The Benevolent Society and ReachOut Australia for: ReachOut Parents Coaching Program

ReachOut Parents Coaching is a collaborative project between ReachOut Australia and The Benevolent Society. The nationwide online parent coaching service aims to “help parents support their teenagers through everyday issues and tough times”, offering coaching support and practical tools to parents concerned about the mental health and wellbeing of their teenager. The free coaching service offers 1-4 one-on-one sessions to parents by Benevolent Society coaches that are personalised to suit their individual needs and concerns; extending upon the information and self-help website and online community forum provided by ReachOut.

New South Wales

National Council of Jewish Women of Australia (NCJWA) – NSW Division for: Mum for Mum

Mum for Mum is a weekly home visiting program run in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. The program offers home-based family support by matching trained and supervised volunteers with new mothers and women in the last trimester of pregnancy who are in need of a supportive connection. Many of the recipients are new to Australia and originating from over 50 nationalities. The volunteers, who are mothers themselves, provide non judgmental and confidential support for new mothers, reducing isolation and enabling them to find the resources they need to become resilient, build their confidence and create secure attachment with their babies.

New South Wales

Paediatric Department, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for: Domestic Violence Routine Screening in Paediatrics

The Domestic Violence Routine Screening (DVRS) in Paediatrics project was developed to identify mothers and female carers who are victims of domestic violence and to offer them support and assistance. The Children’s Ward at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital is the first Paediatric ward in Australia to roll out a program of DVRS for the mothers/female carers of the children we care for.

The project involves education of nursing staff, domestic violence screening on the Children’s Ward at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and the development of both social work and legal response pathways for mothers and female carers experiencing domestic violence. The project also aims to raise awareness about the impact of domestic violence, reduce stigma amongst healthcare workers, families and the general public and encourage other health services to consider how they could play a role in reducing the impact of domestic violence on women and children.

Northern Territory

Australian Red Cross for: HomeRunners

HomeRunners works with vulnerable young people aged between 10 and 17 who experience social exclusion and who are disengaged from other structured supports, such as school and the broader community. Red Cross staff and trained and qualified volunteers support and mentor young people and assist them to engage in various sport activities by providing uniforms, basic brokerage funds, transport and nutritious food whilst also providing encouragement and friendship. By engaging in sports, the young people involved increase fitness and skills; in turn contributing to their physical and mental health as well as self-confidence. The program also provides them with additional supports and social networks and enhances their experiences of community connectedness whilst also providing concrete support for parents and caregivers and aiming to improve community perceptions of vulnerable young people.

Northern Territory

Charlie King

Charlie King is the son of a Gurindji woman who, as a young child, was taken from her family near Kalkarindji to the Kahlin Compound, to return to her country years later as a married woman. A youth worker for more than 20 years, Charlie has been engaged in community development, juvenile justice and child protection. He has been working in partnership with CatholicCare NT since 2006 developing strong mens programs and the No More Campaign, which targets sporting codes to address violence in their clubs and with their supporters.

Northern Territory 

Shirleen Campbell

Shirleen Campbell is an Aboriginal Women from Hoppy’s Camp Alice Springs. Shirleen was born in 1981, is a mother of 5 and a grandmother of 1. Shirleen is a Walpiri and Anmatyerre woman from her Dad’s side and Arrente and Luritja from her mother’s side. Shirleen has been a Leader on the Tangentyere Women’s Family Safety group since 2015 and was employed as the Co-ordinator in 2017. Shirleen is a strong voice and advocate for women and children in the area of family and domestic violence and wants to see visibility for Aboriginal women and their stories. Shirleen works from the grass-roots to close the gap for Aboriginal people and is a strong advocate for two-way learning, which means sharing knowledge, stories and skills across all cultures so that we can all learn and value what each of us bring.

Queensland

Puuya Foundation for: Kuunchi Kakana (Families Together) Centre & Program

The Kuunchi Kakana Centre is a community-led, community-run family centre in the Lockhart River remote community in Queensland. Family members who have a key role in each child’s upbringing attend alongside their children, learning together and developing new skills to help them into the future. All of the activities at the centre serve a developmental purpose and the learning environment was designed by the community, often using simple materials to encourage the activities to be duplicated at home. Parents and family members learn alternative means of managing behaviour and gain a deeper understanding of the developmental needs that drive children’s actions. Kuunchi Kakana also has strong links with other programs, allowing each child and family member in the Lockhart River to form relationships with a range of professionals dedicated to their wellbeing.

South Australia

Puddle Jumpers Incorporated for: Community Food Nights

Community Food Nights is a family targeted and child friendly food relief service that allows families to collect free food and occasional clothes, toys and homewares through a donation of pantry items. The program also provides tea, coffee, haircuts and a children’s play area along with volunteers to provide a fun, safe environment for children whilst parents and carers collect their goods. The Food Nights also allow new relationships and friendships to form between children, families and volunteers and create a sense of belonging and connectedness within the community. Those who attend regularly have also implemented and assisted with safety, wellbeing and behaviour policies relevant to the community.

Tasmania 

Ines Carver

Ines identified a gap in resources to support and empower Tasmanian teenagers and and their parents. As a result, she created ‘Tassie Teen’ as a way of identifying the issues that concern children and young people and locate local services to support them. The initiative started off as a Facebook page to track and share her findings with others, and has now evolved into a monthly newsletter and website. Ines volunteers her time and presents the project to councils, schools and youth services across Tasmania and has held several events screening relevant films and hosting keynote speakers to engage parents, educators and young people.

Tasmania 

Child Health Association Tasmania (CHAT)

The Child Health Association Tasmania (CHAT) is a statewide organisation that aims to connect, support, educate and inspire Tasmanian families. CHAT provides positive and inclusive opportunities for children and their families to come together through a variety of activities and programs including pram walking, playgroups, special interest groups, information sessions, retailer discounts and the Family Food Patch. CHAT offers resources, strategies and support to new and existing members as well as moderated online forums and two safe spaces in the CBD for families where they can feed, change, play, connect with other families and participate in events.

Victoria 

Me and My Dad Playgroup Ballarat

Me and My Dad Playgroup is a bi-weekly gathering of 3 to 10 fathers at the Sebastopol Primary School in Ballarat. Dads, granddads, uncles and male carers can all attend the playgroup which has been running since 2013, providing comfortable space for dads to bond with their children and with other dads. Leigh Whitten, the current organiser of the playgroup said, “It’s good to bounce things that you’re going through off other dads because we’re alone in what we’re doing, and it’s good to get that bit of help and to know that you are doing OK.”

Western Australia 

Investing In Our Youth

Investing In Our Youth is a unique, independent, not-for-profit working in partnership with like-minded organisations for the benefit of young people in every community across the South West. Programs run by Investing In Our Youth promote the welfare of children, young people and their parents by helping them to make their lives better, including HIPPY Australia which enables parents and carers to become a child’s first teacher and The Incredible Years boosting the development of children aged four and five. In addition to operating Child and Parent Centres, in Bunbury and in Collie, Investing In Our Youth brings independent childcare centres together for mentoring under The POD program. The organisation has an outstanding track record in the developing and delivering long term partnerships supported by the State and Federal governments, corporate organisations and philanthropists.