Strong Young Mums

Centacare established the Strong Young Mums project in Bourke in September 2005 with funding from the Australian Government through the Stronger Families and Community Strategy.

Strong Young Mums was established in response to the high occurrence of teenage pregnancies in Bourke.  Many Bourke services shared the desire to provide opportunities to young mothers, towards their further education, increased parenting skills, and the development of positive support networks.

Strong Young Mums connects women with the education system and early intervention programs and conducts regular activities to engage mothers with other services and support networks.

The young women also participate in weekly play groups and social gatherings which are attended by health and early childhood professionals as well as older women who act as mentors for the young mums. During these group sessions women learn about health, nutrition, bonding, play, parent-child interaction and parenting. The women involve themselves in play and early literacy activities with their children which they are encouraged to take back into their homes.

Education & Parenting

In the 2007-2008 financial year, The Strong Young Mums project now expanded and operating in Bourke, Lake Cargelligo and Narromine engaged:

• 39 women in TAFE, on their way to gaining accreditation in fashion, hospitality and computer skills, supported by a network of young mothers engaged in learning
• 30 women and their children in play groups and/or other parent groups, gaining input on health, parenting, nutrition and issues such as domestic violence and financial management
• 72 women in receiving regular and ongoing home visits
• 34 women in approaching and using the existing local provider network through referrals and advocacy

Home Visits

The families receive regular home visits which create the opportunity to expose the whole family to early childhood education experiences in their home. Strong Young Mums program facilitators conduct a mini VIP (mini visiting play group) which introduces resources and activities to young children and their parents.  Through these activities, the parents get a sense of age-appropriate activities and the importance of them being their child’s first teacher providing early learning experiences in the home.

Strong partnerships have been established with many key agencies such as TAFE, Bourke Community Health, Bourke Aboriginal Medical Service, Bourke Childcare Centre, Bourke Mobile Children’s Service, Family Support, DoCS and the Bourke / Brewarrina Family Violence Prevention Legal Service.

The Strong Young Mums project has successfully connected a highly vulnerable group of parents with many existing services and opened the doors to addressing the disadvantage in their own lives and the lives of their children.