Newsletter - September 2003
Hello and welcome to the coordinators newsletter
This is the first letter after our very successful WellChild /Tamariki Ora Week in May, so I would like to begin by congratulating you all and thanking you for all the hard work you put into the week - it really was a huge effort I know but I do think you all managed to surpass yourselves (yet again) and we are still seeing the ripples even now.
Lets see if we can keep this going for 2004
Housekeeping notices
Many of you will be aware that the ever helpful Shirley has left the office and as yet we have not found a replacement...
This means that I am currently alone in the office the task of National coordination - so please bear with me - I have got good back up from the Immunisation Advisory admin. staff and the National committee but for a while some things may not run quite so smoothly - viz the issue of some of you having to resend me your evaluation forms - thanks to those involved, and apologies for the duplication.
I am hoping to have some assistance from Manu Graham from the Immunisation Advisory Office - Manu as many of you know is the Maori Specific District Facilitator for the Auckland region and has a vast experience in Tamariki Ora and will be a great asset to the team.
WellChild /Tamariki Ora Champion
Other good news is that April Bruce (aka Ieremia) has agreed to be our Champion and promote our cause, I am sure she will be an inspiration al role model for us and the families we are trying to reach.
We do not have the TVNZ sponsorship we had last year but we are looking around for other major sponsors - suggestions welcome.
Plans for 2004
Themes
After a lot of debate we felt it would be really good to focus on healthy eating as this leads neatly from or nutrition themes of the previous years and fits with the current Ministry of Health strategy and growing concerns from health professionals worldwide about childhood obesity.
This will be our main theme - concentrating on setting good eating habits and exercise patterns in early childhood.
We will as always have other secondary themes - this year we would also like to focus a little more closely on hearing especially glue ear and this will sit well with the National campaign for universal neonatal hearing screening.
There will also be an immunisation strand - the targeted topic will be advised later in the year but I am sur you are all aware that the Ministry are pushing ahead with the Meningococcal B vaccine programme.
Within these suggested themes there is always room for local coalitions to choose some other aspect of WellChild /Tamariki Ora that is a big issue locally and focussing on that instead - the themes are essentially to direct the National media campaign and help local groups with suggested ideas.
Minigrant Applications
We will be running this scheme again this year - application forms will be sent out in December, and available at the roadshow venues, ( to be returned by mid- March).
We will only be able to fund 40 projects and will try to target groups who have not received funding before first.
Roadshows
We are planning to do local roadshows again to share information and ideas - this time I will be trying to involve local coordinators and providers more in the actual delivery of the presentations and get more interactive dialogue, so expressions of interest and suggested venues would be welcomed - I have initially suggested that we do 3 or 4 venues in the North Island in Late November /early December (between the immunisation roadshow and the IMAC retreat!), and then 2 or 3 in the South Island in February - all dependent on finances of course.
Newsletter
At the moment I am still doing "news type" notices to you all - There was considerable interest expressed in a formal newsletter - There is not any specific funding for this and in particular its distribution but I will see if we can utilise current IMAC distribution channels to our advantage and try to set this up.
I would appreciate some contributions to the newsletter to make in different from just my information -for example:
- would Gisbourne like to tell us about the street banners they got made this year - they looked awesome in the photos I saw.
- Would other groups like to share with us ideas they might have to work with obese toddlers
- Has anybody got good ideas for local radio
- Anyone have experience of other advertising ideas eg cinemas, buses?
- Suggestions to deal with burn out
- Etc.
I will try to get some other contributors nationally too, and would like to see the newsletter go out quarterly - say March, June, September and December, but that is open to discussion.
I think that is enough from me today-
Take care
Marguerite Dalton, WellChild /Tamariki Ora Week Coordinator
Subject: Weekly Email from Parenting with Confidence - Grandmothers' Rule
Grandmothers' Rule
Our grandmothers used to say we could do what we wanted to do when we had finished what we had needed to do. Our grandmothers were on to something, because this lays the foundation for delayed gratification and emotional intelligence.
Say "yes" as often as possible
"Yes, you may go out to play, when you have finished the dishes."
"Yes, you may watch the video, after you have fed the dog."
Keep "No" for when you really need it. | 
