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New South Wales
Queensland
Western Australia
Our Communities
Local community ownership is vital to the success of the PaL Program. The key features of PaL that support local ownership are:
Engaging in a consultative process to ensure PaL is delivered only to communities that want it- Engaging local community people to deliver and manage the program
- Engaging the community in the compilation and implementation of the program, including the selection of books and resources
- Building connections and strong relationships within the communities where the program is delivered
- Being flexible enough to accommodate differences in communities to ensure transferability
Ardyaloon
Location: Kimberley Region, Dampier Peninsular (218km north-east of Broome)
Traditional Country: Bardi and Jawi
Began PaL: 2011
Ardyaloon community started off utilising PaL resources in their playgroup as a way of ensuring that children attending had quality educational resources and centre staff were able to structure activities around solid information on how children learn.
The program was originally delivered at the Women’s Group/ Playgroup ensuring that parents were engaged in the program and comfortable with use of the resources. Once confident they were able to further develop their skills using the resources at home with their children.
Save the Children are now responsible for the delivery of PaL in the Dampier Peninsula.
Bamaga
Location: Northern Peninsula Area – Cape York
Traditional Country: Gudang Began PaL: 2012
PaL initially began in Bamaga in the Safe House with Childcare workers using the program and resources with children in their care.
Gradually, families in the broader community were introduced to PaL and enrolled to begin using the program with their children. PaL is now working in partnership with the Bamaga Junior School through the Pre Prep classroom to deliver the program to enrolled families.
Beagle Bay
Location: Kimberley Region, Dampier Peninsular (117km north-east of Broome)
Traditional Country: Nyul Nyul
Began PaL: 2011
Beagle Bay was the first community to implement PaL on the Dampier Peninsula in 2011.
Since 2015 Save the Children have been responsible for the delivery of PaL in the Dampier Peninsula. They are working collaboratively with the Beagle Bay Primary School, The Women’s Centre and the Playgroup.
Broome
Location: Kimberley Region. Broome, WA
Traditional Country: Yawuru/ Djugun
Began PaL: 2012
Broome Primary was the first school to run PaL in all of Australia.
Dedicated Aboriginal and Islander Education Officer’s (AIEO) worked together with a highly skilled school co-ordinator and with the full support of the School Principal to deliver the program in this location.
CURRENTLY IN RECESS
Cairns
Location: Borrowdale Close, Bentleigh Park
Traditional Country: Yidinji
Began PaL: 2012
Napranum PaL implemented a Train the Trainer delivery model in 2012 to the Cairns Early Years Centre.
The program is delivered to families with diverse backgrounds and needs by all staff of this integrated early childhood service. PaL programs (ReadnPlay and BookStart) are also being delivered to the Gordonvale Early Years Centre through CEYC. The response to the program has been very positive in the South Cairns region with approximately 60 families participating each year.
Boopa Werem Kindergarten
Boopa Werem Kindergarten began delivering the PaL BookStart program to children and families in 2016 and have an ever increasing number of participants each year. The feedback received from families has been overwhelmingly positive and the children take great pride in having ownership and responsibility.
Kuranda Kindergarten
Kuranda Kindergarten began deliveries of the PaL BookStart program late in 2016 and have settled into a regular routine of delivery to a small group of families.
Carnarvon
Location: Gascoyne Region, 900km north of Perth
Traditional Country: Yingardda
Began PaL: 2012
PaL in Carnarvon is currently supported by GRCEC (Geraldton Regional Community Education Centre).
Coen
Location: Central – Cape York Peninsula
Traditional Country: Wik Mungkan/Kanju
Began PaL: 2012
CURRENTLY IN RECESS
Echuca
Location: Located on the banks of the Murray and Campaspe Rivers in Victoria (214 km North of Melbourne)
Traditional Country: Yorta Yorta
Began PaL: 2004
Echuca was the second Indigenous community to implement PaL.
Although a long way from Napranum, (going from remote north Queensland to a rural Victorian township), Echuca was an excellent test of the program's flexibility and transferability.
Support for the initial implementation phase of PaL (2004/2005) was provided by the Njernda Aboriginal Corporation, The Westpac Foundation and the Rio Tinto Aboriginal Foundation. PaL was delivered to families in Echuca from 2004 to 2014. In Echuca ‘parents expected to do PaL with their children’ and were ‘really proud to be part of PaL’.
CURRENTLY IN RECESS
Eight Mile
Location: Kimberley Region, Fitzroy Valley (30km south-east of Fitzroy Crossing)
Traditional Country: Gooniyandi
Began PaL: 2012
CURRENTLY IN RECESS
Hopevale
Location: East Coast – Far North Queensland
Traditional Country: Guugu Yimithirr
Began PaL: 2006
CURRENTLY IN RECESS
Injinoo
Location: Northern Peninsula Area – Cape York
Traditional Country: Gudang
Began PaL: 2015
The program was initially introduced to the parent group through the Injinoo Pre Prep classroom. This model of PaL being delivered through the local school has continued in Injinoo with support from PaL staff.
