In 1977 Secretary Alan Schreiber accounts, ‘The Darwin Marriage Guidance Council has gone through a very difficult and trying year. By about the middle of the year we lost the services of our Director, who was our only counsellor. The only lay counsellors that had served us, all left after the cyclone. After repeated and very costly advertising for a replacement, all applicants were found unsuitable.’
The tale of the organisation’s recovery and other trials and
tribulations will be unveiled at the launch of A history of Relationships
Australia Northern Territory on the occasion of its fortieth anniversary on
Monday 21 October.
Researched and authored by local historian Mickey Dewar, the
book accounts for the organisation’s beginning in 1973 when it was deemed ‘the
needs of the Northern Territory population at that time were so urgent that the
normal requirement for a state council to self-fund for the first few years of
operation were waived’.
"In the beginning, the Marriage Guidance Council was an
organisation which sought to provide advice and counsel for married couples
living in Darwin who were separating,” Ms Dewar said.
“Forty years later it is now a reflexive, multi-faceted
support service providing assistance to the people of the Northern Territory
across diverse areas of social need. This book is the story of how these
changes took place.”
Renamed in
1995, Relationships Australia NT today has a broader emphasis on helping
children and families in need and working with disadvantaged people.
“We provide
assistance to families in various ways including strengthening relationships,
mediation, counselling and support for people going through difficult times,”
Relationships Australia NT Marie Morrison said.
“We also
provide specialised services such as professional development and training
through formal and informal courses, partnerships and community based programs for migrants and refugees, and culturally appropriate services for Aboriginal families, delivered
by Aboriginal staff members.
“Increasingly
we’re also working with young people and have programs to divert them away from crime and
disadvantage, through restorative justice community programs.”
The launch of A history of Relationships Australia
Northern Territory on the occasion of its fortieth anniversary will be held
at Relationships Australia NT, ground floor 43 Cavenagh Street on Monday 21
October at 5:30pm, preceded by the organisation’s AGM.
The public are invited to attend with light refreshments and
canapés available. Please call to RSVP on call 8923 4999.
