Communities

About the community

Wellington Shire is a Local Government Area in the Gippsland region that extends from the mountains to the coast. It covers an area of 10,924 square kilometres, with a population of over 43,920.

Gippsland and the Let's Read program

Our community is involved with the Let’s Read Program through the Maternal and Child Health Nurses, Child and Family Services, Supported Playgroup, Parenting Programs and special events such as Children’s Week celebrations.

Community stories

Let's Read has proven to be a valuable tool for engaging vulnerable families in Wellington Shire as a first point of engagement; providing opportunities to connect and share, while also promoting engagement with and development of literacy.

Let's Read recipients are often overjoyed and delighted to receive a book of their own to take home and keep, to share and revisit over and over with their family, which continues to encourage engagement with language and literacy and the joy it can bring.

In Wellington Shire, Let's Read supports connections with isolated and socially disadvantaged families while building positive relationships and highlighting the importance of literacy development. It is used by many local programs; including Family Services, Cradle to Kinder, Home Based Care, Early Years services, Supported Playgroups, the FAST Program, family violence counselling and community events (such as Children’s Week). It has been successful in reaching many vulnerable and isolated families throughout Wellington Shire through the Maternal and Child Health Nurses Enhanced Home Visiting Program, and supports a valued partnership with Uniting and the Maternal and Child Health Nurses across the Shire.

Raquel Mayman

November 2019

Let’s Read continues to provide beneficial outcomes for families in Gippsland.  In many cases Let’s Read is utilised as a soft entry program that enables facilitators to connect with families that may have disengaged with universal services.  Some examples of the positive work our Let’s Read Facilitators have undertaken include connecting with extremely isolated and socially disadvantaged families and building positive relationships through the Let’s Read program.  In many instances, families have re-engaged with their local services thereby ensuring the family will benefit from better social inclusion and reduced disadvantage.

Kirsty Hannan, Facilitator, Uniting Care Gippsland

March 2013

Sponsors

UnitingCare works towards building healthy resilient communities in Partnership with Central Gippsland Health Service; Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation and Yarram District Health Service.