Settlement services
For more than a decade, Darwin has been the welcoming face of Australia to humanitarian arrivals in the Northern Territory and Melaleuca Refugee Centre has been a pivotal part of that welcome.
Born out of the voluntary commitment of Darwin residents to provide a safe place to people who had endured upheaval, war and violation of their basic human rights, Melaleuca Refugee Centre provides social and emotional support to new arrivals in the IHSS [Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Scheme].
Melaleuca combines components of voluntary and professional services to approximately 200 new arrivals each year, offering a uniquely integrated approach to addressing settlement needs by hosting a range of services and programs under the same roof.
Melaleuca’s Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy incorporates:
Case Coordination:
- Airport welcome
- Providing on arrival and ongoing information and orientation
- Providing links and referrals to key services. (Centrelink, Medicare, Banking, Schools, English Program, Housing, Health, Trauma Counselling, Social and Community Support etc.)
- Ongoing case management for the first six months of settlement.
Health care and support:
- Initial health checksAssistance with health concerns
- Training to access health services independently.
Housing assistance:
- Management and maintenance of initial “transitional housing”
- Accessing long term (private) housing
- Provision of household goods
- Tenancy training.
Volunteer Program:
- Recruitment and training of Support Groups for newly arrived families
- Approx. 120 volunteers
- Provision of initial food supplies and hot meal on arrival
- Volunteer groups play a key role in providing social support as well as linking new arrivals to other social support networks such as sporting groups, religious groups, etc.,
- General orientation is also provided by volunteers.
