LiveWires
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LiveWires Programs
The LiveWires Programs aim to deliver professionally run programs for Primary School aged children to attend after school and during school holidays. These programs have a clear priority for providing opportunities for children to build resilience and connections, to enhance their learning and engage with their creativity.
Prior to the creation of LiveWires in 2005 there were no supervised facilities catering for children living on and around the Collingwood Public Housing Estate. This led to children as young as four becoming involved in petty crime. LiveWires aims to provide children from diverse cultural and social backgrounds to have a safe space after school and in school holidays. These are spaces where their resilience can be built and their needs are sought to be met. The LiveWires Programs assist children in developing leadership skills, cultural integration, good dietary habits, positive study skills, anti-bullying resilience and care for nature; through a variety of activities such as art and craft, sport, games, cooking, gardening and special excursions. The staff and leaders aim to model positive relationships and positive adult behaviours.
LiveWires enhances the social development of children through increased school attendance, improved health, increased literacy, and improved learning, while decreasing property damage and anti-social behaviours.
LiveWires began initially as an After Hours Care Program. Over the past 6 years, with continual community consultation other programs have started – Homework Assistance, Wired Up, Holiday Program, Art Therapy, Mentoring Program, Junior Leaders and a Girls Tennis Program.
To volunteer or find out more about LiveWires, contact Ann Van Leerdam, LiveWires Program Manager: Ann.vanleerdam@concernaustralia.org.au or call: 1300 796 234
After Hours Care
This program provides children with sports, games, art and craft activities including child lead creative activities guided by an Art Therapist, play spaces, healthy after school snacks, and a cooked evening meal. Volunteer cooks come into the AHC Program every week and create healthy, flavoursome and balanced dishes for dinner. Many children have food security issues and the evening meal was a response to this.
Wired Up
The Wired Up program is a numeracy and literacy support program for Prep, Grade 1 and Grade 2 students using computers for teaching and learning. The program works intensely with a group of identified children giving them extra learning and confidence to keep up with their school work.
Homework Assistance
This program supports children with their homework as well as offering extra numeracy and literacy support where needed. Children are given a folder which includes an exercise book and copies of worksheets related to their age and grade level. We encourage children to bring their homework and always have additional tasks prepared for them.
Girls Tennis
Beginning in 2008 this program aims to support girls to be involved in sports. Clifton Tennis Club sponsors the girls who train and practice weekly and take part in competitions. The tennis coach has said just how fantastic this program is as few girls participate in competition tennis and do as well as our girls.This program is largely parentswho havebeen involved from the outset. 2012 will see another group of girls begin The Tennis Program.
Mentoring Program
The Mentoring program provides mentoring to children and their families. Concern Australia through the LiveWires program wishes to offer children the opportunity to develop deeper significant relationships with adults who are outside their family. Mentors are asked to commit to spending time with a child for an hour at least fortnightly for a minimum of 12 months.
Junior Leaders
This program allows former LiveWires After Hours care participants, who are now in High School, to come back into the program as junior leaders. This initiative helps with the transition to secondary school and develops the groundwork that will help with future employment. The Junior Leaders program gives young people the opportunity to build their leadership kills and confidence while helping their local community.
Art Therapy
This program provides support for children to process issues and build resilience. Many of the families LiveWires is in contact with have experience great amounts of trauma; however they have not had access to counselling or therapy. Our Art Therapy program provides allows a safe space for these children to creatively explore these issues.
Holiday Program
This program incorporates art and craft activities, sports and games as well as a cooking component, and outings.
The School Holidays are a stressful time for many families, especially those living in cramped conditions if small flats in a high rise building. The holidays are a very vulnerable time for children whose parents work and cannot afford full-time care, or families that experience a lot of chaos and instability. The Holiday Program provides valuable respite and aid for parents and children.
Timothy Baragwanath Scholarship Award
The Scholarship Award pays for one child's books and school uniform as they enter into Year Seven and is awarded at the LiveWires After Hours Care Christmas Break-Up Party each year. This award was established after LiveWires Support Program Worker Tim Baragwanath tragically passed away from cancer in September 2010. Tim's wife Simone initiated the award by donating money to LiveWires, and the funding is now sustained by money raised by a meal cooked for Concern Australia Collingwood staff each Monday.
Email us: Ann.vanleerdam@concernaustralia.org.au
