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New Child and Family Centre for Wadeye, established by community leaders
Freya Lucas
Jul 27, 2023
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A capital works grant of $548,280 has allowed the Da Ngimalmin Child and Family Centre in the remote Northern Territory community of Wadeye to refurbish an old church and give the vital community service a new lease on life.
"Child and family centres are designed to strengthen family and community capacity as well as assist families to access support services including maternal and child health, early childhood development and parental assistance," explained Minister for Youth Lauren Moss.Da Ngimalmin has been active in the community, running activities to connect children to Country, including on-Country camps since November 2021, with the Territory Labor Government providing $2.4 million over five years to establish and operate the Da Ngimalmin Child and Family Centre.
As well as the old church providing a long-term site for the Da Ngimalmin Child and Family Centre, the old mission kitchen across the road has been repurposed for staff accommodation.
The child and family centre will provide a space for local children and families to connect and access services that improve their wellbeing, and was established by community leaders with the support of the Thamarrur Development Corporation.
As well as helping children and families, the service has dedicated areas for women's and men's groups.
Including the Da Ngimalmin Child and Family Centre in Wadeye, there are now six child and family centres operated by Aboriginal organisations across the Territory, with a further six child and family centres managed by the Department of Education.
The Territory Labor Government has committed a further $1.2 million in 2022-23 to Aboriginal organisations in the Tiwi Islands and East Arnhem regions to ensure support services are available for children, young people and families living in the communities of Gapuwiyak and Wurrumiyanga with permanent child and family centres to be established in these communities by early 2025.
"The opening of the Da Ngimalmin Child and Family Centre this week provided a time to reflect our old people's vision and recognise the work they've done to pave the foundations for our next generation,” said Member for Daly Dheran Young.
"Da Ngimalmin play an important role in supporting families, young people and children to navigate services that are culturally safe as well as connecting families to their traditional lands.”
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