Meeting People where they are...
Alice Springs is a town that is struggling to find its place in a time of global transition. An iconic town for both Australia and international tourists, it is itself being shaped by global trends. As a consequence of these developments, the town’s diversity is increasing, but our social cohesion is in turn evermore complex.
Locally, Alice Springs is affected by - and in turn affects - 256 remote communities that use the town as a hub for services. Many Aboriginal families and youth in Alice Springs and Central Australia are caught in intergenerational poverty. They live with personal histories of trauma and are affected by high rates of domestic violence and suicide. Their lives also are compromised by extremely poor health and poor educational outcomes. The majority of ‘traditional’ Many Aboriginal people (who speak English as a second language) find it difficult to enter the mainstream job market. Most of these families also have at any time adult members who are incarcerated, further deepening the burden of everyday life.
The town’s story is complex and evolving, but the thrust of the narrative is clear: distant from major capitals and their ancillary resources, connected to global forces and people movements, and faced with an impoverished, marginalised and often despairing Aboriginal communities whose youth are now trying to navigate a new and uncertain cultural transition without help or role models, Alice Springs needs fresh leadership and to draw on the latent strengths of its peoples, diverse cultures and remarkable environment.
The majority of Aboriginal families and youth in Alice Springs and Central Australia are caught in intergenerational poverty. They live with personal histories of trauma and are affected by high rates of domestic violence and suicide. Their lives also are compromised by extremely poor health and poor educational outcomes. The majority of ‘traditional’ Aboriginal people (who speak English as a second language) find it difficult to enter the mainstream job market. Most of these families also have at any time adult members who are incarcerated, further deepening the burden of everyday life.
The town is a site where Aboriginal people are continuing to make their own difficult transitions; with younger generations trying to bridge strong-and-ongoing traditional expectations with a world of social media and hi-tech consumerism. Many are finding that drugs and imported gang culture provide quick answers to their confusion and they get caught up in anti social activities and the Youth Justice system. This context creates a vicious spiral of problems that requires benevolent relief in order for people to even meet basic needs, and, slowly, provide people any hope of bringing about change and participation in mainstream Australian society. The town’s story is complex and evolving, but there is much that divides us and that division creates fear and mistrust on many fronts. Distant from major capitals and their ancillary resources, connected to global forces and people movements, and faced with an impoverished, marginalised and often despairing Aboriginal communities whose youth are now trying to navigate a new and uncertain cultural transition without help or role models, Alice Springs needs fresh leadership and to draw on the latent strengths of its peoples, diverse cultures and remarkable environment.
The Meeting Place Foundation was formed out of a hope that as people meet, division can be broken down. As truth is told and people feel valued and respected they are empowered to make the decisions they want to make. Over the years the Foundation has always listened to people and for ideas springing up from our community. Our response has been to ask how can we help? In doing this, over the years the meeting place foundation has supported a number of short to longer term programs including the meeting place drop in centre, spirit journeys and art projects. We have also received a grant in partnership with the desert song festival for music programs with young people. We currently are partnered with the Alice Springs Uniting Church and have assisted them with transport needs of members who lack transport options; and with the grandmothers group and have assisted with the provision of food and a space. We are currently seeking other grants and remain always open to the possibility of other initiatives we can offer our support to. If you are someone who shares our hope and vision and have an initiative please get in touch
