Community hall opens to deliver youth services
A newly refurbished community recreation hall has opened in the Central Australian remote community of Yuendumu, giving young people a place to connect, learn and take part in youth activities.
The hall, owned by the Yuendumu Social Club Aboriginal Corporation, will play a critical role in the delivery of services in the community.
The Federal Government has invested $615,000 in the extensive refurbishment of the previously condemned building which was identified by Yuendumu residents as a suitable location for a refurbished community recreation hall.
The refurbishment project engaged local community members, working alongside skilled construction and maintenance staff to develop skills that can lead to future employment in the sector.
“The Yuendumu recreation hall project responded directly to community needs for services and employment opportunities that provide positive social and community wellbeing outcomes,” Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said.
“This space will now be a hub for youth engagement and service delivery.”
In partnership with the Yuendumu Social Club, the Central Desert Regional Council will now deliver services, employment programs and local community activities including the continuation of existing youth activities.
The Federal Government has been working with communities like Yuendumu to support social and economic wellbeing in Central Australia, with a focus on boosting First Nations employment through locally identified priorities.
Special Envoy for Remote Communities and Member for Lingiari, Marion Scrymgour MP, said accessing services in Central Australia was a constant challenge.
Community infrastructure
“The vastness of the region combined with English often being a second or third language means people often struggle to get into the bigger towns like Alice Springs.”
In Yuendumu, 293 kilometres northwest of Alice Springs, community infrastructure was identified as a strong option to create immediate job opportunities and support pathways to future employment.
The recreation hall is now in use as a valuable resource for the Yuendumu community.
The investment builds on the Government’s plan for A Better, Safer Future for Central Australia, a four-year program investing in services to improve the lives of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in the region.
Yuendumu Social Club Aboriginal Corporation Director, Elizabeth Lechleitner was happy to see the hall finally open.
“The weather is starting to warm up again too, so it is just in time for summer and the Youth Program has a safe space to run their activities,” she said.
