MESSAGES

ACT Children's Week Patron - The Hon Margaret Reid AO
Children's Week Ambassador - Jackie French
ACT Children's Week President - Narelle Hargreaves OAM

ACT Children's Week Patron
The Hon Margaret Reid AO

'A Caring World Shares'

Children’s Week again!  How wonderful that we are able to celebrate the achievements of children in our country.  We must always strive to ensure that every child has the best possible opportunity to develop talents and potential.

But there is more to Children’s Week – our gratitude to the dedicated committee who work throughout the year to prepare each programme.

There is the excitement of the Awards to those volunteers who give so much time and effort and who make a noticeable difference to the lives of others.  Young people who are an inspiration to us all are also acknowledged.  This is the time to notice and applaud them all.

Children’s Week is a time to remember children who miss out on so much.  As I write I am thinking of the thousands – hundreds of thousands – now in Pakistan, displaced by devastating floods – lost homes, family members, schools.

Let us not forget the theme of Children’s Week – ‘A Caring World Shares’.

 

The Hon Margaret Reid AO
ACT Children's Week Patron

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ACT Children's Week Ambassador
Jackie French

About 20% of kids in our classrooms believe the world will be destroyed before they reach adulthood. Another 20% are not quite sure.

A surprising number have been taken in - unknown and to their parents' and teachers' horror - by TV shows that claim the Mayan Calendar is coming to an end, so the world will break apart in 2012. (Neither claim, of course, is true).

Others are frightened by stories of global warming and climate change - which humans have faced and conquered in the past, too - or by the violent 'adult world' they see portrayed on TV and especially in video games, where friends shoot you with virtual machine guns.

A hundred and twenty years ago children in Australia worked in factories for low, sometimes no, wages. Fifty years ago the kids from the orphanage in our suburb begged for the scraps from our school lunches.

We are better at providing food, shelter, and education for kids now. Not perfect, but pretty good.

What we need to give our children is hope; the knowledge that we humans are a tough and resilient species, and have already survived far worse than the next few hundred years will throw at us.

We can tell them this, but the best way we can convince them is by example; by showing them that we truly believe that tomorrow can be better, by working for it, and committing our lives to it.

All of the extraordinary people who will receive Awards this Children's Day do that for kids. They give our children many, many things. But most of all, by showing that they believe in our future by working to make this a better world, they give kids hope and power.

 

Jackie French
Ambassador
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ACT Children's Week President
Narelle Hargreaves OAM

Children's Week, 2010 is with us again!  This is the special time of the year when all states/territories join together to promote friendship and understanding of the needs, interests, rights and achievements of children, young people, their families and communities.  In March of this year, 2010, I was privileged to attend the AGM of the Children's Week Council of Australia in Perth, Western Australia where each state/territory shares information about their Children's Week activities held during the previous year.  This is a wonderful opportunity to meet with colleagues who are all focussed on the needs, welfare and wellbeing of Australia’s children and young people.

Once again, the ACT Children's Week Committee has enjoyed a successful year!  I take this opportunity to thank all members for their time, commitment and enthusiasm for maintaining high priority for Children's Week throughout the year.  The diverse range of activities outlined in this program is indeed impressive!  There will be activities for the whole family including picnics, morning teas, dance performances, games and so much more!  Many thanks to all the organisers for supporting Children's Week with your communities.

Each year the ACT Children's Week Committee provides small grants to so many groups to assist with the planning of their activity during Children's Week.  The Children's Week Awards continue to be a highlight of this special week. This outstanding work and contributions to children and young people by dedicated community members is appreciated and applauded by the ACT community.  THANK YOU!

Children need TIME, lots of LOVE, SUPPORT and CARE to assist them to grow into responsible adults.  Did you know that the most important valuing comment you can say each day to children is  ....'I LOVE YOU"!  When children live with approval they learn to like themselves and when they live with acceptance and friendship they learn to find love in the world.

Celebrate Children's Week, 2010, and participate in the many and exciting activities that will be held in the ACT.

ENJOY!

 

Narelle Hargreaves OAM
President ACT Children's Week Committee
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