Communities for Children Plus to help WA families

Families in Midland, WA, will benefit from the new Communities for Children Plus site, which will help children under the age of 12 who need extra support to reach their full potential.

Launched last month by Parliamentary Secretary for Community Services, Julie Collins, the Communities for Children Plus service will be delivered by Swan Alliance – which is made up of Mission Australia, Anglicare WA and the parenting service Ngala.

It is one of eight Communities for Children Plus sites in communities of high disadvantage, the others being Kempsey and Campbelltown in New South Wales, Playford in South Australia, Launceston in Tasmania, Ipswich in Queensland, Cardinia in Victoria, and East Arnhem in the Northern Territory.

The Swan Alliance will receive $3.3 million over three years to offer a range of services for local Midland families, including playgroups, after-school and school holiday activities, and events to encourage social interaction between parents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

These services will be delivered in Beechboro, Bullsbrook, Caversham, Ellenbrook, Kiara, Koongamia, Lockridge, Middle Swan, Midland, Stratton and Midvale.

"This is not a silver bullet but a long-term plan,” Mission Australia's WA Director Ross Kyrwood said last week.
“We want to see this longer dream bring about some real change. We hope the community can learn to trust us to bring about transformation."

Image courtesy of Community Newspaper Group

Media coverage - Mt Druitt Standard: Mission Australia keep children happy at Mt Druitt

Children have somewhere to play when they visit Mt Druitt Communities for Children.

The centre is based in Ayers Grove and runs through Mission Australia. Friends of the organisation officially opened the extensions last week. Check out the photos from the opening. C4C supports parents, children and families by providing a venue for local services to offer support and programs.

These include playgroup, early learning and literacy and early development of social and communication skills.

Mission Australia service manager for C4C Angela Power said the revamped building incorporated a new play room with a connected meeting room and outdoor play area.

"This will allow us to provide things like parenting courses while the children can be looked after with onsite child care," Ms Power said.

"Parents can participate in workshops without having to worry about who will look after the kids."

Funds for the extension were made available through the State Government’s Community Building Partnership program.

Mt Druitt Labor MP Richard Amery helped mark the occasion. He was joined by Community Services Parliamentary Secretary Julie Collins, Chifley Labor MP Ed Husic and Blacktown cr Charlie Lowles.

Story and image courtesy of the Mt Druitt Standard

Rooby Roo on the move in western Sydney

Rooby Roo the Reading Kangaroo is busy hopping about western Sydney to promote the Paint The Town REaD program.

Paint the Town REaD encourages communities to support the development of local children’s early literacy skills from birth, so are prepared to learn how to read and write at school. This development mainly occurs through talking, singing, reading and drawing with children.

The community initiative was started 14 years ago by Rhonda Brain, a teacher from Parkes, New South Wales, who realised a growing number of children were entering kindergarten with delayed language development.

“Rooby is a great way to engage the very young and the young at heart,” said Julie Jasprizza-Laus, Mission Australia Team Leader - Families NSW Projects. “She’s spreading the word that reading, singing talking and rhyming is fun. Rooby shows parents and children how big hugs and great books are the best start in life for all children.

“The word is getting out there. During one of Rooby’s recent visit at Bidwill Playgroup, two brothers aged two and four were reading. One became distracted and the other said ‘What are you doing? This will help you!’ It’s really rewarding to see children get so excited about reading.”

Yesterday Rooby helped launched the new play facilities at Mt Druitt Communities for Children (C4C) – a program for local families managed by Mission Australia.

Tomorrow (Friday 11 March) at 11am she will appear in the children’s story tent at the International Women’s Day celebrations in Dawson Mall, Mt Druitt, to promote Paint Mt Druitt REaD.

On 14 March Rooby will appear at Giggles Playgroup at Lethbridge Public School, Lethbridge Park, from 10am; on 22 March she’ll be at Noumea Playgroup at Noumea Public School, Shalvey, from 8.30am, then on 24 March Rooby will be at Willmot Public School, Wilmot, from 8.30am.

These appearances are in preparation for Ruby’s big National Book Day gig on 2 April at Dawson Mall, Mt Druitt from 10.30am.

A catalyst for changing women’s lives

On this 100th International Women’s Day we’d like to celebrate our Catalyst Clemente education program, which is empowering women across the nation.

Catalyst Clemente offers free, socially supported university education in the humanities for people who are experiencing significant life challenges.

The philosophy of the program is that study in the humanities can act as a catalyst for social inclusion, intellectual engagement and positive change in the lives of participants.

Delivered in a community setting, just over half of the Catalyst participants (52 per cent) are women.

“The program is life-changing for the students and it’s great to see them realise their own potential,” said Sarah Spiker, Mission Australia Project Officer Catalyst Clemente and Communities for Children.

“One of the key benefits for the women who participate is the confidence they gain, which translates into all aspects of their lives, such as parenting, social engagement and the workforce.”

No one believes this more than Karen*, a single working mother and grandmother from Adelaide who last week commenced her third semester in the program.

Karen had to leave school at 14 due to a disruptive home life, which was marred by alcoholism and verbal abuse. “It’s hard to study when someone is ranting at home,” she said.

She waited 26 years – when her youngest child was seven – to return to study.

“Learning always felt like a luxury – something out of my grasp,” she said. “I had always enjoyed learning at school, then TAFE, but it seemed life always got in the way. I’ve since learned that if people can find a peaceful, safe place they can relax and study – you just need that place to open your mind.

“Catalyst has been fantastic. It’s given me the chance to first of all entertain the thought that I deserve to study and then allowed me to turn that into a reality,” said Karen, who is one of 11 Adelaide students enrolled in the 2011 program.

With support from volunteer learning partners and professional lecturers, women like Karen are gaining communication, writing and research skills – as well as a thirst for learning.

Last year she completed the ‘Short Stories and Their Writers’ and ‘Australia and The World’ courses. This semester she will study drama.

Mission Australia has operated Catalyst Clemente since 2005 and now offers the program in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth Adelaide, Ballarat, Newcastle and Campbelltown in partnership with various community agencies and educational institutions.

In Adelaide the program is delivered in partnership with Flinders University.

*Name has been changed.