Early Years
Mingo Waloom Best Start program
The Mingo Waloom Best Start program is funded by the Department of Education and Training (DET) and operates within a broad early years services partnership.
Best Start brings professionals together to create and measure positive sustainable changes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families in Early Childhood Education and Maternal and Child Health.
Best Start brings professionals together to create and measure positive sustainable changes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families in Early Childhood Education and Maternal and Child Health.
Aboriginal Best Start works with Early Start Kindergarten (3yo) and Year Before School Kindergarten services as well as Maternal and Child Health services to ensure that our families feel comfortable, welcomed and heard within these services, improving engagement with them. The focus is to improve outcomes for our children and their families.
Our partners include City of Greater Geelong, Bethany, Barwon Health, Barwon Child Youth and Family (BCYF), Goodstart Early Learning, Colac Area Health, Colac Otway Shire, Department of Education and Training (DET), Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (LAECG), DHHF, Geelong Regional Library Corporation (GRLC), Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Limited (VACSAL) and Deakin University.
The Best Start facilitator engages representatives from other services within Early Years Education and Maternal and child Health as appropriate. Every year Wathaurong puts a large focus on ensuring the voice of Aboriginal community members and Elders are heard right throughout the Mingo Waloom Partnership.
Our partners include City of Greater Geelong, Bethany, Barwon Health, Barwon Child Youth and Family (BCYF), Goodstart Early Learning, Colac Area Health, Colac Otway Shire, Department of Education and Training (DET), Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (LAECG), DHHF, Geelong Regional Library Corporation (GRLC), Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Limited (VACSAL) and Deakin University.
The Best Start facilitator engages representatives from other services within Early Years Education and Maternal and child Health as appropriate. Every year Wathaurong puts a large focus on ensuring the voice of Aboriginal community members and Elders are heard right throughout the Mingo Waloom Partnership.
For more information or for a yarn, you can call Wathaurong on (03) 5277 0044 and ask to speak with the Aboriginal Best Start Facilitator.
Koorie Preschool Assistant program (KPSA)
The KPSA program aims to support the Wathaurong community with accessing and participating in local kindergarten services. The KPSA also supports the broader Kindergarten community with ensuring their services are culturally safe for families and their children.
Wathaurong Community
Families with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged three or four years, or who may be turning three or four years old.
Kindergarten Community
Kindergarten programs who have Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander families accessing their service and would like further support with ensuring a culturally safe environment for families.
The Koorie Preschool Assistant (KPSA):
- advocates for families.
- liaises with health and welfare agencies to support outcomes for children.
- supports community members with kindergarten enrollments.
- maintains working relationships with educational services.
- liaises with early childhood educators and professionals.
- provides ongoing support to families so that they can access and participate in mainstream kindergarten programs.
- ensures cultural connection, safety, and well being for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
For more information or for a yarn, you can call Wathaurong on (03) 5277 0044 and ask to speak with the Koorie Preschool Assistant or KPSA, or email Hayley Boehm at hayley.boehm@wathaurong.org.au
For more information or for a yarn, you can call Wathaurong on (03) 5277 0044 and ask to speak with the Koorie Preschool Assistant or KPSA, or email Hayley Boehm at hayley.boehm@wathaurong.org.au
Koorie Families As First Educators (KFFE)
KFFE supports Koorie families to provide a strong foundation for their children’s early learning and development through high-quality, culturally safe, evidence-based parenting support (pre-birth to school age, including transition to school). Koorie educators work with parents/carers to build the capacity of Koorie families to support their children’s early learning and development.
Parents and caregivers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged from pre-birth to school entry.
The KFFE initiative helps our children grow up strong in community and in culture whilst increasing opportunities for parents and caregivers to increase their knowledge and skillset to provide the best environments for their children to grow up strong, healthy, and connected. The KFFE program will provide you with the comprehensive tools and knowledge you need to achieve your best with your kids.
KFFE family educators are trained in the following parenting programs:Indigenous Triple P
Triple P – Primary Care
Triple P – Stepping Stones
Circle of Security Parenting
SmallTalk
KFFE family educators are trained in the following parenting programs:
After a referral has been received, an initial phone consult and/or home visit will be organised with one of the team members from within the KFFE initiative. The KFFE team member will support you with identifying your goals for yourself and your child’s development. With your input you will work together to find the most appropriate supports for you and your families’ needs, this will also include participation in one of the parenting support programs to equip you with the skills and knowledge based on your goals you wish to achieve.
Support can be provided to community members and their families in three different ways: INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT
GROUP/SOCIAL CONNECTION
LINKING FAMILIES WITH COMMUNITY
For more information or for a yarn, you can call Wathaurong on (03) 5277 0044 and ask to speak with someone in the Koorie Families as First Educators or KFFE team.
Milla Milla & Kitjarra Booboop Playgroup
Milla Milla Playgroup gives our community the opportunity for parents, caregivers and their children to come together in a culturally safe environment to learn more about Aboriginal culture and strengthen the cultural identity of children through play.
Parents and caregivers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged from pre-birth to school entry.
Milla Milla Playgroup is every Thursday and Friday (excluding school holidays) from 11:00am - 1:00pm. Lunch is provided.
Kitjarra Booboop is a targeted playgroup for families with babies under 12 months old. Kitjarra Booboop gives our community the opportunity for parents, caregivers and their children to come together in a culturally safe environment to learn more about their child’s development, share experiences and strengthen the cultural identity of children through coming together.
Parents and caregivers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged from pre-birth to 12 months.
Kitjarra Booboop is every Tuesday (excluding school holidays) from 10:30am - 12pm.
Playgroup gives children the opportunity to:
- Have fun
- Make new friends and build upon social skills
- Develop new skills through informal play
- Strengthen their cultural identity
- Strengthen their knowledge of their culture
Playgroup gives parents and caregivers the opportunity to:
- Meet other parents and caregivers
- Make friends
- Share ideas and experiences
- Spend quality time with their children
- Encourage, help, or simply play with their children.
If transport is a problem, let us know so we can include you and your child in pickups to and from Playgroup
A usual day at playgroup usually consists of:
- Free play
- Group session including story time, singing, learning Wadda Wurrung language
- Lunch
- Outdoor play
If you access Milla Milla Playgroup online via the Facebook page, you will be guided through a group time session facilitated by Wathaurong’s playgroup facilitator.
For more information or for a yarn, you can call Wathaurong on (03) 5277 0044 and ask to speak with the Playgroup facilitator, Kristi Watts, or email kristi.watts@wathaurong.org.au
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