2008 Early Years Awards - Highly Commended

Better access to child and family support, health services and early education

Schools as Community Hubs in Broadmeadows - Humming Hubs Schools in Broadmeadows

The concept of schools as community hubs has been embraced by primary schools as a model of early intervention to improve educational and health outcomes for children in Broadmeadows. Schools as community hubs offer playgroups, structured language and activity groups, kindergarten and transition to school programs. They also offer parenting programs and adult English classes. The initiative involves six primary schools, three kindergartens, an early learning centre, Broadmeadows Uniting Care, Brotherhood of St Laurence and a range of other community organisations.

Wallaroo Child and Family Centre Re-development - Mornington Peninsula Shire

The re-development of the Wallaroo Child and Family Centre in Hastings has transformed a service in difficulty into a revamped and exciting place of activities for children, their families and the wider community. The re-development has seen the introduction and expansion of a range of services and programs including: quality provision of three and four year old kindergarten, occasional care, new early intervention services, parenting programs and a range of community activities including yoga, children’s drama and tai-chi.

Improvements in parent's capacity, confidence and enjoyment of family

Babies In Hume - Hume City Council

Hume City Council’s Babies in Hume program provides support for new parents to provide a good foundation for long term outcomes. The program consists of three main streams:

• a new parent education program conducted by a Maternal and Child Health nurse and parent support worker
• additional in-home support visits and
• Maternal and Child Health referral in the areas of sleep-settling, nutrition, play, flexible routines and behavioural guidance.

 

Explore, Play and Build: Yarra Ranges Supported Parenting and Playgroup Initiative, Building Capacity through Play - Shire of Yarra Ranges

The initiative took  a community partnership and community development approach to bring together a broad range of early childhood professionals from different agencies in order to inspire, facilitate, and resource new Supported Playgroups. Each lead agency has expertise in working with the relevant target group which includes Aboriginal families, young parents and families experiencing homelessness, mental illness or domestic violence.

 

Communities that are becoming more family and child friendly

In the Land of Moorabool we Love to Read - Moorabool Mothers Inc

Moorabool Shire is committed to providing creative and sustainable opportunities that enhance and develop literacy and numeracy levels for children across the Shire. The project aims to raise awareness about the importance of reading, singing and talking to children (0-8 years) to nurture and promote the wonders of literature and also to provide each community of interest with the opportunity to undertake and tailor a project that will promote literacy within their own community.  The 2008 project has engaged government, catholic and independent schools and traders across the Shire.

 

Gorf; Placemaking for Young Children and Families - Wodonga Council

The GORF initiative evolved as a natural progression from the revitalisation of Wodonga High Street project. The aim of the project was to ‘revitalise the main street as a vibrant place providing a rich mix of social, cultural, civic and economic experiences’. Young children and their families were asked for their ideas about what would make the street more child and family friendly. Children were bussed into the CBD and walked along streets stoping at key nodes. They participated in workshops, built 3D models, engaged in mind mapping exercises and spoke to the project worker known as ‘placemaker’. From these consultations emerged GORF, the mythical creature designed to capture children’s imagination and create a connection between families and the city heart.

 

More information

For details of all partnerships, see: 2008 Awards Finalists booklet (PDF - 362Kb)