Bubanil Playgroup ends the year with a splash!
The Bubanil Playgroup is a great support to the Indigenous community in Derby, WA with children, parents and staff ending the very successful year with a Christmas picnic and a big splash.
On 12 December, Bubanil Playgroup ended their year with a splash at the Derby swimming pool. Twenty-five parents and nearly 40 children gathered around to cool off on a very hot day and enjoy a Christmas party and picnic.
Staff and parents planned the outing to acknowledge everyone’s efforts and achievements throughout 2017 in the playgroup.
World Vision Australia supports the playgroup and Zondra Johnson is one of the local project facilitators supporting playgroups operating across the West Kimberley region.
‘The children had a spectacular time alongside the parents,’ Zondra said.
‘Even Mrs Clause decided to come all the way from the steaming hot Central Australian desert to drop gifts off to the littlies’. It was also splendid to see the huge effort from parents engaging with their child throughout the whole day.
The program operates three days a week. Local Aboriginal staff provide a professional and culturally safe space for children aged up to four years old and their parents to come together to enhance their child’s development.
Bubanil enjoys strong local support that has made it a very successful playgroup.
Zondra reported that one parent said the playgroup had played an important part in her boys’ development.
‘The consistency of the staff with their routine, support and professionalism has been awesome for our little family. This is such an important and valuable service for the community of Derby,' the parent said.
Thanks to funding received in June this year through the Indigenous Advancement Strategy, World Vision Australia could continue running this program in partnership with the community.
As a result, since July 2017, Bubanil has welcomed 106 Aboriginal children and 88 parents through its doors providing critical opportunities for parents and children to learn, play, read and bond together. Many parents are reporting they are taking much of what they learn in playgroup back into their homes.
Given that the greatest brain development in humans occurs during the first five years of a child’s life, the majority of learning and development occurs within the home environment with parents.
Parents and caregivers are a child’s first provider, protector and play mate. Investing in parents and caregivers to enhance their confidence and capacity to raise happy, healthy children is the key.
Find out more
The Australian Government’s Indigenous Advancement Strategy funds and delivers a range of programs targeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
World Vision Australia is a child-focused, international, development, relief and advocacy organisation. It is part of the World Vision International Partnership that implements long-term community development programs in partnership with communities in countries around the world. World Vision Australia has been working in Australia for over forty years.