Policy & Advocacy

We provide services and resources to members to support their transition to registration as a community housing provider (CHP), and encourage more Aboriginal organisations to join us.

The peak body for Aboriginal community-controlled health services in the Northern Territory. AMSANT works with the Government and communities to provide effective Aboriginal medical services and lobbies Government for positive changes that help to improve the health of Aboriginal people.

The service advocates for equality in health focusing on supporting the provision of high-quality comprehensive primary health-care services for Aboriginal communities. AMSANT also provides representation on committees, forums, conferences, meetings, inquiries, commissions and seminars relating to Aboriginal health.

The Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory—APO NT—is an alliance comprising the Aboriginal Medical Service Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT), North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA), Central Land Council (CLC), Northern Land Council (NLC), Tiwi Land Council (TLC), Anindilyakwa Land Council (ALC), Aboriginal Housing NT (AHNT) and the Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network (NT IBN).

The alliance was created to provide a more effective response to key issues of joint interest and concern affecting Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory, including providing practical policy solutions to government.

APO NT is committed to increasing Aboriginal involvement in policy development and implementation, and to expanding opportunities for Aboriginal community control.

APO NT seeks to strengthen networks between peak and regional Aboriginal organisations and smaller locally-based organisations in the Northern Territory.

Since 2010, Anglicare NT has played a crucial role as the Facilitating Partner for the Communities for Children program in Alice Springs.

The program facilitates a whole-of-community approach to support early childhood development and wellbeing, with a focus on children from birth to 12 years and can include children up to 18 years and their families. The service delivery scope encompasses urban Alice Springs, Sandover-Plenty, Yuendumu-Anmatjerre, Tanami and Petermann-Simpson.

Alice Springs Communities for Children is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.

Our Vision

Every child has the best possible chance in life to grow up healthy and strong.

Our Community Partners

Australian Childhood Foundation

OurSpace NT – Care for Carers is based on the Bringing Up Great Kids parenting program. The service aims to support parents and carers to review and enhance their patterns of communication with their children, to promote more respectful interactions and encourage the development of children’s positive self-identity.

Relationships Australia NT

Holding Children Together is a therapeutic service that aims to reduce the impact of complex trauma and neglect on children aged 5 to 12. The service seeks to strengthen the child’s family and broader relational networks, in turn increasing the child’s experience of safety and improvements in their social, emotional, psychological and behavioural functioning and wellbeing.

Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council

Health and Wellbeing for Anangu in Remote NPY Communities aims to encourage creativity and exploration of different nutrition options. It will assist Anangu living in remote communities to overcome some of the barriers to their overall health and wellbeing. Through material assistance, along with education and support, NPY aims to improve food security and assist with meeting the increasing number of requests for food from Anangu families.

Children’s Ground

The Early Years Learning and Wellbeing program is delivered on Country through the leadership of Elders and cultural educators, alongside Western-trained teachers. Children experience an education that spans both First Nations and Western learning systems. Through this program, First Nations children grow up strong in utnenge (spirit) and are confident to be First Nations people in a global world.

Further information

Visit the Australian Government Communities for Children website to find out more.

For regular updates, follow us on Facebook  @ Communities for Children – Alice Springs

The East Arnhem Communities for Children (EA C4C) initiative works with Community Partners and stakeholders to support activities which meet local needs and reflect the aspirations of communities within the region. EA C4C encourages cross sector collaboration, partnerships and the development of language based resources, alongside two-way learning in the areas of early childhood, children’s services and family support.

This initiative is guided by the East Arnhem Communities for Children Committee, a group of community leaders with a passion for improving outcomes for families and their children.

East Arnhem Communities for Children is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.

Community Partners

East Arnhem Regional Council
Growing Up Strong Kids (GUSK) focuses on improving individual, family and community nutrition and supports child development activities in Gapuwiyak community.

Remote Playgroups

The Numbulwar Saltwater Playgroup, based at the community school and Ngukurr Freshwater Playgroup, based at the Guluman Child and Family Centre, are staffed by dedicated Aboriginal
Playgroup Workers.

These remote community playgroups engage parents/carers and their children in regular, culturally meaningful play based development activities. Playgroups build confidence, connections and support systems.

Funded by the National Indigenous Australians Agency.

EA C4C Resource Unit

Play and Learn Support (PALS) Resource
The Play and Learn Support (PALS) Resource is a tool for facilitating conversations about effective parenting. The PALS activity uses a bi-cultural approach to promote understanding and exploration of child development milestones, neural pathways and effective parenting practices. PALS also supports a small-scale playgroup in Yurrwi (Milingimbi).

