Action Plan It aims to build and expand on the services, people and places that community members feel they can call on for help and support. Strategic direction 1 – Partnership and continuous dialogue with children, young people, parents and the community Links to other plans: Shape your Community: Whittlesea Community Plan 2025 Priority: Health and Wellbeing Priority: Inclusive and engaged community Desired outcomes Objective Council role* Actions 2013-2018 Indicative measures*** Children, young people and parents informing policies and strategies in the municipality. To increase the input of children, young people and parents in informing the policies and strategies which underpin the development of social and physical infrastructure of the municipality.** Provider Facilitator Advocate Increasing civic participation Build skill and capacity of Council and partners to increase civic participatory practices for diverse children, young people and families of all ages and abilities. Aligning policy and practice to the needs Align planning, policy and practices to the circumstances and aspirations of the community, as expressed by the community. Number of children, young people and parents consulted. Number of staff and partners trained in best practice civic participatory methods. Consultative and other data findings disseminated across Council and to local partners. * Provider: As a provider, Council provides a number of services, public places and facilities for children, young people and their families. Facilitator: As a facilitator, Council facilitates a of partnerships and professional development that supports those providing services for children, young people their and families.
to other plans: Whittlesea 2025-Strategic Community Plan Priority: Health and Wellbeing Priority: Inclusive and engaged community Whittlesea Community Futures Strategic Plan Priority: Family Violence Priority: Early Childhood Intervention Priority: Youth Engagement and Connection Priority: Youth Mental Health Desired outcomes Objective Council role* Actions 2013-2018 Indicative measures*** Support is available to all members of the community both individually and in the context of their family. To develop and deliver timely programs to ensure people are supported through all of life’s stages, in times of vulnerability, and with practices that reflect diversity. Facilitator Provider Advocate Family Strengthening on develop and implement a plan for the delivery of family strengthening strategies that are informed by the voice of children, young people and parents. This will consider siblings and grandparents as carers, respite and crisis support, and the need to prioritise family strengthening programs for Mernda, Epping, Thomastown and Lalor. Family strengthening plan. Percentage of parents participating in new parent groups. Percent of children and families participating in community and supported playgroups. Number of referrals to family support services. Number of programs offered for families in the municipality. Family members are safe from violence in their homes and have access to support when needed. To contribute to efforts in response to family violence including the reduction in family violence. Advocate Facilitator Provider Addressing family violence With partners work to increase the capacity of the service system to respond to family violence. Improving understanding of family violence Improve understanding as to the causes, and contributing factors, of family violence in the City of Whittlesea. Council’s response to family violence Identify opportunities within Council’s role to respond to the prevention and alleviation of family violence. Gather local evidence on family violence to support planning and advocacy. Improved understanding as to how Council, State and federal Government can contribute to prevention. Strategic direction 3 – Resilient and robust children and young people Links to other plans:
Whittlesea 2025-Strategic Community Plan Inclusive and engaged community Health and Wellbeing Whittlesea Community Futures Strategic Plan Priority: Early Childhood Intervention Priority: Engagement and Connection Desired outcomes Objective Council role* Actions 2013-2018 Indicative measures*** Children and young people have optimal opportunity for cognitive, physical, social and emotional development. To increase play, social and physical activities for children and people. Provider Facilitator Advocate Promoting play, social and physical activity for wellbeing Create and promote places and opportunities for play, social and physical activities. Promote the benefit of physical activity as a key contributor to the health and development of babies, children and young people, and generate awareness of local play spaces. the principles and approaches within the Spaces 8 to 12: creating engaging places for young people Support the increase of playgroups in the municipality. Support the Healthy Together Whittlesea program in promoting physical activity and healthy nutrition across child, youth and family services. Advocate for engaging outdoor play spaces that are suitable for all ages and abilities. Spaces 8 to 12 informing Council planning. Increase in the number of playgroups. Number of programs offered to young people. Number of young people consulted on their needs. Young people reporting their satisfaction with participation in programs and events. Number of early childhood services and schools participating in the Healthy Together program. To increase supports for children and young people in Facilitator Provider Advocate A strategy for the middle years Incorporating the voice of young people, with partners, develop a Middle Years Strategy responding to the developmental needs of children and young people aged 8 to Strategy developed and implemented.
the middle years aged 8-12 years. 12 years old that strategically links local early years and youth services, and provides a framework for a continuum of services from birth to 25 years. To embed evidence and best practice in the delivery of services for the early years. Facilitator Provider Advocate Early years policy Develop an Early Years Policy position with the underlining principles of quality and inclusion in service delivery and integrated infrastructure design, planning and delivery. It will define the role of Council in supporting and monitoring the equity and quality practices of the services for children and young people offered by Council, and agencies in Council facilities. This policy will include identifying Council’s role in providing facilities for early years universal and targeted services for children and families. Policy developed and implemented. To support service providers to deliver high quality services for children and young people in the municipality. Provider Facilitator Advocate Quality improvement Deliver high quality services and supports for children, young people and families. Deliver quality improvement opportunities, including professional development for services supporting children and young people. Children participating in high quality early childhood education and care. Children and families attending MCH Key Age and Stage visits. Number and quality of Inclusion Support Program visits to childcare services. Number and quality of professional development activities. An effective system of programs and services that enable young people to remain To plan for the provision of effective services for the diverse young Provider Facilitator Advocate Youth Plan 2 Based on data and the voice of young people, develop the next action plan for the 2007 endorsed YouthPlan2030. This will continue to consider Aboriginal, refugee and newly arrived young people, same sex attracted and young people Develop and implement Plan 2. Number of programs offered and young people supported through programs.