Children's Needs First With YWCA
21 July, 2009Child-focused again for the Communities for Children strategy at Lismore, Goonellabah and Murwillumbah, with the YWCA as facilitating partner sees big wins for children. Click here to get the Consultation Snapshot.
Photo by Jane Oliver of Jenny Dowell (left) Lismore City Council's Mayor, with Frances Trimboli, YWCA NSW Northern Rivers Regional Manager taken at the 26 August 2009 School Readiness Forum held at Goonellabah, NSW facilitated by Jane Oliver with contributions from the "Ready Set School" team of Family Day Care Inc., Lismore.
From August - November 2009, Footprint Direcitons will work closely with the YWCA Northern Rivers office to consult with community at large regarding the new strategy for both towns. The Communities for Children project managed by the YWCA aims to children aged from 0 - 12 years. The consultations are seeking feedback, ideas and queries as to the next 3 years' funding recently awarded by FaHCSIA (Commonwealth government) to the YWCA.
In Lismore, key to the consultations is extensive listening with Bundjalung country Aboriginal people. This is particularly so with the Elders who were consulted at the beginning of the project back in 2004. Jane Oliver of Footprints spoke about the unique situation for Lismore & Goonellabah at a recent YWCA planning session: "We have one of Australia's fastest growing populations of Aboriginal children who have quite extraordinary skills and abilities, needs and challenges. There's lots to understand and create for families here", reported Jane Oliver.
With 15 strategic projects already in place, Footprints will be busy listening to people's views, values and vision regarding the past projects and the design or continuance of 2009-2012 projects for both Lismore/Goonellabah city and Murwillumbah with its many villages. Other busy NGOs, such as The Tweed Family Centre, The Fatherhood Project, Men & Family Relationships CEntre, Tweed Shire Women's Service, Family Support Network, Murwillumbah Community Centre, Northern Rivers Network of GPs, Interrelate Family Centres and the Lismore FRC, Community Connections North Coast, On-Track Northern Kids project, Northern Rivers Social Development Council, Rekindling The Spirit, The Lismore Neighbourhood Centre, Jarjum Aboriginal PreSchool & Goonellabah Preschool, Care-Ring Preschool and 6 Murwillumbah and outer village preschools, , Summerland Early Intervention Service, Women's Resource Centre Lismore, Indigo House, Relationships Australia are included in our invitees.
For more information contact the YWCA on (02) 6625 8000 or email Miriam O'Grady at the YWCA's Northern Rivers Children's Services Manager. This project is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA).