A Child Friendly Australia Coming Your Way Soon
July 22nd 2007 by Char in Fostering Adoption Parenting, Child Abuse
The National Association for Protection of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN) has its annual Child Protection Week coming up September 2 - 8th. You can register to host a Child Friendly event by going to here.
A Child Protection Week activity pack will be sent to you containing posters, balloons and other goodies. Events can be as simple as a “playgroup” get-together (happening at my house on the 8th if you live in Cairns) to art work displays, blogging about it, or running a stall to promote awareness (hopefully, mine will be set up at the local uni for a couple of days). I will be contacting the uni library about displaying a “Flag of Commitment” made of hand prints from people visiting the stall (or printouts of emailed hand prints) and positive words and phrases in different languages to integrate a multicultural approach. So send me your hand print or words and phrases if your interested in supporting this event. I’ll take a photo of the finished collage and post it in a blog later in the year.
You can also nominate a person or organization as a Child Friendly Champion, who will receive a certificate form NAPCAN in recognition of their committed efforts to child protection. I’m nominating Megan (of course!), and the staff of the foster care agency that I am linked with.
“Through Child Friendly Australia NAPCAN is celebrating the many individuals, companies and communities who are making a positive difference to the lives of children and young people, by making their community child friendly. These Children’s Champions share our vision of building a child friendly Australia and NAPCAN’s recognition of them will help inspire everyday Australians to take responsibility not only for their own children, but for all children in their community. So if you know some one you think should be recognised as a Children’s Champion.” Email pete@napcan.org.au to receive a certificate to present to them.
Also, NAPCAN wants to spread positive stories of child and youth protection, resiliency and empowerment during the campaign.
“Help us Capture the Stories and paint a picture of Child Friendly Australia! Around Australia there are thousands of child friendly initiatives building the resilience, safety and wellbeing of children and young people, and we want to share them as widely as possible. Tell us your stories about child friendly initiatives and especially child friendly streets so we can promote them to during The Week”. To take part log onto NAPCAN at http://www.napcan.org.au/
Imaginif…we had a face-painting-chain-day to create a Child Friendly Australia.
Stumble it!
July 22nd, 2007 at 11:43 am
Char I would love to bring my youngest child to the playgroup at your house if that’s appropriate.
What would you like for Imaginif to do online for Child Protection Week - we could either support you in a collection of hand prints from around the world or if you can let me know what a face-painting-chain day is all about I would be happy to start organising.
While I recognise that CP week is an Australian initiative, I strongly believe in child protection without boundaries - geographical boundaries that is!
Who else in the world wants to take part in an Imaginif online activity during Child Protection Week?
Oh, and I almost forgot to say thanks for nominating me. It’s not necessary though. I do this because I believe in it and I know that it’s contagious - the more we talk about the importance of putting child protection and child safety on the public agenda, the more other believers will also stand up and say, “I’m with you baby!”
So who is with us then?
July 22nd, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Hi Megan~ cool, is that Boy that will be coming?, you are both more than welcome. Will let you know times when its closer to the day, and I know when my boy has his footy match on the Saturday.
It would be fantastic to put out a global call for hand prints and in-language affirmations about a Child Friendly Community. Would be awesome to see the ideas that others have across the waters etc. Thx for the suggestion- this could become a real work of art and an eclectic vehicle for voicing our beliefs.
The face-painting-chain was a writing-on-the-run idea…maybe we could each paint someone else’s face on a date during the campaign (even if it’s just a small symbol/word and not the whole face), on the provision that they paint someone else’s face, and so on…maybe it could eventually come back to the one who started it (hard if going for just a day), or a photo could b taken and uploaded on Imaginif, or we just put it out there for the fun of it…
As to the nomination what a fun way to let another know they are appreciated. Me loves certificates and giving things. Come-on Megan~ your forgetting to think like a kid!!!
Looking forward to others ideas and contributions, lookout Oz, here we come…!
July 23rd, 2007 at 12:27 pm
lol - yes, I think I am forgetting to think like a kid. But…I hate fairy floss and comics and I like to be the one making the fuss, not receiving it. I sound so much like a parent that I’m dead set boring!
I’ll take care of a global call for hand prints and messages.