Community Organisations

Play a Part has become a partner with Mission Australia's Communities for Children Inala to Goodna Initiative . Play a Part is one of a wide range of community, business and government groups participating in the Communities for Children's ‘Building a Child Safe Community Project' in Carole Park.

Play a Part Project Facilitator Isla Swan regularly attends the Child Safe Project meetings every month. This dynamic collaborative network and project has representatives from Qld Fire & Rescue Service, Qld Ambulance Service, Oxley District Crime Prevention Unit (Qld Police), Carole Park Neighbourhood Watch, C&K Childcare, NAPCAN, Elorac Place Community Centre, Save the Children, Carole Park State School, Oral Health – Qld Health, Drug and Alcohol Foundation, and Community Renewal to build a Child Safe Community in Carole Park.

The aims of this project are to increase the overall safety of children in Carole Park by undertaking a variety of community based initiatives the group has now developed a twelve month action plan , which includes a community education focus and the development of safety resources

• A Strategic Action Plan which mobilises the assets, skills and resources of the group's partners.
• A Child Safe Project ‘House-holder' kit to go out to over 400 homes in Carole Park.
• The coordination of the Annual Carole Park Child Safe Day

Play a Play contributes to the project by sharing its skills, knowledge and assets in order to develop and enhance the capacity of the project and its initiatives. This has included the facilitation of strategic planning workshops, the attendance at community events, and the provision of NAPCAN and Play a Part resources as required and the contribution of knowledge and evidence related to the prevention of child abuse and neglect and the importance of child friendly communities.

Childcare Access and Equity Resource Support Unit (CAERSU)

Is an exciting u p and coming partnership which will facilitate the creation of a unique Child Friendly Social Initiative.  This initiative will feature customised workshops with regional Inclusion Support Facilitators as well as an integrated series of training workshops for CAERSU's clients (early childhood communities) in the New Year. Watch this space for further information on how CAERSU initiate, involve and inspire others to Play a Part.

  The Brisbane North Indigenous Children's Program – Koobara - The Indigenous Children's Program (ICP) aims to strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities and build their resilience and support networks. Play a Part Facilitator Debbie Perry is working collaboratively with Koobara to support them in embracing the Play a Part principles and to create a ‘Child Friendly Community”. The child friendly approach is evident in their activities, events and resources for the community. Examples being (1) Cultural Day held at the local school to encourage pride in the Indigenous culture, and their neighbourhood. (2) Offering free baby and children specific first aid courses (for young Indigenous parents) in their community. Koobara will also be developing an Indigenous child friendly community map as part of their child friendly initiative.

The Brisbane North Indigenous Advisory Group serve as the pivotal agency for the input of the aspirations, needs, expertise, knowledge and realities of Koobara Indigenous Children's Program (ICP). Play a Part Facilitator Debbie Perry is an active member of this group, and is working alongside others in the group to support Koobara in their activities. Another member of this group Kurbingui Youth Development has indicated their interest in playing their part in creating a child friendly community. Watch this space to learn how they will initiate, involve and inspire other to play a part.

Play a Part Facilitator Debbie Perry has been working collaboratively with the Brisbane North Community of Care Network to break down those barriers and create a collaborative agreement to help support families in the community. As a part of the BNCC network's child friendly action plan Child Friendly principles have been developed and Debbie will be supporting each of the member organisations to put their plans into action to help them to embrace child friendly principles. In addition to this, the group is planning to access funding to put practical strategies in place that support the groups' activities such as National Child Protection Week.

The Abused Child Trust -ACT for Kids is helping children play a part in their child friendly vision by applying for an Arts Grant to complete a piece of artwork to be placed in the waiting room of their premises. This artwork would be created by children who visit the service with the assistance of an Art Therapist. This is promoting children's participation and also having developmentally appropriate art displayed in an area where children frequent. Displaying the artwork prominently will help build the children's self esteem and show children that their art is valued.

Oxenford & Coomera Youth Centre child friendly initiative was to hold talks about the importance of role modelling by adults. This theme was threaded throughout informal talks by the facilitator of the hub and presentations by Debbie Perry the Gold Coast Play a Part facilitator . These informal gatherings held during their normal playgroup sessions were invaluable in creating awareness around child friendly communities. These sessions were held in the lead up to their main initiative of holding an event at the community centre during National Child Protection Week. The day was attended by 200 parents and children. An outcome from this initiative was that some parents who attended were new to the area and this was a great way for them to access support services.

