Koorie Kids Family Playgroups

SouthernVictorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency

• Southern VACCA has four Koorie KidsPlaygroups in Frankston, Cranbourne,Pakenham and Tootgarook.• Our playgroups begin the year from acultural perspective.• We started our year with a Welcome toCountry from Aunty Fay Muir and AuntyDi Kerr then we got ready for business.

• Aboriginal staff areemployed .• Staff are part ofcommunity.• Create anorganisationalpresence withincommunity.• Participate incommunity events.

• Culturally safe space to connect.• Create cultural experiences and memories.• Invite Elders and Artists from local and widercommunity.• Actively encourage families to identify and reconnectwith community through playgroup.• We take our safe space into community tocreate opportunities for families to re/connect.

• Families feel strengthened in their cultural identityand want to share that with other families.• Families begin to understand and appreciate thevalue of a culturally safe playgroup.• Families share their experiences of activities,incursions, excursions and enthusiasticallyencourage other families to attend.• Families are assisted with transport and a reallygood feed.

• Culturally safe space.• Welcoming and encouraging environment.• A place to voice concerns, issues and getculturally appropriate family support.• Cultural experiences – craft, music, books, mattime, Elders, artists, excursions.• Language used.

• Community are knowledgeable about ourplaygroups because we actively network.• Community members participate as PlayPartners.• We welcome opportunities for mutual supportof families.• Community are confident to refer families toour playgroups.

• Storytelling• Music•Dancing• Reading• Ways ofspeaking• History• Oral history

Our art• Colouring in and painting• Symbolism and sand play• Decorating our craft• Play dough• Musical instruments• Family collage• Kinship trees• Scrapbooks•MAKE YOUR CRAFTRELEVANT AND INCLUSIVE

• Families identifying as Koorie – “Where’s theKoorie Kids?”• Linking into culture – NAIDOC, cultural days,NAICD• Feeling strong in culture means linking confidentlyinto mainstream• Incursions• Visits – beach, parks, zoo, wetlands, cultural tours• Mainstream community events – Children’s Days,Teddy Bears’ Picnic and Woodlands Walk