Why the Doorways program is done differently in the Northern Territory
The Salvation Army Doorways service provides emergency relief and holistic case management for people who come to the Salvos in need. A national model was implemented in 2022 to better offer those services and supports across the country, but the way it’s delivered in the Northern Territory is a work in progress.
BY ANTHONY CASTLE
The Doorways program has been reaching out in a different way to meet the unique needs of Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory.
“A team of us went to the Northern Territory to speak with the Doorways workers and corps to get an idea of the context for service delivery,” says Belinda Hendrickson, Research Analyst.
“Doorways is delivered differently in the Northern Territory in terms of providing a service that is culturally sensitive for Indigenous community members.”
Belinda is with The Salvation Army’s Policy, Research and Social Justice team and has been involved in evaluating the implementation of the national Doorways model since 2023.
She and members of the research team visited 21 sites across the country to understand how the national model is working in different contexts, with recent visits to Darwin and Alice Springs.
“In the Northern Territory, many casework sessions are delivered through outreach,” says Belinda. “What we have come to understand is that buildings can be a trigger for some of the Indigenous community members, and so providing an option to meet with people outside seems to help their engagement with Doorways. We observed how the Doorways workers establish relationships with Indigenous community members through outreach, and the mutual trust is very apparent.”
Engagement program
The Doorways Team in Darwin meet with rough sleepers every Tuesday, offering tea and coffee and establishing trust within the local community to gauge their needs. Outreach is also offered in the Northern Territory through the Studio Off the Streets program. Studio Off the Streets is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement program using art to build relationships with the local community.
“We had an elderly community member who attended our program each week,” explains Jamie-Leigh Barnard, Doorways Regional Manager in the Northern Territory. “One week, she looked extremely unwell. She began to open up after the caseworker expressed concern. The caseworker quickly arranged for her to visit the hospital, where it was discovered that she had kidney failure and urgently needed dialysis.”
The community member revealed a significant fear of hospitals, which had been a barrier to accessing medical treatment. The caseworkers collaborated with an Aboriginal health worker to gradually introduce her to the hospital environment, healthcare staff, the dialysis procedure, and the machines involved. After several weeks of support, she finally agreed to start dialysis.
“She had a heart attack as well and needed open-heart surgery in Adelaide,” Jamie-Leigh shares. “We reached out to the Salvos in Adelaide, who visited her in hospital, offering personal hygiene items, clothing and support. This journey ultimately helped her secure the disability support pension. She came to us in poor health, and through our combined efforts, she received the necessary treatment, surgery, accommodation and ongoing support. It truly built her capacity to thrive.”
“What I’m learning is it’s about establishing trust, actively listening, and collaboratively delivering a service to meet the unique needs of each community.”
There are hundreds of Doorways sites across Australia, many running in partnership with local corps and ministries. The evaluation of the national Doorways model will continue to investigate how it supports communities in different contexts across the country.
“In the Northern Territory, there do appear to be benefits for engagement through outreach programs such as Studio Off the Streets,” Belinda says. “Whilst we’re still analysing the data from these sites, perhaps the outreach program, combined with Doorways, could enhance the service offered in other locations across the country with a high Indigenous population.
“As an outsider, I see how Jamie and her team prioritise relationship-building with Indigenous community members in the Northern Territory. I also get a sense that caseworkers across the country will always bring innovation to case management. What I’m learning is it’s about establishing trust, actively listening, and collaboratively delivering a service to meet the unique needs of each community.”
