Page 977 - Week 03 - Thursday, 22 March 2018
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
There are some fantastic examples of this I would like to bring to the attention of members, beginning with how Libraries ACT donate books to the child and family centres, and the centres pass these books on to families to encourage home reading and the joy of sharing books. Child and family centres also promote libraries to families and encourage families to engage directly with these wonderful facilities in our community. For example, child and family centre staff share with families information about some of the great programs available at libraries, like giggle and wiggle, which Ms Lawder mentioned and which is aimed at children aged zero to two and their parents and carers, and story time, which is aimed at children aged three to five and their parents and carers. Each week these sessions attract more than 1,400 people to our libraries.
Some of the other programs at libraries for children and families include the nourishing little minds collaboration with Nutrition Australia, focusing on healthy eating and library engagement, and the story dogs program, which is a reading support program for children who are reluctant readers.
Child and family centres also take children to libraries as part of their programs. Children and their families participating in Tuggeranong child and family centre programs, as well as children participating in Koori preschool, regularly attend story time at Tuggeranong Library. Each year, all three child and family centres partner with other organisations to deliver tracks to reconciliation. For the west Belconnen event, the Kippax Library is a key partner. The celebration begins at the Kippax Library where stories are shared with families before moving to UnitingCare Kippax for activities, and then finishing the celebration at West Belconnen Child and Family Centre. Each site hosts an activity relevant to the theme of National Reconciliation Week. The Tuggeranong and Gungahlin child and family centres also have included their local libraries as part of their tracks to reconciliation events.
In May last year the west Belconnen Child and Family Centre Koori kids program participated in a long-term ICT program at the Kippax Library called deadly digital. The project aimed to increase access and promote awareness and use of Libraries ACT resources, especially digital technology, by the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. The project successfully engaged children and their families, with the number of participants increasing during the program. Children accessed their local library to borrow books and DVDs, and children who are not members of the library subsequently joined up.
As well as promoting libraries and encouraging attendance at libraries, child and family centres bring libraries to them on occasion. For example, earlier this year child and family centres and Libraries ACT offered storytelling as part of a free holiday program that I was privileged to attend. This was great fun for children and also had the benefit of familiarising parents and carers with their local library and promoting library membership.
Libraries ACT has been attending the young parents group at West Belconnen Child and Family Centre to develop a rapport with the young parents, introduce children and their families to the services of Libraries ACT and promote positive exposure to early
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video