Children's Ground

Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe (Children's Ground Central Australia) was honoured to have a visit from our friend Cathering Freeman to share space, to have a yarn, meet our incredible leaders, and to see some of the beautiful work we are committed to as well as the enduring human rights issues our people face daily. She listened with respect and was welcomed to country by Felicity Hayes, Traditional Owner. She is a hero and an inspiration to generations of First Nations adults and young people and to all of us at Children's Ground. Thank you Catherine, from all of us here and we hope to welcome you back to Arrernte Country soon.

Happy Friday from young Raya and GregoryAnna in beautiful Marlkawo, West Arnhem Land! Here they are loading a massive haul of pandanus onto the troopy, soon to be stripped, dried, dyed and woven. Thank you for supporting Children's Ground and learning on Country, where the wurdurd's (children's) spirits are alive and filled with joy 💛

There is some beautiful change in the air at Irrkerlantye! Children’s Ground has been supporting families at Irrkerlantye in Central Australia (also known as Whitegate) to provide immediate and much-needed amenity upgrades to where people live. Pictured are also local members of Irrkerlantye helping with these new upgrades! We’re all so grateful to see this new growth coming through 🌱

On a recent Cultural Camp in Marlkawo, the wurdurd (children) went on a Sugarbag hunt! The bininj (adults) showed the little ones how to train their eyes to look for these small stingless native bees, sharing with them how to look, listen and understand Country. And what a hunt it was! Here's Baby G (Gregory) with his haul of delicious honey and honeycomb. Afterwards everyone cooled off with a swim in the waterfall. #FirstNations #OnCountryLearning #AboriginalEducation #Aboriginal

Check out the finished Mural Project created by the youth at Knuckey Lagoon in the Top End! We recently partnered with a well-known Darwin street artist, Taylor Smith, to support a mural project with the young ones in Knuckey's. The kids were given art supplies and a chance to learn alongside Taylor, who helped them to create a mural that reflects their vision for the community. We are so proud of the mural and the way it contributes to making Knuckey Lagoon a welcoming, beautiful space for gathering, learning, and connecting.

In the Top End and we have been having so much fun taking the kids out for school holiday activities ⭐ "Minmarma and Kulaluk have been enjoying STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities at Darwin Library. We used our ICT, craft and impressive fine motor skills. We love opportunities to engage in Library activities and continue our learning journey in the holidays." - Cassie, Community Support Worker. We are back to school for the final term of 2024 next week!🍎✏️

This week, while we are on school holidays, Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe (Children’s Ground Central Australia) had a special visit from the incredible Melissa Leong and Nazeem Hussain. Mel and Nazeem met with some of our First Nations staff who talked through how our integrated community-led approach supports whole communities to thrive and to be strong and healthy. They also visited Irrkerlantye (White Gate), to see Children’s Ground in action and how communities are leading and creating lasting change. For decades the community, which is only 3kms from the centre of Alice Springs, has campaigned for basic amenities afforded to most like power, sewage services and drinking water. The strength of the community has led to the installation of hydropanels donated to Children’s Ground by SOURCE, as the first sustainable source of clean and filtered drinking water. We also showed Mel and Nazeem how we have also been supporting community to provide much needed immediate amenity upgrades for people living at Irrkerlantye. Thank you to Mel and Nazeem for walking with us and your incredible support of Children’s Ground. We can’t wait to welcome you back soon!

"Learning and being on Country is something of joy. It uses other senses that you don’t get in the classroom. All that social and emotional well-being comes into a First Nations education system. And so does love, because we love our children so deeply and country loves us so deeply, and that will show, which it doesn’t when you’re in the four walls of a classroom." 💛 - Stephanie Armstrong OAM, First Nations education expert and member of Utyerre Apanpe First Nations Education Network. #FirstNationsEducation #OnCountry #Aboriginal #AboriginalEducation

Do you love all things digital and have a passion for social justice? We are looking for a skilled Direct Marketing Specialist to manage our fundraising campaigns and help spread the word about Children's Ground! A dynamic role based in our office in Naarm (Melbourne), you will join a team of passionate communicators and fundraisers in support of systems change. Find out more and apply via the link.

We have been proudly partnering with Bared Footwear since 2020! This year they have collaborated with Wiradjuri artist Lauren Freestone to create the Saker 2 Freestone, featuring her beautiful artwork 'Coal in the Cliffs'. $50 from every sale of these limited edition sneakers are donated to Children's Ground supporting our First Nations-led approach to create systems change.