@Normal:Seymour MP Ben Hardman, left, and Yarra Ranges Indigenous Development Officer Garry Detez celebrated a $1 million moment along with partner representatives Rebecca Wright, Jan Amos, Doseena Fergie, Jane Judd, Bronwyn Forster and Christine Brown. 55518
By Kath Gannaway
A $1 MILLION investment in early childhood services will provide more inclusive opportunities for indigenous young families, and all families, in Healesville.
Seymour MP Ben Hardman announced the $1 million grant last week as part of a $19.4 million state-wide early childhood grants allocation.
The money will be used to expand the Robyn Jane Children’s Centre to incorporate the Healesville Reconciliation Centre for Children and Families.
Yarra Ranges Council’s Family and Children’s Services Department applied for the funding on behalf of partners in the project.
Executive officer Christine Brown said the project brought together Healesville organisations which provide early childhood and family services in the town.
The new centre will be in a hub of facilities which include the Robyn Jane Children’s Centre, the Haig Avenue Pre-school and the Early Childhood Intervention centre.
Ms Brown said it was a triumph of many groups working together to achieve something which had been long planned, and hoped for.
The groups are Robyn Jane Children’s Centre, Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association (HICSA), Yarra Valley Community Health, Healesville Early Childhood Intervention Program, Eastern Access Community Health, Kinderlink, Ranges Community Health, Yarra Ranges Council’s Maternal and Child Health Service, Healesville Primary School and Anglicare.
Ms Brown said the project had three main focuses – to extend the Robyn Jane Centre, to integrate and provide an holistic service for families with under-school-age children, and to make a place where Aboriginal families would feel welcome, where their culture was acknowledged, understood and respected.
Yarra Ranges Indigenous Development Officer Garry Detez said the it was about acknowledging the land as Wurundjeri and celebrating that, and about acknowledging the diversity within the Healesville Aboriginal community itself.
Doseena Fergie, chairwoman of HICSA, said 14 indigenous families use the Boorai early childhood services at Badger Creek and it was hoped to relocate that service to the new facility to give more access to occasional childcare and to pre-school.
HICSA will provide culturally complementary training for staff at Robyn Jane.
Ms Fergie said there was a growing awareness of Aboriginal culture.
“One of the issues we have is young people are saying we want our non-Aboriginal friends to come into a safe place.
“This will be such a place where children will be seen as children, but there will also be an appreciation of cultures. “Given this area, and with Coranderrk Mission, there is a huge lot of historical facts our community should know, and don’t know,” she said.
Ms Brown said having all the services located in the one precinct give ready access to a range of services.
“Early years education can be a very complex system and if you are really well educated you can just about find your way through.
“This will be a great benefit to all families of Healesville, but particularly to those who have difficulty negotiating the system.
Mr Hardman congratulated all the partners in the project saying he looked forward to seeing the project completed.
“The Robyn Jane Children’s Centre has worked tirelessly over some years to upgrade and expand their facility to give the whole community access to community-based childcare facilities and more flexible kindergarten services,” he said.
