Who are we

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Who are we?
Who are we?

• Athena Williams St Lukes Anglicare
• Maureen Tessier City of Greater Bendigo

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Where do we come from?

• Bendigo site area

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Child Friendly City
Child Friendly City

The City of Greater Bendigo is Australias first
recognised Child Friendly City What does this
mean?
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Group Ideas
In Bendigo, this means

• Children are respected and valued like
  adults
• Children are asked their ideas and opinions
• Childrens ideas and opinions are
  seriously considered by adults
• Making children feel safe in their
  community
• Taking care of the environment for
  children now and in the future

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A CHILD FRIENDLY CITYThis is a framework for
action (UNICEF)

• A CHILD FRIENDLY CITY GUARANTEES THE RIGHT OF
  EVERY YOUNG CITIZEN TO

• Influence decisions about their city

• Express their opinion on the city they want

• Participate in family, community and social life

• Receive basic services such as health care,
  education and shelter

• Drink safe water and have access to proper
  sanitation

• Be protected from exploitation, violence and abuse

• Walk safely in the streets on their own

• Meet friends and play

• Have green spaces for plants and animals

• Live in an unpolluted environment

• Participate in cultural and social events

• Be an equal citizen of their city with access to
  every service, regardless of ethnic origin,
  religion, income, gender or disability

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What is it like for kids in Bendigo?

• What things would you like to see to make your
  city child friendly?

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What is it like for kids in Bendigo?
What is happening in Bendigo?

• People are working together to find out what is
  important for children and families in the
  community
• Includes different organisations St Lukes
  Anglicare, Bendgio Community Health Service, City
  of Greater Bendigo, local primary schools,
  Bendigo and District Aboriginal Cooperative

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What is it like for kids in Bendigo?
What is happening in Bendigo?

• 500 children interviewed about what is important
  to them
• Audit of facilities promoting child friendliness

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What is it like for kids in Bendigo?
What is happening in Bendigo?

• Media and promotional activities
• T.V. advertisements
• Newspaper articles
• Art competition
• Street Party
• Easter Parade
• A sticker identifying child friendly places

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What is it like for kids in Bendigo?
What is happening in Bendigo for children?

• Talks with council staff explaining what it means
  to be child friendly and what each area can do
• Talks with the community and what they can do
• Children speaking at a Council meeting
• Working together with other areas like tourism,
  shop traders, libraries, community houses

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What is it like for kids in Bendigo?
What is happening in Bendigo for children?

• Walking School Bus Strategy
• Bendigo Cycling and Walking Strategy
• Bicycle Victoria auditing safe routes to school
• Play Space Strategy playground activities
  inclusive of children with a disability
• Library card for all children
• Road Safety Strategy
• Health and Wellbeing Plan
• Youth Strategy
• Childrens Service Centres
• Office refurbishment breastfeeding room

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WE ARE A RECOGNISED CHILD FRIENDLY SERVICE
WELCOMING ATTITUDE AND LISTEN TO CHILDREN Welcome
children and their families. Listen to children
and seriously consider their views. Provide
facilities and activities that specifically cater
for children. Seek feedback from children to
improve services and facilities to meet their
needs. Welcome breastfeeding mothers. SUITABLE
ENVIRONMENT Smoke free environment. Child
friendly activities available. Child friendly
facilities available. Room to move a pram and
place a highchair. WILLINGNESS TO BUILD
RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY Support child
and family events. Participate in child and
family activities. Support and promote a safe
environment for children. Work with the community
to look after the environment. Work in
partnership with council to promote our Child
Friendly City.
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Jo Joes case study
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What is it like for kids in Bendigo?
What is it like for kids in Bendigo?

• Childrens web site and directory being
  developed
• In partnership with local primary school
• Local places and people
• Accessible and fun
• Games, information and health promotion
• Getting to know their city

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Childrens Interviews
Childrens Consultations

• Favourite places and least favourite places
• Activities they like to participate in as well as
  least favourite activities (photo board)
• Who they like to do things with
• Where they can roam and who with
• Why they think they are lucky
• Ideas on improving the world for them and for
  others

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What children told us
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• I AM LUCKY BECAUSE

• I go to kid's city

I get a lolly pop

• I have a mum dad

• People care about me

• I can play with the chickens

• my brothers play with me

• I went on holiday

• I go to crèche

• I have McDonalds

• I come to the Playhouse

• I can play outside

• I have a brother

• I gave my dad a present
• (His Birthday)

• I get to go to the park

• I have my own room to play in

• I have my doggie

• I go to birthday parties

• I go to Gran's house

I go out to tea with my family

• I earn pocket money

• I am a boy

• I get presents on my birthday

• I go to the bush it is beautiful

• I am 5 years old

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• If you could wish for anything to make you
  happier, what would you wish for?

Hug a teddy Monster trucks Places with lots of
flowers and trees A bracelet I'd like everyone to
be happy Toys to play with Playstation portable A
pony Santa Claus Remote control car A cake to
blow the candles out Chocolate Save more people
(grow up as Superman) New shoes
To dream less To sleep more and not get up A
different world More rain to fill the beach
up More sun (makes me nice and warm) Animals to
share our lives Places where my family and
friends live Jumping castle Swimming pool in my
home Kicking a ball outside the garden in the
park Ride on a rocket ship More flowers, more
water Animals, lions, tigers, bears Being a fairy
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Achieving the goal

• Be active in the community
• Make the project visible
• Talk to people communication is the key
• Build partnerships and work together so not
  everyone is doing the same thing
• Support existing initiatives
• Ask people what they want
• Help people grow their ideas

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Learnings
What did we learn?

• Keep it simple
• Children have great ideas
• Communication, Communication
• Community engagement
• Community involvement
• Importance of partnerships between service
  providers to achieve the one goal
• Importance of education and promotion

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Key messages
Key Messages

• Consult with children
• Listen to what they have to say
• Respect their opinion
• Consider their responses in your planning and
  development

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More Information
More Information

• Dr Karen Malone, UNESCO Growing Up In Cities
  Asia-Pacific. kmalone_at_uow.edu.au
• www.unesco.org/most/guic.htm
• Maureen Tessier, Family and wellbeing
  coordinator.
• m.tessier_at_bendigo.vic.gov.au
• www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/children