Urban Quest discovers Darwin's next singing sensation

2013 Urban Quest winner
Charlotte Gittins

She may be just fourteen but that didn’t stop Charlotte Gittins from singing her way to Urban Quest success over the weekend.

The Dripstone Middle School student outperformed nine other finalists to win Mission Australia’s premier singing competition at the Darwin Waterfront on Saturday night.

Gittins sang Florence and the Machine’s I won’t call you a Liar to win the hotly contested event and land herself a career pathways package with Music NT, an Apple MacBook laptop and headphones.

"Darwin a star is born," former Australian Idol judge Mark Holden said about the Palmerston singer’s mesmerising performance.

The music industry veteran also awarded her one of his trademark “touchdowns” and said Urban Quest was just the beginning of her music career.

Crowd favourite VJ Bumanlag was the 2013 Urban Quest runner up while Katherine singer Sarina Pech was second runner up with an original track. 

Now in its third year, Mission Australia’s Urban Quest aims to help young people build self esteem and confidence through music.

Youth Services Manager Adrian McCann said the night was a huge success with a 600-strong crowd enjoying the concert under the stars.

“It was wonderful to see so many people come down and support these up and coming young stars”, Mr McCann said.  

“All of the finalists should be very proud and put on an amazing show for the Darwin community after three days mentoring with Mark Holden and Paul Costa.”

The night also included guest performances by judges Paul Costa and Dave Garnham, 2012 Urban Quest winner Gabby Wright, Darwin X Factor star Shiane Hawke and local hip hop group My Team Dilemma.

Urban Quest is proudly supported by sponsors Larrakia TV and Radio, the Darwin Waterfront Corporation, Dreamedia, Casuarina Square, Music NT, Inpex, the Office of Youth Affairs and Darwin International Airport.

For more information visit www.missionaustralia.com.au

New manual to help manage teenage offenders

Relationships Australia NT has teamed up with the NT Police to release a case management resource for people working with young offenders in the Territory.

The Youth Diversion Case Management Resource is the first of its kind in the Northern Territory and was launched by the Honourable Chief Minister Adam Giles in Alice Springs yesterday.

Relationships Australia NT Chief Executive Officer Marie Morrison said the resource will achieve better outcomes for young people going through the NT justice system.

“Relationships Australia NT is delighted to share this resource with other community based organisations who provide Youth Diversion Programs throughout the NT,” Ms Morrison said.

“The resource is built on our 10 year history of working with offenders under 18 years in Alice Springs and providing programs that lead them away from crime and disadvantage.”

Ms Morrison said Relationships Australia NT’s youth diversion program is modelled on restorative justice community programs, which include offenders meeting and apologising to the victims of their crimes.

“There is clear evidence that restorative justice community programs produce significantly less rates of recidivism and reoffending than incarceration,” she said.

“The model produces better long-term results for offenders, their families and the community.”

Relationships Australian NT services approximately 3500 Territorians annually with more than 20 per cent of whom are Aboriginal.

Youth Diversion caseloads that the organisation manages have doubled over the past ten years, with up to 80 per cent young Aboriginal males aged between 10 and 17 years.

“The Youth Diversion Case Management Resource is for all workers in case management and is hoped to better help these young people and produce lasting change.”  

Youth diversion programs managed by Relationships Australia NT have included drum making, drum  beat workshops, a Desert Park Leadership Program and a young women’s leadership program.

This year Relationships Australia NT will work with other community organisations and extend its youth diversion programs to remote communities in the MacDonnell Shire region.

For more information please visit www.nt.relationships.org.au/.