Honour for Centacare worker
Local
Centacare’s Tracy Ingram has been recognised for her outstanding contribution to the homelessness sector.
Tracy was awarded life membership of Homelessness SA – the first award of its kind – during National Homelessness Week last month.
Tracy Ingram with her award.
The manager of Centacare Catholic Community Services’ Outer North Youth Homelessness Services has served on the Homelessness SA Board and advocated tirelessly for young people for more than two decades.
Tracy said she was overwhelmed and humbled by the announcement of her award at the Frontline Worker Forum at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
“I cried in front of 100 people,” she said.
Asked what continued to drive her passion, she responded: “A lack of justice and the drive to see young people shine keeps me going. I want them to know people do care about them.”
“I am still amazed some days that I have been here for 24 years, still loving the work – but wondering how I do it some days.”
Tracy’s achievements include representing Homelessness SA nationally with the National Youth Coalition for Housing and Homelessness Australia.
Dispelling myths about the homeless, she said “they could well be your co-worker”.
“Homelessness has anyone’s face on it. Also, give people who are asking for money, give it to them! Let them choose how they spend it. It costs a lot to be homeless.”
Her advice to new workers in the sector was “to listen to people and hear their story” because “that makes a person’s day, just to be heard”.
While admitting that some days it was hard to have hope, she said “we are here to make a difference, no matter how small”.
“I love the young people at Carlow Place (Centacare’s accommodation for homeless youths), I want to make sure we help them shine and move forward in their lives, to encourage them, to praise them and to show them that they matter.”
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