Broadmeadows, a suburb of Hume in Victoria, is a rapidly developing area, with both rural and urban (residential, industrial and commercial) areas. There are approximately 147,085 people with 15,183 children aged 0-5 years.
The Let's Read program commenced in Broadmeadows in 2012. The program is delivered in various locations across Hume through local organisations. The Let’s Read program was formally launched in Broadmeadows in November 2012. Since then, the program has been delivered to over 400 children and their families in southern Hume and Sunbury. The program has since grown as more organisations came on board to be part of Let’s Read. Over 70 workers have been trained in Let’s Read in the municipality.
These are the current partners:
The Smith Family Broadmeadows team was invited to a host a booth at the Let's Connect Festival at Olsen Place Shopping Centre. The event was hosted by Meadows Primary School Hub, with support from the Hume Council and many other local service agencies.
Aimed at families with children aged 0 to 5, the event worked towards building a greater sense of community in the area and informing parents of local service options.
The Smith Family booth provided Let's Read information tip sheets in English and Arabic for families in attendance, which was met with great enthusiasm and engagement by many parents. The booth also gathered interest from local community professionals, many of whom enquired about the possibility of attending the next local Let's Read training session, which affords us the opportunity to further expand our Let's Read community and engage with more families.
September 2018
School Hubs in 2017
In Hume, School Hubs has been aware of the need to provide children with opportunities for exposure to good literature and to access quality books. The AEDC 2015 results indicate many children in Broadmeadows are developmentally vulnerable across all domains when compared with Victorian and like schools in Hume. At Meadows Primary School in Broadmeadows, the Early Years Community Hub is running a suite of literacy based activities in their early years programs with the aim of supporting families in their vital role of exposing children to literature through rhyme and story times :
Many families do not have an extensive home library, while few indicate they travel to the local library. The Hub Co-ordinator is a keen advocate for the Let’s Read program and we have added a Duck Library for home borrowing to the literacy resources for our families with children aged 0 – 5 yrs.
This term we worked with our school staff to provide a parent and volunteer “Read Aloud” workshop and had fun delivering a “Reading with your Child” parent information session in our playgroup using resources from the Let’s Read Video and Parent Top Tip sheets. Reading aloud is not just for little ones, everyone loves to gather around for a good story and we are eagerly awaiting the delivery of the Let’s Read story books to distribute to our families.
https://www.aedc.gov.au/data/dataexplorer?id=64388
Sara Aurorae. Program Specialist | The Smith Family
Univeral Children's Day
Universal Children’s Day is an annual event in Hume which provides an opportunity for the community to come together, celebrate and promote friendship and understanding among parents and children.
Local early-years services and primary school hubs were present at this community event to provide activities like live entertainment, story-telling, games and art and crafts activities. There was even an antique fire truck!
The Smith Family had a “Cosy Corner” where we invited parents with children between the ages of 0 to 5 to spend five minutes with us. A facilitator shared reading tips and information on the Let’s Read program, and the parent then took a Let’s Read book pack to continue reading with their young ones. 70 book packs were delivered to families at this event.
When we were showing a parent the book suggestion sheet, it was delightful to hear her child exclaim “Oh I’ve already have that book at home!” – many parents were already reading with their children, and Let’s Read builds on the good work of the parents.
Celia Chang, Learning for Life Program Coordinator | The Smith Family
April 2015
The Broadmeadows team held a Let’s Read training session at St Dominic’s Primary School. The participants were made up mainly of parent volunteers, who are helping the hub co-ordinator with literacy activities in the school hubs, including Let’s Read. Some of the parents are also currently doing studies in Children’s Services, and the Let’s Read training complements their learning. St Dominic’s Primary School arranged for the use of their venue, and also for Child Care so as to allow the parents who have young children to attend the session as well. This is a great example where schools and organisations work together to achieve the best outcomes for the community despite limited resources. Parents Feedback on Let’s Read at Roxburgh Homestead Primary School Hub (Broadmeadows team) The Hub Coordinator, Kate, has been running Let’s Read at Roxburgh Homestead Primary School Hub since July 2014. She recently held a focus group with parents from their playgroup to gather feedback regarding the program which has been really encouraging! On what they had learnt: · “You think you are doing everything right but then I learnt how to do it better to really engage.” · How reading impacts life outcomes - it was eye opening. · Even use a book without words to expand on vocab, point to pictures and say “car” explain what it looks and sounds like. · How life experiences impact on reading and vice versa. For example, our excursion to the farm provided an experience for children who could relate to the ‘Old McDonald’ book. On what the parents are doing differently after Let’s Read: · Pointing out colours and shapes while driving. “It comes so naturally to me now but it was something I learnt how to do - how to talk to my child.” · Putting children on their lap has helped them enjoy it more, because the child doesn’t run off, they stay for the whole book · Changed the way I read the book, I put more expression in the voice and the face, such as using tone and pitch to emphasise a question in a book. eg: ‘are you hungry?’ – I would raise my pitch and eyebrows. On how the children are doing after Let’s Read: · Due to the tips and changes made by parents, the children have benefited more from storytime, they have better concentration and engage more in the book. · Children wanted to change the page or open the flap, whereas previously, they were not interested. Celia Chang | Learning for Life Program Coordinator | The Smith Family
The Let’s Read community program in Broadmeadows is supported by The Smith Family.
E letsread@TheSmithFamily.com.au