The Alice Springs uniting Church has dedicated its land and buildings to develop a physical space to support this vision. The Church shares the belief that change is always possible, that transformation awaits even in what appears to be the most hopeless situation Previous News: November 2020: For over five years Tamara Cornthwaite has been the embodiment of The Alice Springs Meeting Place’s values, hopes and activity. Along with a small band of enthusiastic people Tamara was involved right from the start and helped bring to life our vision of being a ‘meeting place’ for the community, particularly Aboriginal youth. She has been one of the driving forces of our amazing collective of volunteers ever since. As a highly-skilled arts practitioner Tamara has used creativity to build relationships with young people; in so-doing she has helped create a safe space for young people to express themselves and their creativity. In the second half of 2020 she has once again facilitated the painting of the outside of our drop in centre. She has done so in partnership with Aboriginal families and young people themselves. And the result is a public statement in the heart of town; a façade of a building that is itself both a work of art and the demonstration of the message that all are welcome. The Arrernte, Pitjantjara and Warlpiri text painted on the building means “we all live in this place” or “we are sitting in this place”. What a powerful message from young people to our town! Tamara has recently spent sometime rreflecting on her experience of volunteering at the Meeting Place, life in Alice Springs, and the gift of getting to know Aboriginal young people. It is worth hearing her voice, as she, as much as anyone has sought to give voice to young people in this town over the last six years. She writes: “Over the years The Meeting Place has been able to pay the rent to enable the creation of a united (or at least creatively-unified) front; consisting of a balancing act of care-giving, space-holding and the politics and challenges of co-creating a radicalised, intercultural safe-haven that exists outside the closed doors of commodified work ethics that so often disrupts the free and practical care-giving we should be allowed to perform as a society. As I look back, it has been a remarkable six years of relying (for the most part) on volunteers and community donations of food, and the ongoing collecting and distributing of paint into artists hands, or paint that is applied - again and again - to the walls of this meeting place. Donations of art materials, expertise and time has provided a platform to meet-with-and-go-beyond a community’s basic needs; to create a resting place with water, amenities and food. It is a program as simple as providing the human right to drinking water and in the case of many that frequent the space, The Rights of a Child: to PLAY and have access to EDUCATION that will act to the betterment of their lives. We’ve been establishing relationships in the heart of town for years, co-existing with the many Central and APY Language speakers in a landscape of oppression in all its colourful magnitude, while spending time with a growing cohort of young people, all dealing with family breakdowns and cultural obligations severed by a widening generational gap of traditional knowledge lost and unpassed. Many young people are visitors to what we call the Central Business District (CBD) of Alice Springs and it’s here that they witness the racial prejudice; tense with the violence of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of a post-colonialist notion of Black-&-White and the righteousness of our past-wrongs. Operating in this shared space is an awkward slow dance of negotiating values and belief systems while activating empathy and willingness to assist in the creation of somewhere many at-risk youth feel safe, free of judgment and shame. If we can keep working to empower these young people with positive role-modelling and inspiring hope for the future with vocational training opportunities, I see only good things ahead.” The power of Tamara’s work is not just visible to all in terms of the community murals she has facilitated on our behalf, it is also hidden in the hearts of the people she has spent time with. Recently, Tamara returned from a work trip to Tennant Creek, and shared this news with the other volunteers. She related how a young person in his early twenties came up to her and they both had that “I’ve know you from somewhere”, moment. A few stabs at “Maybe here in Tennant on a previous visit?” was brushed aside by the young man who exclaimed, “No, I know: it was in Alice Springs, you’re from the Meeting Place, aren’t you?”Tamara, recognised him as well. He was, as he put it, “one of the first group of kids to hang out in the Meeting Place when it opened.” He then simply said: “I want you to know that we know how much you did for us.” What an affirmation of the simple desire to meet; to show respect, to get to know one another! This young man was one of those young people too often held in suspicion by some in our wider society, and yet here