On August 4, ATSI Children’s Day’s theme for 2022 is ‘My Dreaming, My Future’. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are born into stories of their family, culture and Country, carrying with them the songlines of their ancestors and culture, passed down through the generations.
Since 1988, the Day has been celebrated annually as an initiative of Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC – National Voice for our Children).
Their Dreaming, according to the SNAICC, is part of their history, while their futures are their own to shape. The Day will see ATSI children across Australia being asked what Dreaming means to them, encouraging them to learn how to interpret this in their lives and identify, and hearing what their aspirations are for the future.
Spotlight on their futures
In Western Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up approximately 4% of our population. At Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC WA), approximately 25% of the young patients and families it cares for identify as First Nations people.
This comparison highlights that the quality of health among First Nations children remains a significant issue, says RMHC WA CEO, Peter King.
For the past 30 years, RMHC WA have helped Western Australian families with sick children stay together and close to the medical care they need, wherever they call home in the State. Their PCH facility has 14 rooms available for families of critical ill or injured children, and their Nedlands’ house has 47 rooms (45 rooms plus two isolation units).
In addition, to the programs and facilities within the House and Perth Children Hospital, the Ronald McDonald Learning Program delivers ongoing care as it aims to bridge the gap for students who often miss out on school due to their medical illness.
From kindergarten to Year 12, educational support equating to 40 hours of one-on-one tutoring is offered to children in need of assistance.
Like every child diagnosed with a serious illness, it’s a trauma that impacts the whole family, with lives turned upside down as treatments are mapped out. RMHC WA creates programs and delivers services for children and their families that positive impact their health and wellbeing.
“RMHC WA provides young patients and their families a home-away-from-home that embraces and respects First Nations culture.
“It is a safe and welcoming environment for First Nations families to stay together and have their family culture recognised as an important part of a child’s healing.
Being far from home also means being far from Country, community, school and friends. RMHC WA provides continued education, play and learning programs for Indigenous and non-Indigenous children and their siblings.
In addition to curriculum-based learning, RMHC WA also incorporates cultural play and learning experiences to positively engage all children in First Nations culture, history and family life.
“Through our education, play and learning programs we are incredibly privileged to ‘learn in return’ from the First Nations children we care for,” said Mr King.
“On a daily basis, they share their hopes, dreams and stories with us that makes our House a special place to be.
Art at its heart
Over the years AWESOME Arts (and its Festival), has firmly established itself as the premier event for families and schools on Western Australia’s cultural calendar. Since 1996, it has been lovingly crafted and shaped by many dedicated and wise hands along the way and is recognised by an international festival monitoring organisation as one of the top 25 events in the world for young people, with an important focus on inclusiveness across Western Australia.
The Creative Challenge program continues to lead the way in creative learning in Western Australia, arguably delivering the most in-school contact hours of any arts company in the state and empowering thousands of students – including those in Aboriginal communities - to research, imagine, create, learn, present, problem-solve and evaluate their own projects.
Importantly, 75% of participants in these programs are Aboriginal.
“Through our education programs Creative Challenge and STEAMED Up, AWESOME Arts encourages children aged five to 16 in regional, rural, and remote communities to share their stories and stories of their community through process-driven art projects,” said CEO Jenny Simpson AWESOME Arts.
“Using a child-centred approach to learning means that children are comfortable exploring their stories and embracing their community in exciting ways. The program celebrates the rich cultural and environmental diversity across Western Australia.”
In 2021 children at Nullagine Primary School, on the lands of the Nyiyaparli people, explored significant stories about fire and community gathering through a series of ‘light painting’ photographs.
The narrative reflected their favourite parts of their town and moments shared with their families. The final artworks were collated into a photobook to remain in the community.
Meanwhile, students at Mount Magnet District High School, on Badimaya country, explored shadow puppetry, painting and animation to create an interactive sensory installation in 2021.
“Focusing on a shared experience of camping, the students created a sensory ‘campsite’ with projected storytelling and audio components,” said Ms Simpson.
“Families were invited into the space to delight in the immersive experience, recognising their peers and local community in the story.
“Shared experiences through art create a deeper connection to community, amplifying children’s voices and creating an opportunity to explore stories about what makes their community unique,” she said.
