local Drug Action team coordinated the Red Dust Community Art Collaboration project with local organisations Green River Aboriginal Corporation, Merrepen Arts and Ironbark. With a $5,000 Strengthening Rural Communities grant funded by the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation & Pinnacle Charitable Foundation, Red Dust will deliver three large murals. The project will not only create beautiful public spaces and bring the dreaming of the Nauiyu community to life, it will also support the health, wellbeing and future opportunities for local youth.

While the project is ongoing, the first piece, featuring Daly River artist Kieren Karritpul, is complete.

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Strengthening Rural Communities | FRRR | $9,800

It takes GUTS to address division through dance

On Mparntwe Country

GUTS Dance Central Australia saw an opportunity to celebrate local diverse cultures and build social cohesion in Alice Springs – through dance! As the only contemporary dance organisation within a 1,500 km radius, the job was theirs.

With a $9,800 Strengthening Rural Communities grant funded by FRRR, the team delivered a Community Dance Day (CDD) as part of SPRING.LOADED.DANCE, GUTS’ inaugural contemporary dance festival. CDD included 50 dancers from nine diverse groups showcasing their practices to the public (and getting paid!).

“We see dance as a universal language that crosses cultural boundaries. People who are part of these dance groups are often newly arrived to Australia and they find cultural connection within the dance groups, or are First Nations Australian’s on whose land we live, and whose culture needs to be seen, respected and learned about

Madeleine Krenek, Co-Artistic Director

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Strengthening Rural Communities | Tim Fairfax Family Foundation | $10,000

Staying power

On Eastern Arrernte Country

Ltyentye Apurte Catholic School (LACS) is the only school serving the 600-strong community of Ltyentye Apurte (pronounced ‘L-Ginga Porter’), or Santa Teresa, located 83 km SE of Alice Springs in semi-desert country.

While residents and the school face many challenges – poor housing and health, high unemployment and intergenerational trauma make extreme socio-economic disadvantage the norm – the community understands that the school’s success is a key component in the community’s success.

All 126 students on roll are Indigenous and bilingual (Eastern Arrernte and English), and most teachers at LACS are non-Indigenous, however the school is a major employer of local Arrernte people who fill a multitude of critical support roles. Teachers and locals work in partnership, and the community benefits from communal facilities like the library and computers.

Isolation and the challenges of ongoing change, uncertainty, and significant turnover of new staff mean that staff need all the support they can get to address factors that have a terrible impact on stress, trust and engagement levels.

With a $10,000 grant from SRC, funded by the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, LACS ran the Resilience Educators Program (REP), including the two-day workshop “Thriving Through Change and Challenge”. It saw them set goals, learn new skills, and commit to a range of activities to build on the lessons.

“It has become part of our school culture for staff to check in with each other on how they are travelling, especially concerning sleep, exercise and levels of stress,” said Pamela Brown, Acting Principal. Staff collaboration has translated into improved wellbeing community-wide, and this is a wonderful result for the youth of Santa Teresa. 

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