we was, working for an Aboriginal company, using his creativity in a professional job, making his contribution to our town and our region.If we all could take leaf out of Tamara’s book and simply sit down and meet others - no matter our current fears or tired old stories, then there is hope: there are “good things ahead.” Meeting People, Changing Stories: By Rev Dr Steve Bevis Some time back a couple of interested members from our local community wanted to see the Meeting Place for themselves. They'd heard about our work with young people in the centre of town and wanted to find out more. As we approached the front doors a couple of young people ran up beside us and asked: "Can we come into the Meeting Place?!" I said to them, "well, it's not opening time, and there's no volunteers, so probably right now is not a good moment." I figured they'd be disappointed, but couldn't see a way around it. They quickly replied, "That's ok, but can we get a drink of water?" Being a typical hot Central Australian afternoon I said, "sure;" thinking I could probably manage to show our visitors around and then have everyone leave the building without too much trouble. As I opened the doors the two youngsters burst through the door, and past myself and our visitors, and quick s a flash turned around and said: "This is the meeting place! It's killer! We hang out here! Do you want a glass of water?" They then filled some cups and handed them around. Yes, that's right, two young people, Aboriginal youth who live lives at the centre of public concern and with national attention such as Royal Commissions into Youth Detention, offered hospitality to our visitors. That is what the Alice Springs Meeting Place Foundation is all about. People meeting, and stories changing. -Rev Dr Steve Bevis
Locally, Alice Springs is affected by - and in turn affects - 256 remote communities that use the town as a hub for services. Many Aboriginal families and youth in Alice Springs and Central Australia are caught in intergenerational poverty. They live with personal histories of trauma and are affected by high rates of domestic violence and suicide. Their lives also are compromised by extremely poor health and poor educational outcomes. The majority of ‘traditional’ Many Aboriginal people (who speak English as a second language) find it difficult to enter the mainstream job market. Most of these families also have at any time adult members who are incarcerated, further deepening the burden of everyday life.
The town’s story is complex and evolving, but the thrust of the narrative is clear: distant from major capitals and their ancillary resources, connected to global forces and people movements, and faced with an impoverished, marginalised and often despairing Aboriginal communities whose youth are now trying to navigate a new and uncertain cultural transition without help or role models, Alice Springs needs fresh leadership and to draw on the latent strengths of its peoples, diverse cultures and remarkable environment.
The majority of Aboriginal families and youth in Alice Springs and Central Australia are caught in intergenerational poverty. They live with personal histories of trauma and are affected by high rates of domestic violence and suicide. Their lives also are compromised by extremely poor health and poor educational outcomes. The majority of ‘traditional’ Aboriginal people (who speak English as a second language) find it difficult to enter the mainstream job market. Most of these families also have at any time adult members who are incarcerated, further deepening the burden of everyday life.
The town is a site where Aboriginal people are continuing to make their own difficult transitions; with younger generations trying to bridge strong-and-ongoing traditional expectations with a world of social media and hi-tech consumerism. Many are finding that drugs and imported gang culture provide quick answers to their confusion and they get caught up in anti social activities and the Youth Justice system. This context creates a vicious spiral of problems that requires benevolent relief in order for people to even meet basic needs, and, slowly, provide people any hope of bringing about change and participation in mainstream Australian society. The town’s story is complex and evolving, but there is much that divides us and that division creates fear and mistrust on many fronts. Distant from major capitals and their ancillary resources, connected to global forces and people movements, and faced with an impoverished, marginalised and often despairing Aboriginal communities whose youth are now trying to navigate a new and uncertain cultural transition without help or role models, Alice Springs needs fresh leadership and to draw on the latent strengths of its peoples, diverse cultures and remarkable environment.
