Funding boost for new emergency accommodation in Alice Springs
BY ANTHONY CASTLE
The Salvation Army has successfully secured $7.8 million to develop new crisis accommodation for people affected by family and domestic violence in the Northern Territory.
The Federal Government is providing additional funding to secure 56 safe spaces for women and children experiencing family and domestic violence in Alice Springs.
The Salvation Army provides a variety of services nationwide to support women and mothers affected by domestic and family violence.
“We are proud to have offered funding to The Salvation Army for its second Safe Places project in the Northern Territory to help address the demand for services in the area and meet the unique cultural needs of those seeking access to supports,” Federal Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth announced.
The Safe Places Inclusion Round federal funding will enable The Salvation Army to create 14 new crisis accommodation units.
“The Northern Territory has some of the highest rates of family and domestic violence in the country.”
The existing building designated for this purpose will be refurbished to provide units with one to three bedrooms, accommodating single women as well as larger families, including victim-survivors with a disability.
The Salvation Army Family Violence services offer refuges and other supported accommodation for adult and child victims of family violence, specialist case management support, children’s and parenting services, counselling, specialist Children’s Practitioners, and intervention programs for men across the country.
“The Northern Territory has some of the highest rates of family and domestic violence in the country,” explains Hannah Stephen, The Salvation Army’s State Manager of Family Violence for QLD/NT. “Safe and inclusive accommodation is important for adult and child victim-survivors to recover from their experiences of family violence.
The Salvation Army is committed to providing services that are inclusive of individuals of all genders, ages, those living with disabilities, and members of LGBTIQ+ and CALD communities.
The Salvos services focus on prevention, crisis response, recovery and healing to provide specialised family violence support to families and individuals.
“We are grateful for the funding from the Federal Government to establish a much-needed family violence crisis accommodation in Alice Springs as this will provide up to 86 safe places for adult and child victim-survivors annually,” Hannah says.
“This trauma-informed and culturally safe space will be crucial for victim-survivors as it will not only provide safety and stability but will also create opportunities for recovery and empowerment.”