Gailes Community House and Play a Part Project Facilitator Isla Swan have undertaken their first child friendly initiative, a Show and Grow Event during National Child Protection Week (NCPW). Isla supported this Child Friendly Partner by facilitating a session to plan the event and by attending on the day.

As a part of this child friendly initiative, Community Nutritionist Wendy Loh facilitated an educative workshop on the day and has conducted of series of weekly practical and informative cooking classes for parents and children at the community centre.

  Spiritus Early Parent Centre (EPC) is a dynamic community organisation partner that has several child friendly initiatives there are undertaking. Play a Part Project Facilitator Isla Swan has supported this Child Friendly Partner with the following initiatives:

Child Protection Week Grant
EPC was successful in gaining a CPW grant of which was used to undertake their Garden Gala Launch with Federal Member Bernie Ripoll.

Community Garden

• As the host site for the Inala Community Gardens (a Communities for Children Inala to Goodna Initiative) – EPC is continuing the vision of creating a place of health/well being, learning and nurturing of community. They have had recent success in gaining recognition from local council member Milton Dick.

• As a part of their partnership Play a Part has supported Early Parent Centre (EPC), in its funding application for the Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) program . The inclusion of the HIPPY program within the centre will facilitate greater community opportunities for parental learning, enabling optimal development for children.

• Project Facilitator Isla Swan will soon be facilitating a workshop in 24th November in order to create a strategic Child Friendly Vision for the EPC, continuing its integrated support of local parents and children within the Inala region. Watch this space for further information on how the Spiritus Early Parent Centre plan to initiate, involve and inspire others to Play a Part.

Manna House and Play a Part Project Facilitator Ann Alcock have worked collaboratively to create their child friendly initiatives which have included:

•  Certificates of affirmation for mothers & Children on leaving the Refuge
•  Friendship Tree for Children.
•  Decorated play area for children under the stairs
•  Conversation area for teenage children
•  Attractive play equipment inside the gate to make children feel welcome as soon as they arrive
•  Invitations to former residents to maintain contact and to attend activities at the Refuge

This has been a very successful partnership of which child friendliness has become a part of the culture of the organisation.

The Advocacy and Support Centre (TASC) have a child friendly plan to work in partnership with Fairview Heights School . Work with Year 4s will conclude in Nov 08 and with year 7s in June 09. Watch this space for further information on how The Advocacy and Support Centre (TASC initiate, involve and inspire others to Play a Part.

Child Protection Week Committee Toowoomba's CPWC's aim is to raise awareness of the importance of preventing Child Abuse and Neglect. This has been Toowoomba's most visible and successful year in CPW activities and the committee is keen to commence work early in 2009 for the coming year. Their objectives are:

• To coordinate activities for CPW
• To support the initiatives of other organisations
• To collaborate on initiatives

Watch this space for future information on how Toowoomba's Chid Protection Week Committee initiate, involve and inspire others to Play a Part in NCPW in September 2009.

The Hub at StanthorpeThis child friendly action plan is to undertake the following:

•  Develop a network of agencies who work with children and families
•  Participate in CPW.
•  Work with the local council regarding CF initiatives

This Network has started and the agency has met with the council. They also had a number of activities during CPW 2008. Watch this space for further information on how The Hub initiate, involve and inspire others to Play a Part.

East Creek Neighborhood Centre in Toowoomba This child friendly initiative is to develop a protocol for Walking School Buses so that schools can easily adopt the concept. Research is underway and Rangeville School is assisting with surveying parents.

Wilsonton Community HouseThis child friendly action plan is to work in conjunction with Toowoomba Play a Part Project Facilitator Ann Alcock to introduce Child friendly initiatives throughout the Wilsonton Heights area. Current initiatives have included:

•  To jointly hold a Family Fun Day in the Park
•  To work in conjunction with Wilsonton Shopping Centre to hold holiday activities for children
•  To source funding to hold art classes for children
•  To increase the number of volunteers who are available to read with children
•  To investigate the development of “The Big Book” for Toowoomba.

If you would like to know more about how you can Play a Part, contact our Project Facilitators HERE.