The Meeting Place Foundation was formed out of a hope that as people meet, division can be broken down. As truth is told and people feel valued and respected they are empowered to make the decisions they want to make. Over the years the Foundation has always listened to people and for ideas springing up from our community. Our response has been to ask how can we help? In doing this, over the years the meeting place foundation has supported a number of short to longer term programs including the meeting place drop in centre, spirit journeys and art projects. We have also received a grant in partnership with the desert song festival for music programs with young people. We currently are partnered with the Alice Springs Uniting Church and have assisted them with transport needs of members who lack transport options; and with the grandmothers group and have assisted with the provision of food and a space. We are currently seeking other grants and remain always open to the possibility of other initiatives we can offer our support to. If you are someone who shares our hope and vision and have an initiative please get in touch
The Alice Springs uniting Church has dedicated its land and buildings to develop a physical space to support this vision. The Church shares the belief that change is always possible, that transformation awaits even in what appears to be the most hopeless situation Previous News: November 2020: For over five years Tamara Cornthwaite has been the embodiment of The Alice Springs Meeting Place’s values, hopes and activity. Along with a small band of enthusiastic people Tamara was involved right from the start and helped bring to life our vision of being a ‘meeting place’ for the community, particularly Aboriginal youth. She has been one of the driving forces of our amazing collective of volunteers ever since. As a highly-skilled arts practitioner Tamara has used creativity to build relationships with young people; in so-doing she has helped create a safe space for young people to express themselves and their creativity. In the second half of 2020 she has once again facilitated the painting of the outside of our drop in centre. She has done so in partnership with Aboriginal families and young people themselves. And the result is a public statement in the heart of town; a façade of a building that is itself both a work of art and the demonstration of the message that all are welcome. The Arrernte, Pitjantjara and Warlpiri text painted on the building means “we all live in this place” or “we are sitting in this place”. What a powerful message from young people to our town! Tamara has recently spent sometime rreflecting on her experience of volunteering at the Meeting Place, life in Alice Springs, and the gift of getting to know Aboriginal young people. It is worth hearing her voice, as she, as much as anyone has sought to give voice to young people in this town over the last six years. She writes: “Over the years The Meeting Place has been able to pay the rent to enable the creation of a united (or at least creatively-unified) front; consisting of a balancing act of care-giving, space-holding and the politics and challenges of co-creating a radicalised, intercultural safe-haven that exists outside the closed doors of commodified work ethics that so often disrupts the free and practical care-giving we should be allowed to perform as a society. As I look back, it has been a remarkable six years of relying (for the most part) on volunteers and community donations of food, and the ongoing collecting and distributing of paint into artists hands, or paint that is applied - again and again - to the walls of this meeting place. Donations of art materials, expertise and time has provided a platform to meet-with-and-go-beyond a community’s basic needs; to create a resting place with water, amenities and food. It is a program as simple as providing the human right to drinking water and in the case of many that frequent the space, The Rights of a Child: to PLAY and have access to EDUCATION that will act to the betterment of their lives. We’ve been establishing relationships in the heart of town for years, co-existing with the many Central and APY Language speakers in a landscape of oppression in all its colourful magnitude, while spending time with a growing cohort of young people, all dealing with family breakdowns and cultural obligations severed by a widening generational gap of traditional knowledge lost and unpassed. Many young people are visitors to what we call the Central Business District (CBD) of Alice Springs and it’s here that they witness the racial prejudice; tense with the violence of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of a post-colonialist notion of Black-&-White and the righteousness of our past-wrongs. Operating in this shared space is an awkward slow dance of negotiating values and belief systems while activating empathy and willingness to assist in the creation of somewhere many at-risk youth feel safe, free of judgment and shame. If we can keep working to empower these young people with positive role-modelling and inspiring hope for the future with vocational training opportunities, I see only good things ahead.” The power of Tamara’s work is not just visible to all in terms of the community murals she has facilitated on our behalf, it is also hidden in the hearts of the people she has spent time with. Recently, Tamara returned from a work trip to Tennant Creek, and shared this news with the other volunteers. She related how a young person in his early twenties came up to her and they both had that “I’ve know you from