Big Rivers regional plan launched in Katherine

The Anglicare NT Big Rivers Regional Plan 2025-26 was launched at our Katherine office on Friday 9 May 2025. The launch was attended by stakeholders from the community, members of the Anglicare NT board and staff from Darwin and Katherine (including headspace Katherine and our Katherine regional office).

Our inaugural regional plan is place-based and informed by the local community. It identifies strengths and priorities for the community and provides a road map for Anglicare NT to focus our work in the region for 2025 – 2026. It is a resource for local staff, managers, our leadership team and the Anglicare NT board as we work in partnership with key stakeholders for local economic, social and community benefit.

What did we hear 

During consultations between June and November 2024, we asked stakeholders about the strengths of the region and what could be improved.

Strengths

Katherine is a strong community where people support each other, work hard to compensate for systemic barriers and deliver services in creative and flexible ways:

Priority areas

The top five priorities for the Big River region are:

·        keeping young people safe and strong

·        more housing is needed

·        building and sustaining the workforce

·        focus on early intervention

·        reducing the digital divide

Goals and actions

Based on the above priority areas, Anglicare NT identified the following ways to work in partnership with the local community to progress positive outcomes.

• A safe space for young people
  We will advocate in partnership with other stakeholders for a Katherine youth drop-in centre to engage young people in after hours and school holiday activities.
  
  
• Build and sustain the local community sector workforce
  Increase opportunities for sector wide training and support for the current workforce; and
  Work with Aboriginal community organisations and the community sector to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment and trainee opportunities.

• Increase the delivery of housing services and supports in the region 
  Secure additional funding to deliver housing support services and advocate for more affordable housing in the region.

Anglicare NT works in partnership with diverse community representatives, government and non government partners and we look forward to continuing these collaboration as we progress the priorities and actions in this regional plan.

Artwork story

Manuel Pamkal, a prominent Aboriginal artist and cultural guide, mentored young men at headspace Katherine to create artworks that embody key strengths of our Big Rivers Regional Plan.

Photo: l-r Pearce Ray, Manuel Pamkal and Noah Blitner.