Newsletter December 2006
Christmas is nearly with us but before you go - one last brief word from the desk of the National WellChild /Tamraiki Ora Coordinator
In this edition
- Mini-grants
- What makes an effective coalition
- Plans for 2007
Check the Well Child Week 2007 link for minigrant application forms and guidelines
As you all know hopefully we have a slightly new look to our year for 2007 - we have moved the week forward a bit in the year - hopefully you will get some more settled weather but also we will get some increased momentum with joining forces more visibly with Childrens’ day.
It does mean that we have had to put a tighter turn around on the minigrant applications but I am sure you can do it - you are so experienced now.
The forms are attached to this newsletter - will be posted on the web site and failing that just email me and I will send you one - I would love them back by mid February please.
We have come a long way since WellChild /Tamariki Ora week began in 1999 and now I really do feel that the time is right for us to really get some ground swell to effect a positive change nationally as well as locally.
The theme for National Childrens’ day is spending time with your children - I think we need to also spend some time with each other sharing experiences and spending time with others promoting the concept of WellChild so that everyone in the country knows what we are talking about!
I would love to meet with more of you face to face and am always happy to come to your meetings or workshops to help spread the word. Likewise if you have ideas as to how we can reach out to more of the public and providers please let me know.
I asked some of the well established coalitions what makes a good coalition a while back and below are some thoughts from South Canterbury which may be helpful to those of you starting out, looking for a new direction or simply wanting confirmation that you are on the right track. My thanks to Tinks Arscott for sharing her thoughts with us
Success
The South Canterbury Well Child Coalition has been successfully active for some years now. The coalition consists of representatives from a range of community organisations, they are:
- Public Health Nurse/Earlychildhood Health Promoter – South Canterbury Coalition Co-ordinator
- Plunket
- Dental therapists
- Community & Public Health Dietitian
- Sport South Canterbury
- Playcentre Association
- Kindergarten Association
- Maori Health Provider
Other community organizations are co-opted on as necessary depending on the “theme” for Well Child and what the coalition is planning on doing
Some of these organizations that have been included in the past are:
- Parents as First Teachers (PAFT)
- Parent Centre
- Acc
- Cancer Society Health Promoter
- Childcare and education centre
- Heart Foundation
- Immunisation Co-ordinator
Some of the key focuses in the past have been around:
- Nutrition
- Physical Activity/Active Movement
- Oral Health
- Immunisation
- Safety
- Well Child Checks
Ways we have provided Well Child Activities are:
- Static displays – used the public library foyer
- Active Health Promotion Events – had health professionals with resources available at these events usually outside a local supermarket
- Mobile health promotion displays for sustainability – example lunchboxes with plastic replica food examples and written resource taken to all earlychildhood education settings over a period of a year
- Active session at the local sport stadium with the Active Movement Advisor for the under fives with parents and babies/children, very well attended.
Ways we have made the activities prominent :
- Use of Well child banners, balloons, bubbles provided by the National Well Child organization
- T-shirts made with Well Child logo on them for wearing when doing well child activities
- Giveaways available – popcorn, apples, balloons, stickers
- Use of a “character” dress up – tooth fairy, “maru the moa”
- Used the media for advertising – radio, newspapers, flyers, letters, posters
Resources developed for Well child:
- Replica lunchbox mobile display with active movement
- Lunchbox and snack ideas pamphlet
- Recipe book with healthy, easy and cost effective recipes
- Drinks display – showing the actual bottles of fizz with corresponding bags of sugar to indicate sugar content and the price. Water is free and readily available
- Well Child activities provided at the local marae with health related stalls there e.g. plunket, asthma educator, dental etc.
- Resources developed are ongoing and readily available and updated as need be
- Used already available pamphlets/brochures and posters that are available e.g. ministry of health resources
Why we are effective :
- Community based
- Organisations involved work well together, small community compared to some of the bigger centres
- Need motivated and active leader to co-ordinate and organize meetings, minutes, activities. Works well with Public Health Nurse being in this position
- Regular constructive meetings
- Planning well ahead
- Good communication amongst coalition and national Well child co-ordinator
- Resources readily available
- Good to know well in advance focus for well child week and themes for the year so can be planned
- Very grateful to be successful at receiving the available minigrant to help fund the activities and resources
We always meet after Well Child Week to reflect on how the event went, what worked well, what could have been done better or differently.
A report is then written and sent to the national well child co-ordinator and a copy kept for the coalition to utilize if required
Article compiled on behalf of South Canterbury Well child Coalition
8 th December 2006
That was 2006 now onto 2007 - time to spend time with our children - so easily said and so difficult to do in this busy world we all live in - but those early years are so
very special and precious and can’t be reclaimed.
We will be spending time with our families over the Christmas and New Year, but once we are back there will be a press release for you on -
Cellulitis, school sores, infected insect mites Then comes Children’s day on March 4 th
Have you made plans for Children’s Day?
National Children’s Day will be on Sunday 4 March2007. Now is the time to plan an event for children. What is your organisation going to do?
Visit the Children’s Day website for ideas on event planning as well as ideas of activities to do at home and at school.
The day will be represented by the Hector’s Dolphin and the key theme will be ‘giving time’. Visit www.childrensday.org.nz or phone 0800 10 33 22 to find out more.
following this
WellChild /Tamariki Ora week
March 5 th – 12 th
reinforcing the theme of spending time with your children and their
WellChild /Tamariki Ora book and checks
see www.wellchild.org.nz
Next we would like to focus on Immunisations in July – September.
The rotary clubs of New Zealand are keen to assist in the promotion of immunisation and I hope will be getting in touch with you all locally as well as working with us in the National Office
And finally another look at Nutrition for the end of 2007.
Moving onto 2008 we feel it would be timely to revisit dental issues as well as the continued need for immunisation and nutrition but are open to suggestions
Resources
Remember that we have banners and flags always available from the National Office, and stickers and posters can be ordered from the Ministry of Health Educational Resources – www.healthed.govt.nz
That is all for now from me - please feel free to pass this newsletter on, comment or feedback and have a safe, happy holiday period see you all back soon in 2007.
Marguerite Dalton, WellChild /Tamariki Ora Week Coordinator
December 2006
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