somewhere”, moment. A few stabs at “Maybe here in Tennant on a previous visit?” was brushed aside by the young man who exclaimed, “No, I know: it was in Alice Springs, you’re from the Meeting Place, aren’t you?”Tamara, recognised him as well. He was, as he put it, “one of the first group of kids to hang out in the Meeting Place when it opened.” He then simply said: “I want you to know that we know how much you did for us.” What an affirmation of the simple desire to meet; to show respect, to get to know one another! This young man was one of those young people too often held in suspicion by some in our wider society, and yet here we was, working for an Aboriginal company, using his creativity in a professional job, making his contribution to our town and our region.If we all could take leaf out of Tamara’s book and simply sit down and meet others - no matter our current fears or tired old stories, then there is hope: there are “good things ahead.” Meeting People, Changing Stories: By Rev Dr Steve Bevis Some time back a couple of interested members from our local community wanted to see the Meeting Place for themselves. They'd heard about our work with young people in the centre of town and wanted to find out more. As we approached the front doors a couple of young people ran up beside us and asked: "Can we come into the Meeting Place?!" I said to them, "well, it's not opening time, and there's no volunteers, so probably right now is not a good moment." I figured they'd be disappointed, but couldn't see a way around it. They quickly replied, "That's ok, but can we get a drink of water?" Being a typical hot Central Australian afternoon I said, "sure;" thinking I could probably manage to show our visitors around and then have everyone leave the building without too much trouble. As I opened the doors the two youngsters burst through the door, and past myself and our visitors, and quick s a flash turned around and said: "This is the meeting place! It's killer! We hang out here! Do you want a glass of water?" They then filled some cups and handed them around. Yes, that's right, two young people, Aboriginal youth who live lives at the centre of public concern and with national attention such as Royal Commissions into Youth Detention, offered hospitality to our visitors. That is what the Alice Springs Meeting Place Foundation is all about. People meeting, and stories changing. -Rev Dr Steve Bevis
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The Meeting Place Youth Space
The meeting place youth space was open from 2016 – early 2021 at a time when there were no other youth centres in town. On any given night up to 100 young people would voluntarily spend time in the Youth Space. The service operated for one to two nights per week during term times and scaled up to deliver holiday programmes, particularly in the summer months. We provide after-hours activities including painting, basketball, board games, video nights, computer games, internet access (supervised), food, music equipment and stereos, access to power for recharging mobile phones and a ‘lounge room’ feel that young people can enjoy. Their constant cry has been: “when are you opening? Can it open more?”
The volunteers have not been able to sustain regular opening hours. This was made particularly hard through COVID19 when many people left and expectations around social distancing impossible to meet. The space is now used by the 'Grandmother’s Group' who advocate on issues affecting their youth and people. And we look forward also to having it used together with the desert song festival in 2022.
Meeting People... Creating Better Conversations
At the core of being a ‘meeting place’ is honest encounter and dialogue. As a result, our fundraising among the broader Australian community is focussed on educational engagement and dialogue. While we offer supporters the ability to ‘simply give’, we would prefer to develop mutual understanding through programmes that enable potential supporters to grow in their own understanding of ways forward in Australia, and to act in beneficial ways in their own churches and communities in order to strengthen local relationships and social capital. We seek to develop supporters who will learn, give and act for reconciliation, justice and the common good across this country while supporting these signs of hope and the relief of need in Alice Springs and the outback of Central Australia. Similarly, our 'Spirit Journeys’ programme of 4WD trips offers people the opportunity of coming to Alice Springs and surrounds and learning about the land, its people and imagining possible futures where all are able to flourish and live well together. Participants contribute to fundraising in order to be part of these unique educational opportunities.
Spirit Journeys: Another kind of holiday
Time to unwind
There is nothing like heading out into the vast, but surprisingly intimate landscapes of Central Australia. Unwind - really!
Community
Sharing depth, sharing camp, sharing what's on your heart and in your spirit - we care through journeying together.
Outback adventure
Imagine being in a 4WD being led by an Indigenous elder, spying a creek bed and enjoying the moment - uninterrupted...
Restoration
Sometimes we need to get away to heal, to clear our heads, to make decisions: these journeys make that possible...
History and culture
Learn the true stories of this country,: its ancient songlines and recent history - experience the living desert yourself...
Welcome to Country
Being welcomed to country on country by a traditional custodian offers insights into this land and nation you'll see with new eyes...