For 60 years Palms Australia has been recruiting, preparing, sending and supporting Catholics from around Australia to fill overseas professional placements in response to requests from international community partners and this year, they are asking for the help of the entire faith community to find recruits.

With COVID preventing the gatherings Palms would normally hold to facilitate recruitment for mission, they are instead asking for the assistance of everyone in the Catholic community to recruit the qualified and experienced Australians requested by partner organisations in low-income communities.

*A Palms missionary teaching a Year 3 English class at Klothor School in Thailand. PHOTO: Palms.*

Palms Executive Director Roger O’Halloran says those partners believe that the people Palms prepare and send for between one and three years provide the most effective and sustainable solutions to poverty.

"It is difficult to be precise, but it seems we need to be ready to meet partner request and begin sending again in the second half of this year, or early 2022,” he says.

Palms, which is celebrating its 60th year, thoroughly prepares and supports those recruited for mutual development and therefore is now welcoming enquiries to ensure an appropriately paced preparation.

The Palms website (www. palms.org.au) provides background to positions currently available.

"You can have a look on your own behalf, but please also let your friends, family and others know about the many and varied opportunities," Mr O'Halloran says.

It is anticipated that even more requests from partners will be added in coming months.

Mr O'Halloran says living allowances and accommodation are provided in placement and for

placements of two-three years, return airfares and insurance are covered as well. All placement requests are scoped in-situ ensuring that those sent are well integrated into appropriate roles.

Palms’ experienced staff provide personal and professional support for all transitions from enquiry through to placement and returning home.

To find out more, visit www.palms.org.au.