Jimaylya Topsy Harry Centre

1. Jimaylya Topsy Harry Centre
Service area name

2. Our story
In 2003, the then Minister for Families and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Policy, Judy Spence, announced a new strategy to address homelessness and
associated problems amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, with a
particular focus on Cairns Townsville and Mount Isa.
In Mount Isa, the “Safer Places with New Opportunities”, Regional Blueprint,
Indigenous Homelessness was launched by Mr Tony McGrady, the then Minister for
Police and Corrective Services in January 2003.
The Blueprint contained four deliverables:
• establish the Government Coordination Working Group
• refurbish the old Wulliberrie Hostel be be used as an administration centre
• develop outdoor shelters on the Glider Port site opposite Wulliberri; and
• establish a daytime drop-in and activity centre, this was to provide
• alternative activities for clients as options to drinking.

3. Our story (cont’d)
The Government Coordinating Group (GCG) was constituted immediately and
included:
• Local Member
• Regional Managers Coordination Network (RMCN) Chairperson
• Mayor
• Regional Director (DATSIP)
• Traditional Owner (Kalkadoon Representative)
• Mt Isa Mines Representative
• Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) Representative
• Riverbed Action Group.
The GCG focussed on the refurbishment of the Wulliberri Hostel and was officially
opened on 1 August 2003. The Centre was renamed after a very prominent
Kalkadoon Elder, Jimaylya (Kalkadoon word for pink water lily). Her English name
was Mrs Topsy Harry.
Once all four deliverables had been completed and the Centre was fully operational,
the GCG disbanded in 2005.

4. Our story (cont’d)
The Jimaylya Centre operated by the Department
of Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Policy (ATSIP)
from 2003 until 2006.
In 2006 the Centre was divested from ATSIP to
the Department of Communities (DoC)
In 2013 the Centre was divested from Department
of Communities, Child Safety & Disability Services
to Department of Housing and Public Works.
The Centre operates seven days a week 24 hours
a day. There are currently 14 support workers and
four team leaders that work three shifts on
rotating rosters. The Centre’s management
consist of a manager, assistant manager,
administration officer and a service support
worker.

5. Our objectives: helping people to maximise
choices for new opportunities
We:
• assist homeless people (particular focus on Indigenous clients) to transition to
mainstream housing
• assist clients to develop skills that will assist them to obtain and maintain housing,
move into employment and/or advance their education
• provide crisis accommodation
• provide a safe environment for all clients
• provide a service that is culturally appropriate.
Note:
The main complex accommodation is free of cost. All clients must provide their own food.
All clients must cook their own meals. All clients must maintain the cleaning of the centre.

6. Accommodation
12 x Outdoor sleeping bays (couples/singles)

7. Accommodation
Crisis Centre - 1 x 3 bedroom house (couples)

8. Accommodation
Yudu Hostel (male dormitory) – 11 x single rooms

9. Accommodation
Female dormitory - 10 x single beds

10. Accommodation
Transitional support houses – 6 x 2 bedroom houses (couples)

11. Wet (recreational) area
The wet area is a space where clients can consume
alcohol in a safe environment, monitored by staff.
Staff intervene and assist if:
• they believe clients disagreements have the
potential to lead to physical abuse/assaults
• clients require first aid assistance
• client or visitors have had enough to drink
They also monitor the quantity of alcohol brought
into the wet area.
Note:
They majority of staff are local Indigenous
community members.
All staff are trained in cross cultural awareness, non-
violent intervention, senior first aid, domestic
violence awareness, mental health awareness.

12. Opening and closing times are 10.00am – 12.00pm (beer only) and 12.00pm – 10.00pm
(incl wine/pre-mix spirits).
Staff record all alcohol belonging to clients. Alcohol which is not consumed by the client is
recorded and stored for the client to collect the next day.
Because TAFE is scheduled four times a week the wet area is not opened until midday on
days which TAFE is scheduled. As well, the wet area is closed at 8pm the night before
TAFE is scheduled.
Management implements ban restrictions on all clients who misbehave or suffer from
medical conditions. Note: No alcohol is allowed into the wet area after 6pm.
Wet (recreational) area

13. Case management
All case management is provided by the Centre’s Service support workers, team leaders
and support workers.
They help with:
• Housing applications
• Centrelink
• Identification
• Police and legal matters
• Employment
• Register with all job network services
• Food vouchers
• Medical appointments
• Support in Court appearances
• Referrals
• Food shopping
• Register clients into TAFE courses
• Teaching clients to maintain all living quarters and living skills
• Transportation – airport/bus/train terminal

14. Working in partnership
The Centre has established a number of partnerships since it began. This included a
community partnership with three other organisations which received funds from the Alcohol
Education Rehabilitation Foundation (AERF) for two years (expired 2007).
Other partnerships include:
• Homeless Health Outreach Team (HHOT) attend three days a week
• Queensland Police Service attend when required
• Queensland Ambulances Services attend when required
• Queensland TAFE attend four days a week (four hours a day)
• Department of Human Services (Centrelink) attend twice a week
• Alcohol tobacco and Other Drugs (ATODS) attend quarterly
• Mt Isa Domestic Violence Services attend quarterly
• Aurthur Petersen Special Care – Diversion Centre
• Mount Isa Recovery Service Centre – Rehabilitation Centre (Kalkadoon Aboriginal Sobriety
House)
• Centacare
• Intergrated Case Management (group) attend monthly
• Homeless Community Action Plan (group) attend monthly

15. Transitional Support Houses
Clients transition from the main complex into the Transitional Support Houses (TSH).
All clients residing in the TSH are registered with the department and awaiting an available
house or unit.
All clients must take part in intensive case management and in all courses provided by
TAFE every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday including numeracy, literacy, basic
mechanic course and basic computer skills.
Each Saturday people are taught living skills like healthy eating, cleaning, house safety,
food handling, how to budget, paying bills and hygiene.
It’s expected that clients maintain their house and yard.
All clients pay a minimum amount towards rent –
once they obtain permanent residency they are
reimbursed by having their bond & power paid,
all white goods
and furniture purchased for them.

16. Transitional Support Houses outcomes
Since taking control of the
Transitional Support Houses in
2008, we have achieved:
• 126 clients housed
• 66 clients placed into
mainstream housing
• 43 clients still remain in
mainstream housing
• 35 clients placed in
permanent employment
• currently accommodating 42
clients.

17. Positives
There are lots of positive outcomes from the way we have done things
including:
• life skills taught in a comfortable environment
• health needs met, maintained and monitored
• decrease in alcohol consumption
• decrease in violence
• clients able to maintain and sustain tenancies once housed
• education opportunities
• employment opportunities
• clients who are housed, still utilise the Wet Area at the Centre (assists
clients to sustain their tenancies by not breaching tenancy agreement)
• centre is open to all clients who are homeless or at risk of
homelessness
• case management provided in a comfortable environment
• local staff who have an understanding of their community and the
issues faced by clients.

18. Jimaylya fire drill exercise

19. Contact details:
Robert Willetts
Manager
Jimaylya Topsy Harry Centre
Department of Housing and Public Works
Landline: 07 4743 6196
Mobile: 0409 260 729
Email: robert.willetts@hpw.qld.gov.au