Communities

Communities for Children supports the community with funding for local early childhood development initiatives. It is funded through the Australian Government's Stronger Families and Communities Strategy. Children are at the centre of this approach and these initiatives focus on supporting the health and early development needs of young children 0 to 5 years, supporting parents and building and supporting child-friendly communities.

Effort focuses on the five key areas identified under the National Agenda for Early Childhood:
• healthy young families;
• supporting families and parents
• early learning and care;
• creating child-friendly communities; and
• family and children's services work effectively together.

• EYPC - Early Years Parenting Centre is an integrated, community driven, professionally informed, centralised venue for all families with young children that incorporates programs and services to support the health and well-being of children, early learning and development, parenting skills and support, volunteer home-visiting, drop-in "play-café" facility, resources and information.

• An Aboriginal Dad's project in partnership with the Males In Black - Aboriginal Elders Group that has an early intervention approach and strengthen the parenting role and support for young and new aboriginal fathers with children 0-5 years.

• Celebration of Families - Community events that promote and foster understanding of the importance of the early years, celebrating the diverse cultural representation of the region.

• Port Augusta Child-Friendly City - parents of young children advocating for the inclusion and well being of families in the community.

• Growing Early Childhood COnnections - GECCO develops innovative early childhood networking opportunities in Port Augusta to engage all in the Early Childhood sector in working collaboratively to improve co-ordination of services and bring community education and professional development opportunities to workers, parents and the community.

Family Fun Days
Four of these low cost events are held every year under the Communities for Children "Celebrating Families" Banner, and are designed to promote Port Augusta as a Child Friendly Community. In March the first Family Fun Day for 2008 was held. It was coordinated by the Port Augusta Early Years Parenting Centre with a Health for Life theme. It was an outstanding success with many families and their children enjoying a day filled with fun games, face painting, jumping castles, clowns, bubble blowing, trying healthy foods, karaoke, painting, craft and a free Community BBQ. A great time was had by all with over 1500 people in attendance. Local early childhood services and broader Agencies and Organisations came together to provide families with information, resources and a fun-packed day full of old fashioned games such as egg and spoon races, giant snakes and ladders, Quoits, baby farm animals , Music, Balloons, Kites , Play dough, Sensory play ... the list goes on. Families were delighted that this was a free event and many expressed that there were very few other opportunities to enjoy as a family due to financial restrictions. Three More Celebrating Families events in 2008 are planned for Port Augusta.

PAGE "Parent Advisory Group Extraordinaire
This is a Group which comprises passionate parents and carers of children in the 0-5 age group. PAGE is currently running surveys and audits concerning playgrounds and recreational areas and also trying to encourage local businesses to become more child and family friendly by providing activities or a small play area for children whilst their parents are conducting their business or doing their shopping. Communities for Children aim is for Port Augusta to be Australia's Premier Child and Family Friendly City!