Collaborations
COTA NT has collaborated with a wide range of government agencies and organisations to help raise awareness of issues relevant to the well-being and health of Territory seniors.
Some of these collaborations are detailed below. If you are interested in collaborating with COTA NT, please contact us.
Go Gentle Australia
Voluntary Assisted Dying Choice in the Northern Territory
COTA NT worked in partnership with Go Gentle Australia to raise awareness and educate Territorians about voluntary assisted dying choice in the NT. It co-hosted two community information sessions, provided awareness raising and campaign materials, free editorial and advertising across its key channels.
Textiles Travelling Suitcase
Exhibitions and Workshops
The Textiles Travelling Suitcase is, as it names suggests, a travelling exhibition of small textile artworks and technique boards transported around Australia in a suitcase. Community members are encouraged to attend workshops to learn three embroidery stitches – running, chain and blanket – or if they already know how to embroider, encouraged to teach others a new stitch! Embroidery templates are in the suitcase and can be used to embroider a small picture which will be incorporated into a collaborative community textile work to be exhibited at the Darwin Show in 2025. COTA NT is pleased to support this project, especially as participation in embroidery is growing and beneficial for both individual and the community well-being.
Elder Abuse Action Australia (EAAA)
Breaking the Silence
In February 2025, Elder Abuse Action Australia (EAAA) launched a new podcast series called ‘Breaking the Silence’, to amplify the voices of lived and living experience. Stakeholders in the Northern Territory were invited to contact EAAA if they had experience of elder abuse and wanted to share their story.
Help to Tackle Elder Abuse: Community Focus Groups – Elder Abuse Action Australia
In September 2024, COTA NT assisted COTA Australia and EAAA (Elder Abuse Action Australia) to promote awareness of Community Focus Groups and to send an expression of interest to attend dates in Darwin and in Katherine. COTA NT designed a flyer and used its marketing channels to promote the initiative. The focus groups were intended to help guide and inform the development of educational and awareness-raising materials to be used by those working with senior Territorians at risk.
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
Making headway: aged care forum
At the request of Janet Anderson, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner, COTA NT organised an aged care forum in August 2024 for aged care recipients and providers. This forum included a panel session featuring Janet and Maya Murphy, Acting Director of of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, aged care providers’stories on how they are improving the care they provide and questions from the floor. The fully-booked event was hosted by Sue Shearer, COTA NT.
Tactile Arts
Selfie with a Senior
The Selfie with a Senior Award 2024 was organised by Tactile Arts and sponsored by the Northern Territory Government, NT Seniors Card and COTA NT. The award coincides with the Portrait of a Senior Territorian Art Award, which recognises and celebrates the achievements and contributions of senior Territorians to our community. The Selfie with a Senior Award is an innovative avenue for individuals to participate in the prestigious Portrait of a Senior Territorian Art Award. The category invited participants to submit a photograph featuring themselves and a senior, along with a statement of how the senior has inspired them. Support from COTA NT included sponsorship of $1000. Tactile Arts is also a NT Seniors Card Business Partner and offers a reduced membership fee to NT Seniors Card holders (see details here).
Relationships Australia NT
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
COTA NT worked with Relationships Australia NT to raise awareness of the issue of elder abuse and of the supports available to those at risk. COTA NT hosted two events, in Alice Springs and Darwin and also promoted an artwork competition for Territory school-aged children encouraging them to draw what respecting their elders means to them. The competition and events were promoted in our media, also featured on the Minister for Seniors social media page and in the NT News.
Charlie King and Catholic Care NT
The Stand
COTA NT completed a Domestic and Family Violence Action Plan (DVAP) in support of NO MORE/ Catholic Care NT’s initiative to have 90 groups create 90 VAP in 90 days. The 6 key actions committed to included: 1. Continue to advocate against ageism and elder abuse through policy, collaboration and campaign participation. 2. Help NO MORE to raise awareness of domestic and family violence in the Northern Territory by publishing NO MORE supplied editorial and
artwork in Seniors Voice. 3. Train staff: understand DFV and elder abuse in the Northern Territory; recognise signs of those living with DFV and elder abuse; offer best support to those asking for help (e.g. referral to helplines and organisations offering advice, counselling and support). 4. Send dedicated emails to
Mebers and stakheolders NO MORE’s tips on recognising DFV and elder abuse, responding safely and where to seek help. 5. Display and distribute a “If you see or suspect DFV or elder abuse” flowchart provided by NO MORE with local helplines, referral services, and mandatory reporting obligations in the NT context through our static noticeboards in Darwin and Alice Springs, on social media pages and a dedicated web page on our website, www.cotant.
org.au. 6. Raise community awareness of DFV and elder abuse by hosting an open and free event with keynote speakers from NO MORE.
NO MORE Campaign
At our major community event of the year, the Darwin Seniors Expo, COTA NT helped increase awareness of the NO MORE campaign asking all attendees to link arms for a community photograph showing their support of the anti-domestic and family violence campaign run by Charlie King and Catholic Care NT. COTA NT also attended a forum in January in which older Territorians were encouraged to share ideas on how DFV could be tackled.
Information and resources about the campaign can be found on the NO MORE website.
Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN)
Aged Care Reform
In August 2023, COTA NT assisted COTA Australia and OPAN (Older Persons Advocacy Network) to promote their townhall style stakeholder consultations on aged care reform. Across Australia, 582 people registered for 12 face-to-face events, 1,944 responses were received to a survey about the Funding Principles and a further 3,348 people registered for the 2 online events.