Marking ATSI Children’s Day
RMHC WA is gearing up for some important activities on August 4, recognising the challenges for many of the children who come into their care for urgent medical assistance, often many kilometres from their home and Country.
RMHC WA will start the day with a traditional smoking ceremony conducted by Walter McGuire in the organisation’s Welcome To Country Garden. Walter, a Wadjuk Bibbulmun man is a proud descendent of several Noongar tribal clans of the South-West of WA. Walter will welcome children, families and staff at RMHC WA to honour and celebrate the story of First Nations people and their connection to Country.
During the day, Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients and siblings can take part in a group artwork session creating a canvas dedicated to family using traditional symbols and techniques. It is a wonderful opportunity for all children to connect with each other through their family stories and creativity.
To close the day, RMHC WA children can take part in a group music session with face painting and traditional tapping sticks. In this session, Indigenous and non-Indigenous children create music and harmony together.
“Every day, children, their families and kinships from many First Nations across the state are supported by RMHC WA,” said Peter King, RMHC WA CEO.
“We understand how important a child’s connection to family and culture is for their health and wellbeing, particularly when they are far from Country and their community.”
As ever, corporate institutions are invited to help keep essential NFP services like RMHC WA open and delivering such vital opportunities for children from remote communities connected with family.
“We welcome corporates to visit us at RMHC WA to experience how our facilities, services and learning programs create a positive environment for First Nations children and their families,” said Mr King.
“It is also important to reach out to ATSI advocacy organisations such as SNAICC – National Voice for Australian Indigenous Children https://www.snaicc.org.au/ and Elders in their community.”
The power of sport
The ability of sport to transform lives is well-documented, and for the past 46 years, Special Olympics Australia has helped thousands of children and adults with intellectual disability to reach their full potential through sport.
Like many organisations operating in the NFP space, inclusion is at the heart of Special Olympics’ ethos and, although the big picture paints a positive portrait of how sport can make a difference to groups of people often left on the margins, it’s not until you consider the individual that you perhaps see the true life-changing effects igniting a love of sport can have.
In the context of people with disability, sport is often considered a “nice to have” or an “optional extra”, but Special Olympics Australia knows only too well this is not the case.
Sport plays a vital role in meeting individual goals, connecting people with disabilities and their carers to their communities, their peers, and providing access to networks with shared interests. Sport is a great vehicle for inclusion, social and community participation, health and wellbeing, and personal development outcomes.
Sport is central to transforming the lives of those with and without disability, offering a level playing field for inclusion.
One such individual is Michael, a 10-year old born in WA’s far north, and fostered at four months by Neil Reynolds.
“Michael was born in Derby on 18 January 2012,” said Neil.
“His mum arrived mid-morning complaining of a stomach-ache and denying she was pregnant. Michael was born at around 2pm - mum named him and then she was gone by 4pm, never to see him again.”
Michael was born at 33 weeks with a serious VSP (Ventricular Septal Defect, a hole in the heart) and had a severe brain bleed (stroke) at six-weeks old.
“We were contacted at four months to be asked that if he survived his operation, would we be willing to look after him, which of course we said yes,” recalled Neil.
“He wasn’t expected to survive, and all his nurses came in to say goodbye to him prior to his operation and obviously history has it that he survived.
“When we picked him up at four and a half months, we were told he possibly wouldn’t talk and probably wouldn’t walk. We should have known the little boy we had and now he never shuts up and runs everywhere!”
Michael was very shy and struggled to interact with others. After joining Special Olympics, all of that changed.
“Through competing in a variety of sports, Michael was spurred on by fellow athletes, coaches and volunteers to keep beating his own goals and, in doing so, beating the system,” said Neil.
“He has come out of his shell at sporting events and loves being part of such a special community, winning medals and achieving more than many thought possible.
“A miracle without doubt, Michael has a magical smile, infectious attitude and endearing personality that draws people in, he is a very special person.”
This is just a snippet of Michael’s journey, which has been a constant battle with continual amazing results achieved through his participation in Special Olympics Australia.
“Michael finishing his first Ironkids’ triathlon. There is no doubt in my mind he would not have been able to undertake this momentous task without the confidence, encouragement, opportunity, and training offered by the Special Olympics program! It has changed his world!” Neil Reynolds, foster dad
To find out more, visit aboriginalchildrensday.com.au
