Playgroup’s $150,000 bonanza

Aboriginal families in Derby with young children have been given a helping hand, with a local playgroup service given $150,000 of State Government funding.

World Vision Australia, an ecumenical Christian organisation, has been running an Aboriginal early years service called the Bubanil Playgroup in the West Kimberley town since May, with the latest round of funding ensuring it can continue until June 2016.

The playgroup, which caters for Aboriginal families with children yet to be born up until the age to five, employs three dedicated staff members including project manager Jillian Hunter.

Services include parenting workshops and early childhood play activities, with the goal of transitioning youngsters’ path into schooling.

World Vision program manager Liz Mullen said the funding was critical to the service continuing and that young families were making the most of the playgroup.

“It is very exciting to be working with the Derby community and the WA government to run the service,” she said.

“We have been blown away – the families are really engaged and we have had really high rates of attendance.”

Over 50 different children have used the service since it started, with on average 15 families attending per session.

Ms Mullen said the positive impact on participants was evident.

“We are trying to encourage parents and those accessing the service to be really involved in making it a community-driven service that caters for their needs and interests,” she said.

“One of the things that we are most excited about is that it is building families’ engagement.”

Community Services Minister Tony Simpson said the service would work with parents to build a positive and caring relationship with their child and support growth and learning.

"The playgroup is an informal and comfortable meeting space where families and their young children can play and learn together while being supported and guided by qualified early years' staff," he said.

"What we hope to achieve is more confident parents and caregivers, and young Aboriginal children who are better able and ready to transition into school.”

The Bubanil Playgroup runs three mornings a week with free transport provided by Winun Ngari; for more information call Jillian Hunter on 9191 1556.