Palms Australia

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Palms Australia (formerly PALMS) is an international development charity that sends skilled volunteers to share their skills with requesting communities in the developing world.

Palms Australia's main office is based in Sydney, although voluntary state representatives are located throughout Australia. Established in 1961, Palms has placed volunteers with communities and organisations in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, South America and in indigenous communities in Australia.

Palms Australia supports community development by sending volunteers at the request of the receiving communities. Volunteers work alongside local people and receive an equivalent living wage.

[edit] History

PALMS was established as the Paulian Association Lay Missionary Secretariat to form its members and "awaken Australians to their Christian responsibility to the native people of Asia, particularly those Islands of the Pacific." Volunteers worked in schools, hospitals or mission (station)s, developing skills locally to advance sustainable development. Recruitment occurred predominantly through church networks and Palms was administered by members of the Paulian Association.

Though many volunteer agencies were established in the mid-20th century, PALMS' close links with missionary orgnisations within the Catholic Church gave it an expertise beyond its age. This allowed PALMS to prioritise pre-departure preparation of its volunteers with regards to health, culture, sustainable development, personal formation and mission. Recognition of the Palms Australia Orientation Course led to attendance being opened to other organisations in recent times. The 87th course will be held in September and October 2007.

In 2005 AusAID ceased funding the operations of Palms Australia after an unsuccessful tender process. A one-off grant was made by the government in recognition of the obligation to finalise funding the placements which it had begun. Unfortunately, this coincided with a withdrawal of funding from the Sydney Catholic Archdiocese's Charitable Works Fund.

In 2006 Palms Australia established The Fair Trade Coffee Company in Glebe as both an income-generating activity and an advocacy of global fair trade.