Lockhart River
Location: East Coast – Cape York Peninsula
Traditional Country: Kuuku Ya’u
Began PaL: 2011
The PaL program is being delivered by the Puuya Foundation through their Kuunchi Kakana (Families Together) Team.
The Puuya Foundation works collaboratively with local community members and early childhood learning providers to increase attendance and participation of parents / carers and young children in early years learning.
PaL now operates from the newly established Kuunchi Kakana –Families Together Centre, the early childhood hub of the community. Embedding the program in this environment strengthens the sustainability of the program for the long term.
Mapoon
Location: West Coast - Cape York Peninsula
Traditional Country: Tjungundji
Began PaL: 2007
Mt Magnet
Location: Murchison region, 560km north of Perth, 350km west from Geraldton
Traditional Country: Badimaya
Began PaL: 2012
Mt Magnet was the first site to implement PaL with the support of the Geraldton Regional Community Education Centre (GRCEC).
CURRENTLY IN RECESS
Mungullah
Location: Gascoyne Region, 900km north of Perth
Traditional Country: Yingardda
Began PaL: 2012
PaL in Mungullah is currently supported by GRCEC (Geraldton Regional Community Education Centre).
Muswellbrook
Traditional Country: Wanaruah
Location: Inland NSW (127km North / West of Newcastle)
Began PaL: 2009
Muswellbrook was one of the first communities to trial the BookStart Program.
Based at the Wanaruah Land Council, Muswellbrook PaL has been supported since 2009 by the Aboriginal Community Development Fund, Rio Tinto Coal and Allied and more recently by Mach Energy. The PaL Tutors work in conjunction with Muswellbrook South Primary School and liaise regularly with other early childhood services to ensure the PaL message reaches families across the community.
Napranum
Location: West Coast - Cape York Peninsula
Traditional Country: Algnith
Began PaL: 2001
Napranum is home to the Parents and Learning Program and is the model on which all other PaL programs are based.
All three PaL programs, ReadnPlay, BookStart Level 1 and Level 2 are delivered in Napranum in close collaboration with the Napranum Early Childhood Centre. All families enrolled at the centre also participate in a PaL program at home. The PaL Coordinator works closely with the NECC staff to support delivery.
Napranum PaL staff also play a key role in the implementation of PaL programs in other Cape York communities. They provide the resources and training for new tutors, present information sessions for families and community members and provide ongoing mentoring and support throughout the implementation and delivery period.
New Mapoon
Location: Northern Peninsula Area – Cape York
Traditional Country: Gudang
Began PaL: 2011
CURRENTLY IN RECESS
Newcastle
Traditional Country: Awabakal and Worimi
Location: East Coast of NSW (167 km due North of Sydney)
Began PaL: 2005
CURRENTLY IN RECESS
Noonkanbah
Location: Kimberley Region, Fitzroy Valley (170km south-west of Fitzroy Crossing)
Traditional Country: Nyikina
Began PaL: 2011
CURRENTLY IN RECESS
Roebourne
Location: Pilbara Region (1563km North of Perth / 330 km south of Port Headland)
Traditional Country: Yindjibarndi and Ngarluma
Began PaL: 2008
The Yaandina PaL program was the first PaL program to be implemented in Western Australia. Deliveries to families in Roebourne began in August 2008 and are still continuing.
PaL in Roebourne is currently being delivered by the Yaandina Family Centre.
Umagico
Location: Northern Peninsula Area – Cape York
Traditional Country: Anggamuthi
Began PaL: 2010
Known to most locals as Alau, this was the first community to kick off the PaL program in the Northern Peninsula Area.
PaL is now being delivered to Alau children through the Injinoo Pre Prep program.
Wujal Wujal
Location: East Coast – Far North Queensland
Traditional Country: Kuku Yalanji
Began PaL: 2009
The Wujal Wujal Kindergarten and Preschool staff work very closely with PaL staff to promote PaL to families in Wujal Wujal.
Kindergarten staff utilise the PaL resources within their Kindergarten programs so children will have greater familiarity when using PaL with their parents and carers.
Louise’s story
“I found PaL to be a great influence on my daughter which helped her get ready for school. Not only did she enjoy PaL but also achieved a lot from it; for example the alphabet, identifying numbers etc.
I am overwhelmed from not only what I achieved as a PaL parent and PaL tutor but what the parents and kids I worked with achieve.
I used to get called the home work lady and have parents tell me how their child is responding to them so much more which makes me happy to see parents and their children communicating.”
