REFLECTION: Architecture Students join remote NT HfH project – Group 1

June 13th, 2023

Students join Housing for Health projects across communities in the NT in 2023. 

 

Charlie & Caitlin learn from a local community team member how to install a new door handle.

 

Offered as as an elective again this year, students from the University of Newcastle’s School of Architecture, have the opportunity to join a project team as a Team Assist during Survey-Fix 1. Working alongside community members to survey and fix community housing, This elective is similar to the one offered in 2022 for students to join the Alice Springs town camp MHBH project, yet these projects are located in remote NT communities.

Two students, Charlie and Caitlyn, returned from a project last week and have provided a reflection of their experience for us to share –

 

Being a part of the survey-fix in the remote community has affirmed the injustices of infrastructure and policy within indigenous communities. Despite witnessing first-hand the systemic obstacles they face, it also created immense joy having worked alongside such a close and engaging community. We have never felt more welcomed and experienced such pride than that from the community members who were involved in the HfH methodology.

We are privileged to have been a part of this program. We feel grateful not only to have assisted in improving the health hardware in remote indigenous housing, but believe that the data collected is instrumental in advocating for necessary resources, funding and policy changes, to make evidence-based decisions moving forward.”

 

We think it is important for built environment professionals to engage in such work, especially at a formative stage of establishing one’s thinking and career pursuits. As Dr Jasper Ludewig explains –  “As climate change continues to destabilise who gets to live where and on what terms, architects must understand how their particular skillset—and the labour that sits behind it—can meaningfully assist communities in resisting the broader forces of uneven development.” 

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