Family Skills Facilitator Service
The Family Skills Facilitator Service uses strengths-based, culturally adapted case management and group work to support families who need extra assistance on the Gove Peninsula.

We Grow Them Up
This unique Learning Forum celebrates, showcases and promotes culturally meaningful, place based and regional initiatives. Early childhood children’s services, family support workers, community leaders and stakeholders share learnings, develop networks and promote child friendly communities.

The forum provides opportunities for extensive community consultations about local needs and how to best provide support to families in each community within the region.

The Partnership Support Service (PSS) partners with Aboriginal controlled organisations to deliver strong and sustainable services.

We operate on a fee for service model that prioritises shared learning, respect and strong relationships driven by the needs of our partners. Together we work on expectations, goals and outcomes.

Common requests are:

• Advice and guidance
• Co-design of services
• Policy development
• Project management
• Grant writing
• Locum relief support
• Tailored training
• Workforce development
• Systems support
• Report writing
• Practice support and coaching
• Referrals to third party providers

Guided by the APO NT Partnership Principles for working with Aboriginal organisations and communities in the NT, PSS is a valuable and affordable service committed to Aboriginal-led outcomes.

Staff Assistance, Learning and Training Program (SALT)
SALT is for people working in regional and remote communities in the Northern Territory, to take ‘time-out’ of busy work schedules, to reflect and learn with a professional coach.
Find out more here: SALT A4 Flyer

PSS eBulletin
Subscribe to our fortnightly PSS eBulletin to keep in touch with the latest news, grant opportunities, jobs and sector updates.

To learn more, call us on 08 8985 0000 or email pss@anglicare-nt.org.au

The NT Community Visitor Program is an independent service located in the Anti-Discrimination Commission.

Its aim to ensure the rights of those being treated for mental illness or disability are upheld and their views and concerns are heard.

Community visitors are people employed by the CVP who regularly visit Mental Health Inpatient facilities and Disability Secure Care facilities to ensure an appropriate standard of care.

The Community Visitor Program (CVP) provides monitoring, complaint resolution and advocacy services for people detained and receiving care under the Mental Health and Related Services Act 1998 and Disability Services Act 1993. The CVP also makes and monitors recommendations on systemic issues such as interpreter use and seclusion reduction.

Everyone has the right to equal opportunity. Discrimination happens when you are treated unfairly on the grounds of attributes like race, sex or age. But it’s only against the law in the Northern Territory if the unfair treatment happens in certain areas of life, such as work and accessing goods, services and facilities. If this happens, you can:

• report discrimination – this is an informal report and can be made anonymously
  • can you report online
  • or download a form to complete:
    • Word version of form DOCX (65.3 KB)
    • PDF version of form PDF (576.0 KB)
• make a complaint – this is a formal complaint to the Anti-Discrimination Commission.

Under the Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Act 1992, unlawful discrimination and unfair treatment is based on the following attributes:

• race
• sex
• sexual orientation
• age
• pregnancy
• carer responsibilities
• disability
• religious belief or activity
• irrelevant medical record
• relationship status
• breastfeeding
• language, including sign language
• gender identity
• sex characteristics
• accommodation status
• employment status
• employment in sex work or engaging in sex work including past employment in sex work or engagement in sex work
• HIV/Hepatitis status
• subject to domestic violence
• trade union or employer association activity
• political opinion, affiliation or activity
• irrelevant criminal record
• your details being published under section 66M of the Fines and Penalties (Recovery) Act 2001
• association with a person who has, or is believed to have one of these attributes.

The Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC) is Central Australia’s peak environmental organisation defending the desert country for over 40 years. We campaign, advocate and support local people to take action for the protection of arid lands and people.

We are a strong and trusted voice for Australia’s iconic desert country. We stand up and speak out for the protection of land and water, animals and plants, special places and the communities that depend on them.

We work with partners across vast landscapes to deliver solutions to the ecological challenges we face. We understand the importance of knowledge, science, research, education and engaging the community on the issues that matter.

The Association of Alcohol and other Drug Agencies Northern Territory (AADANT) Incorporated is the peak body for Alcohol and Other Drugs treatment services in the Northern Territory.

As an independent, membership-driven, not-for-profit association, we work with our members to support and strengthen Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) service delivery for people who experience harmful substance use in the Northern Territory.

Our mission is to build and maintain a strong, sustainable and culturally diverse AOD sector that works together to reduce alcohol and drug-related related harm across the Northern Territory.