KiDS CAN

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNROC) decrees that children have the right to survival; the right to develop to the fullest; the right to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and the right to participate fully in family, cultural and social life.

NAPCAN's KiDS CAN program is focused on the right for children and young people to participate fully in their lives - and functions to help them build resilience, develop healthy relationships and break the cycle of abuse and neglect.

KiDS CAN helps children and young people build positive approaches towards challenges and potential conflict, and works to develop in them a sense of belonging to a group and community.

KiDS CAN also aims to provide children and young people with a voice on matters of concern to them, it encourages their participation in community projects - so that each individual experiences making a positive difference - and provides opportunities to make decisions and take responsibility for the operation and completion of a project.

Over the last three years KiDS CAN has used a small grants program to distribute $90,000 to projects that promote these aims.

NAPCAN with the University of Western Sydney is now developing a framework to assist local councils and others evaluate the impact of KiDS CAN projects on children and young people. This will form the shape of the KiDS CAN program and provide local groups with methods/ models to evaluate the effectiveness of any projects with the KiDS CAN aims.

Projects have included ...

Kids Art Network (KAN). Children use the Arts to build bridges between different cultures, religions, places and people. Kids teach and learn from each other through a variety of art forms. This project will be included in the 2009 evaluation.

"Mandella" project (Fish pond and garden)
Cabramatta High School students with special needs built a fish pond and garden. The pond now provides students who need strong relationships a place to socialise, building their self esteem. It also acts as a constant reminder for the happy times they spent together building it, hence forming memorable life experiences.

Project success stories ...

In 2006 LOVE BiTES , a school-based Domestic and Family Violence and Sexual Assault prevention program that evolved on the Mid North Coast of NSW, received a KiDS CAN Award plus a $1,000 grant. Recognising it's potential, NAPCAN successfully gained funding to develop a Train the Trainer program and is currently rolling LOVE BiTES out across Australia.

Beyond teaching young people about the myths and facts of sexual assault and violence, LOVE BiTES empowers young people to drive their own community anit-violence campaigns.

This respectful relationships program has won much acclaim for its ability to develop positive relationships between students and trainers who are drawn from community agencies such as police, community services and health. Love Bites is a proven model for effective interagency engagement.

All Children Being Safe, is an Early Primary School Protective Behaviours program developed to provide early primary school students (ages 5 to 8 years) with non-threatening ways to help them feel strong and stay safe in their communities. The program was developed in participation with children from Greenhill Public School in Kempsey NSW and helps children indentify their own strengths, builds resilience and introduces them to the idea of support services. The program is facilitated by community workers, teachers and local Aboriginal Elders.

The children created the artwork for the story books and the training package funded by KiDS CAN. The NSW Department of Community Services has recently engaged NAPCAN to train Aboriginal Community workers to deliver All Children Being Safe in five communities across NSW.

To learn more about All Children Being Safe, download our program here

At its heart, KiDS CAN aims to demonstrate to adults the potential for children and young people to be creative, work together and take responsibility.

KiDS CAN is supported by funding from our corporate sponsors and the NSW Department of Education and Training

KiDS CAN is grateful to Dr Sue Roffey for her ongoing dedication to its development.

If you would like to support or understand more about KiDS CAN, please contact Madelene McGrath on 02 9269 9200.