Child, Youth and Family launches Pacific ‘Everyday Communities’ programme

Child, Youth and Family launches the Pacific strand of its ‘Everyday Communities’ programme today (5 April) at a ceremony attended by Hon. Taito Philip Field, Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment and the Associate Minister for the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs. Sir Barry Curtis, Mayor of Manukau City and Pam Lafferty, Child, Youth and Family site manager, are also speakers at the launch which takes place in Otara, Auckland.

‘Everyday Communities’ is a Child, Youth and Family (CYF) public education programme which focuses on promoting well-being, positive parenting and safety for children, to create an environment where child abuse is less able to exist. It has been piloted in Whakatane, Wairarapa, Auckland and Wanganui. The programme follows a holistic, decentralised approach that aims to use the community as an intrinsic part of the solution to the care and protection of children and young people. Over time, the programme aims to build community ownership and understanding that child abuse is socially unacceptable and that the community has a part to play in preventing abuse and caring for children.

Speaking about the programme, the Hon. Taito Philip Field said: “The well-being of our children is important to all of us, they are our future. We must make an investment in the Pacific family in this country to give our children the opportunity to stand tall in our community and to take a lead in New Zealand society, for all our futures. Most significantly, the ‘Everyday Communities’ programme assists us to find our own solutions which will achieve positive results in our communities.”

‘Everyday Communities’ includes a comprehensive communications strategy across community radio and print media ranging from panel discussions, interviews with experts on talkback radio slots, real-life statements and stories about child abuse from local communities and parenting tips. A series of events has also been planned to raise awareness of the issues of child abuse, neglect and family violence. The Pacific ‘Everyday Communities’ programme has been revised to include three new strands: Healthy Public Policy to ensure robust child abuse management protocols exist

in communities; an Everyday Theatre initiative that will explore the issues of child abuse, neglect and family violence with 11 and 12-year-olds and capacity building so communities can continue to address abuse issues in the long-term. Seven groups have been targeted within the programme: Samoan, Cook Islander, Tongan, Fijian, Nuiean, Tokelaun and Tuvaluan.

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