Funding was announced this month to refurbish the local youth centre managed by Tangentyere Council on Brown Street in Alice Springs, which will give young people access to improved services at the centre where they can meet, socialise, play sport and study.
Federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, Federal Minister for Indigenous Health, Warren Snowdon, and Northern Territory Minister for Central Australia, Karl Hampton, announced the refurbishment project on 11 March 2010.
Tracey Brand, Reg Hatch and Christa Barten-Westermann at the youth centre following the funding announcement.
The refurbished centre will give local youth a welcoming and safe place to socialise, with improved and expanded services and activities. At the centre, the young visitors can link up with other youth services and participate in education programs.
Tangentyere Council’s Youth Services program has a long history of delivering a range of services for young people and this funding will allow it to build from this platform to further provide enriching programs to young people in Alice Springs.
Last month construction started at Larapinta Valley on the first of 85 houses to be built in the Alice Springs Town Camps as part of the housing and infrastructure works. This month work has progressed significantly on the house and it is still on schedule to be completed around May 2010.
The first concrete was poured at the Larapinta Valley house early in March.
The first house at Larapinta Valley at the end of March.
Construction also began this month on five other houses as part of the early works program; another one at Larapinta Valley, two at Little Sisters and two at Hidden Valley. In addition, work began on the refurbishments of the town camp houses, specifically, in Palmer’s and Ilparpa town camps. The construction and refurbishment work being undertaken continues to have a strong Aboriginal workforce, with Aboriginal employment currently exceeding 50%.
Construction on one of the new houses at Little Sisters.
Locations for the remaining 77 new houses across the town camps are close to being finalised. Territory Alliance, which is carrying out the housing and infrastructure works, has consulted the Housing Reference Groups that operate in each town camp on the design, size and location of the new houses. These groups, made up of residents from each town camp, provide advice on housing and tenancy management issues.
ASTP Indigenous Engagement Officers also helped to facilitate this process, engaging with the Housing Reference Groups throughout March to coordinate consultations. They have also continued to consult with residents on the progress of the new rubbish bin collection service, which began last month and has been well received by residents.