Global mining company BHP Billiton Iron Ore, humanitarian agency World Vision and research body Telethon Institute for Child Health Research have come together to work with Aboriginal communities in the East Pilbara tackle the dire health and educational outcomes of infants and pre-school aged children.
The three organisations formed an innovative partnership, pooling their expertise to respond to the most critical needs in remote communities, and to fund projects that will lead to healthier outcomes for children and families.
The five year project targets the most vulnerable group – pre-school aged children aged 0-5years – to give them the best start in life.
“Working with BHP Billiton Iron Ore and the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research is new for us, and a great opportunity to combine our expertise. It’s a privilege to work among communities in the Pilbara,” said Tim Costello, CEO World Vision Australia.
“It’s critical that kids in any community get a good start and one way to do this is to work with them and their parents. We have seen the benefits of this approach in our work overseas as well as here in Australia.”
BHP Billiton Iron Ore Vice President Sustainability, Carl Binning said “Young Indigenous mothers and children in remote communities face many challenges in their lives. They do not have the choices other Australians have.
“This program is about providing critically needed services, but it is more than that. By actively involving a wide range of community organisations and partnering with government and industry we hope to empower people and create genuine choices and pathways for remote Indigenous communities,” he said.
The East Pilbara was chosen after results from the Australian Early Childhood Development Index revealed children in the East Pilbara would benefit from extra support with their physical, social, emotional, language and communication development.
The Institute’s research leader Dr Roz Walker is leading the roll out of the AEDI in the East Pilbara communities and evaluating World Vision’s early childhood care and development program over the next five years. This research will be used to assess the program’s success, as well as do innovative research to improve education and health outcomes.
Director of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Professor Fiona Stanley AC, said she was pleased that the project would build on previous work in these communities by the Institute and BHP Billiton Iron Ore.
“With BHP Billiton Iron Ore’s support this is a real powerhouse team and a very exciting opportunity to work with World Vision Australia on the ground to support and inform families using development approaches we know will work,” said Professor Stanley.
“It’s important that we continue to build the evidence base to both inform and evaluate this highly innovative Aboriginal early child and maternal health initiative.”
Dr Mark Moran, Head of World Vision’s Australia Programs, said the partnership brings an unprecedented level of specialised expertise in early childhood care and development to the region.
“The program promotes the emotional, intellectual, physical, social development and focuses on key areas of, healthy environment, maternal health, early childhood education, training and governance.”
Moran added “communities are really getting behind this program. We will work directly with parents, carers and families and provide them with training opportunities that build upon their skills. Our aim is to ensure that they will be able provide more sustainable early learning and health related activities for their children beyond the life of the program.”
The joint early childhood care and development program is being run in four communities in the East Pilbara – Jigalong, Punmu, Parnngur and Kunawarritji.
Inquiries
Michelle Rice World Vision 0457 830 488
Emma Meade BHP Billiton Iron Ore 0409 199 236
Elizabeth Chester, Telethon Institute for Child Health Research 0409 988 530