Thursday, May 15, 2014

Drawing competition to celebrate families

Relationships Australia NT will hold a drawing competition to celebrate National Families Week from today, Thursday 15 to Friday 30 May. 

Local Territory kids need to draw a picture of their family to go in the running to win one of three family photography vouchers with InFocus Photography, NT Thunder game passes, a Nitmiluk Katherine Gorge Family Tour pass and more. 

Relationships Australia NT CEO Marie Morrison said the theme for this year’s Families Week is “Stronger Families, Stronger Communities”. 

“The competition is a wonderful way to celebrate family and build acceptance, tolerance and respect for how families are now composed and function,” Ms Morrison said. 

“We’ve held the competition for several years now and seen the diversity of family structure and culture reflected in local children’s drawings. 

“Almost 30% of the Territory’s population is Aboriginal or Islander. In terms of ethnic backgrounds there are more than 100 different migrant groups. Many different family structures are represented including single parent families, step-families, same sex couples with children and extended families.  Children are often raised by grandparents and many parents are not necessarily married. All of this diversity is reflected and celebrated in the children’s drawings.” 

“We help and provide assistance to families in various ways including strengthening relationships, mediation, counselling and support for people going through difficult times,” Ms Morrison said. 

“We also offer specialist services for migrant families and work with a team of Aboriginal liaison officers in remote communities, with offices in Alice Springs, Katherine and Darwin, and services in Tennant Creek and the Tiwi Islands.” 

The Relationships Australia NT Families Week Drawing Competition runs until 30 May with the winner announced on Friday 6 June. 

Entries are available from Relationships Australia NT Offices and Palmerston, Karama, Casuarina and Katherine libraries. 

Relationships Australia NT thanks its competition partners InFocus Photography, Nitmiluk Gorge Tours, Crocosaurus Cove, NT Thunder, Territory Wildlife Park, Jumping Crocs, The Darwin Waterfront, Hog’s Breath CafĂ©, Leighton Contractors and McDonalds. 

For more information and the full list of prizes please visit www.nt.relationships.org.au/ or follow ‘Relationships Australia Northern Territory’ on Facebook.