We were very proud that nearly 20% of people who attended events in-person to have their say, came to COTA NT’s offices in Darwin.
Stroke Foundation
Stroke Awareness & Prevention – StrokeSafe
COTA NT hosted two Stroke Safe presentations in Batchelor and Darwin to help the Stroke Foundation raise awareness about stroke help educate people on prevention. Information about stroke and its prevention can be found on the Stroke Foundation website.
University of Sydney
Step Up Ageing Research
The University of Sydney has recently launched a new and free service called StepUp for Ageing Research*, led by Professor Yun-Hee Jeon. From quick surveys to drug trials and everything in between, the service helps researchers recruit into studies and helps volunteers access tailored opportunities that interest them, providing a chance to ‘give back’. StepUp ambassador The Honourable Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO said “Healthy ageing is about older people becoming and remaining healthy. StepUp for Ageing Research will enable the voices of older people, families and communities to be heard and to be included”. Read more (here).
StepUp Dementia Research
The goal of StepUp for Dementia Research is to make it possible for everyone who wants to be involved in dementia research to get the chance to do so and to help researchers find the people they need. COTA NT is proud to champion the project and to assist researchers connect to people in the Northern Territory (find out more about StepUp Dementia Research and how you can get involved).
Assistive Technology for All
Assistive Technology for All is a national campaign that is coordinated by Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria. It aims to improve access to assistive technology for people with disability who are not eligible for the NDIS.
“What we’re talking about here is just basic needs. It’s nothing special. It’s just the basic supports that we need to help us live a normal life.” – Consumer with spinal cord injury
Over the past 18 months, Assistive Technology for All has had a significant research project underway involving two independent, but interrelated studies. The findings from these studies have been compiled into a single report entitled, “The Australian Assistive Technology Equity Studies: Improving access to assistive technology for people with disability who are not eligible for the NDIS”.
These reports provide a rich evidence-base to support the call for a national assistive technology and home modifications program to support people with disability who are not eligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). National advocacy around this issue is being coordinated through the Assistive Technology for All (ATFA) campaign – an initiative of Council on the Ageing Victoria. This campaign is now supported by more than 60 organisations spanning the health, ageing and disability sectors.
Charles Darwin University
my Territory Connections
Researchers from Charles Darwin University wanted to understand how Territorians are connected through their social networks, community participation and attachment to the place they live.
my Territory Connections was an on-line survey with questions about the interaction Territorians have with their family, friends and neighbours, the things they do to help each other, and what they give and take from their communities. Results will be used to guide decisions about what is making life better and who might be missing out. The findings of this survey have now been released in the NT Social Capital Index.
The Benevolent Society
EveryAGECounts
As part of its ongoing work to tackle ageism against senior Territorians, COTA NT supported the Every Age Counts Campaign, an advocacy campaign funded by The Benevolent Society to tackle ageism across Australia. COTA NT raises awareness of ageism and the Pledge Against Ageism through its own advocacy, its newsletters and media releases. It combats ageism through its representation of older Territorians, positive staffing and volunteer policy (read more).
Scams Awareness
Scams Awareness Week
Scams are constantly evolving and our growing use and reliance on technology provides scammers more opportunities to trick you into giving away your valuable personal information. Scammers can use your personal information to steal your identity for personal and financial gain. National Scams Awareness Week empowers you to learn ways to protect your personal and financial information in an increasingly digital environment (read more).
Meaningful Ageing Australia
See me. Know me.
From December 2019 through to February 2020, COTA NT supported Meaningful Ageing Australia’s See me. Know me. campaign through displaying their posters (in English and in-language), posting ads on social media and making the resources kit (conversations starters, questions for aged care providers and posters) available on its website. This campaign is designed to help seniors feel more valued, to help them connect with family and friends, and ultimately to empower them to find aged care services that will truly tune in to them as a whole person (find out more).
Active Ageing Australia
Moving for Life
From 1-7 October 2019, we supported Active Ageing Week through purchasing and displaying themed posters to promote the important messages about physical activity for health, well-being and maintaining independence as we age (read more about Active Ageing Week).
National Continence Program
National Public Toilet Map
As part of the National Continence Program, the Toilet Map provides information on over 19,000 publicly available toilets across Australia, including accessibility, opening hours and facilities, such as showers & baby change.
In 2018, COTA NT volunteers worked to increase the Northern Territory’s public toilet database and promote the project through creation and distribution of a dedicated flyer
Consumer Directed Care
Home Care Today
COTA NT volunteer Peer Educators delivered information workshops to community groups regarding the Consumer Directed Care program. The ‘Home Care Today’ project ran from 2013 to June 2017. The Consumer Directed Care (CDC) section of Home Care Today for Providers explained what CDC was and what principles guided the delivery of Home Care Packages.
CoolMob
Smart Cooling in the Tropics
COTA NT volunteers assisted CoolMob to deliver the ‘Smart Cooling in the Tropics’ program to eligible senior Territorians.
Northern Territory Government
Advanced Personal Planning
COTA NT delivered several presentations and information workshops in 2014 to help Territorians understand new legislation regarding Advance Personal Planning (making a ‘living will’.)
Beyond Blue
COTA NT volunteer Peer Educators delivered information workshops to community groups regarding Beyond Blue services.
Page updated 24 November 2025
