The City of Palmerston Community Development Team is a diverse team of nine women that have come from different parts of Australia and different employment backgrounds.
With this they bring a diverse range of skills, including excellent event management and local government experience and health promotion backgrounds including qualified dieticians.
The team also has a wealth of experience working with youth, seniors, artists and community groups in a community development capacity.
CEO of the City of Palmerston Ricki Bruhn nominated the team for the amazing community programs that they run.
Currently the Community Development Team is made up of members with different focus areas including youth development, community safety and health and wellbeing.
The team also has a Community Events Coordinator that works with the team to present the City of Palmerston’s annual major and smaller events.
Funding through the Australian and NT Government also allows the team to include two Project Officers responsible for the development and implementation of the COPAL (Childhood Obesity and Lifestyle) project.
Embedded into the team are number of additional functions and responsibilities including the management of the Community Benefit Scheme, and the management of Council’s community facilities.
The team is managing a number of key projects currently.
COPAL’s Life Looks Brighter Outside aims to support Palmerston families to enjoy time together exploring local parks and playgrounds. But the theme also activates existing parks and places to attract more Palmerston residents to them, through an increase in programs such as ‘Amazing Race’ playground challenges, geocaching challenges, promotion of local park and playground options through local events and education, community ownership and an improvement in infrastructure.
Last year was the second time that the Community Development Team organised the Community Carols, complimenting the creation and installation of a nine metre tall Christmas Tree located in the City Square developed by local artist Techy Masero.
The team’s recent success includes the development of an independently run community garden, free movie screenings in the park, and the Palmerston Festival 2014.
Held annually over a weekend in August, 2014 required the moving of the Festival to a new area “Marlow Lagoon” due to the construction underway in the CBD.
The festival featured children’s events and numerous concerts.
The star of the whole festival was the magnificent main stage auditorium that was brought in especially for the event.
The first time the structure had been used in the Northern Territory and the only structure of its kind in Australia, the single span amphitheatre was newly acquired all the way from Canada by a local event company and was the crowning glory of all three events when lit up by a magnificent light show.
