Early intervention in Wiluna
Stronger Families Learning Exchange Bulletin No.6 Spring/Summer 2004 pp.18-19
One early intervention and prevention project taking a longer-term view is already displaying tangible positive results. Although not yet measurable in concrete improvements in children's health and wellbeing, this project is contributing to changes that are permeating through the entire community.
Parenting and Early Childhood Development in Wiluna and Surrounding Communities is a partnership project between the Australian Government Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS) and several state government departments. It is auspiced by Nganagganawili Aboriginal Community Controlled Health & Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation.
This project, introduced in the previous Bulletin, is located in Wiluna, a remote West Australian community on the edge of the Little Sandy Desert. Wiluna is the starting point of both the Canning Stock Route to Halls Creek and the Gunbarrel Highway to Alice Springs. Community infrastructure in Wiluna is limited and many families are living in very difficult circumstances. This project is one of the many Stronger Families and Communities Strategy projects showing ways that an early intervention approach sitting alongside more conventional service delivery can contribute to real change resulting in a more optimistic community, and a happier and safer place for children to grow up.
Wiliuna's Parenting and Early Childhood Development project is one of the newer Stronger Families and Communities Strategy projects. The project was funded in April 2003 and the first Project Coordinator was appointed in June of that year. A focal point of the project will be the new purpose-built facility where educational workshops, children's activities and social gatherings can take place. Through much negotiation and coordination, funds were secured from two Australian Government departments, a state department, and a local mining company trust fund for a prefabricated building, which has only recently arrived, over a year after the project commenced. While the practical parent education and playgroup activities in a formal setting have been "on hold", the wait for a building has provided time to "network" and discuss ideas for the centre.
While the project is located within a service specifically geared to individual medical interventions, and is therefore 'crisis' oriented, the project employs a Parenting and Early Childhood Development Coordinator who is an experienced worker with young children.
The wait for a suitable building fortunately coincided with a new local government community development program, staffed by a very enthusiastic Youth, Recreation and Community Development Officer, whose role was also focused on building community strengths and networks. During the past 18 months the two projects have worked cooperatively and have initiated a number of events that have achieved numerous early intervention and other beneficial outcomes.
This early collaboration between the Wiluna Shire and the Aboriginal Medical Service included an elders' barbecue in the town's recreation centre to encourage young people to show their respect and love for the senior members of the community. Youngsters cooked, prepared salads, served the meal and cleaned up afterwards. The teenagers also carefully supervised younger helpers. This event was a great start to the strategy of bringing youngsters and positive older role models closer together while promoting healthy lifestyles and working cooperatively. Around 40 elders attended, with the assistance of a medical service staff member providing transport via the community care bus. The participants, young and old, were very enthusiastic and appreciative and keen for it to become a regular event.
A positive spin-off was the opportunity for the Parenting and Early Childhood Development Coordinator to chat to the elders and develop a good relationship with these very important members of the community. The community elders will play a vital role in the Stronger Families Project as mentors, assisting the Coordinator to teach positive parenting skills to families. The elders' barbeque provided an excellent opportunity for the development of trust and the communication of ideas. Future elders' events will be used to build upon the relationship between project workers and community elders, and receive feedback from the elders in regards to the project and how it is progressing.
A youth ball was held just before Christmas for young people in Wiluna and surrounding communities. Many of the girls were assisted by a local TAFE teacher to design and sew their own outfits for the big event. Others were donated, with enough outfits for every young person to dress up for the night. Leading up to the ball there were several "girls meetings" held (workshops around health, hygiene and self-esteem) to practise hair dos and facials and discuss family issues in an informal setting. With these teenage girls as the future parents in the community, the youth ball provided an excellent opportunity to discuss important healthy messages in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. These "girls meetings" were enjoyed so much that they have become a regular weekly occurrence. Discussions about healthy relationships, protective behaviours and positive parenting over informal art and craft activities, have begun to address the needs of this age group using an early intervention approach. Youngsters came from several neighbouring communities for the ball and a dance group came from Perth to provide entertainment and lessons. This event was also important for the township to know that Wiluna and its young people have something to offer others. Due to the popularity of this event, plans are already underway for the next Youth Ball in December this year.
Community involvement can be counted and recorded in terms of attendance at community functions or particular activities, but translating the participation in novel activities or one-off events into stronger communities able to provide better outcomes for children is never easy.
The idea of a family centre and other early intervention activities relating to young children are becoming more tangible as the project worker talks about them and listens for ideas, often during the community events. Many women have contributed to plans through consultations and discussions at the women's centre too. Their ideas are already adding to the strategies for supporting young mothers, in particular through the documenting of their own stories about growing up and their experiences with their parents and grandparents. These are being recorded as photo stories to be shared with the next generations.
The community is generating ideas for events and programs as well as enthusiastically participating in those that the workers initiate.
Another type of indicator that shows the project's progress is the level of cooperation that is developing between agencies.
Most agencies and services in Wiluna tended to "do their own thing", often operating in isolation, unless their formal roles coincided. The model of cooperation displayed by the workers from the AMS and the Wiluna Shire and the results they have achieved has provided the impetus for others to participate in the current projects and then to contribute to the planning of other community strengthening activities.
A good example was last year's Christmas party where representatives of all of Wiluna's major services were invited by the Shire's Youth, Recreation and Community Development Officer to get together to plan the party and to ask for volunteers. The Shire, together with the Parenting and Early Childhood Development project, community businesses and other organisations worked together and ran a fun family day that everyone in town attended. Workers acknowledged that this was the first community event for children for some time that was wholeheartedly supported by the wider community.
The new Project Coordinator is continuing to receive positive support from the Shire. The recreation hall has been the temporary venue for many of the parenting and playgroup activities, youth club and girls group meetings. The cooperative, positive relationships between these two services provides a model for the whole community. It continues to encourage community involvement in events that foster positive family interactions, building on the strengths already in existence in the community.
Although the project is still in its developmental phase, the activities undertaken so far and the invitations to share ideas for the centre have contributed to a wonderful energy at the prospect of a new project and building focusing on families and younger children. But more than that, it has engendered community spirit and positive energy that is tangible and will no doubt translate into measurable outcomes in the not too distant future.
The eagerly anticipated building has now arrived, and is located in the main street of town. The playground is being installed and grounds need further work before it is open for business. Participants in the current programs conducted at the temporary facilities are eager to help the steering committee prepare the new facilities, arrange furniture, unpack boxes and generally organise things in readiness for the playgroups and meetings to move to their new 'home'.
Had a suitable building been available when the project worker was first employed, the "luxury" of developing networks, relationships and trust would probably have been displaced by the immediate need of young families to receive practical parenting support. Now, different models of support have been developed and a larger, stronger community safety net for those families is being woven.
Margo Northey is a Senior Research Officer and Team Leader with the Stronger Families Learning Exchange at the Australian Institute of Family Studies.
