Ngarrwa is a young mothers’ program, which uses the arts as a point of engagement for the young mums. Through the workshops, where belly casts of the pregnant women and hand casts of their partners and children are made and painted, health workers are also in attendance and participate in the workshops, building relationships with the young mums and conveying essential information in an informal and relaxed environment. Representatives of various service organisations attend Ngarrwa on a regular basis providing the young mums and their families with a range of information, tools and support to assist them in navigating their way out of disadvantage.
BE’s young mothers’ programs originated in Moree, NSW, as Mubali, an ante-natal care program, which evolved into Connections, a three year funded program for young parents covering parenting skills and early childhood development. Mubali was then implemented in Bowraville, NSW, as Ngarrwa. The BE team has developed significant community partnerships and relationships with the young mothers living on the Mission in Bowraville. The combined model now encompasses ante-natal to childhood life stages and parenting competence.
In 2009-10 the project will focus on the re-engagement of young mothers, their babies and young children via arts based workshops that focus on the building of health outcomes, relationships and participation in the life of the community.
The following years will be focussed on a more holistic place-based approach, working from antenatal life stage through to early adulthood, over a long and focussed timeframe, which will enable the relationship qualities developed in the first year to be identified and to spread beyond the sphere of our initial project’s influence. An extended timeframe and holistic approach will share the benefits across all sectors in the community, thereby increasing community and individual wellbeing and begin the process of redressing the disadvantage embedded in these communities. In order to disrupt the cycles of entrenched intergenerational disadvantage, the participation and collaboration of parents, grandparents and the broader community is essential.
- Participants have the skills to address paediatric health issues such as otitis media, skin disorders and behaviour disorders;
- health practitioners deliver health screening and health services/treatment for otitis media, skin disorders and other health issues through our arts based workshops;
- young mothers and families have the skills to improve nutritional standards of children (education, budgeting, cooking, planning ahead);
- antenatal health of young mothers, access to antenatal checkups and delivery of required antenatal and perinatal interventions are increased;
- positive parenting skills in young mothers and positive family functioning attributes are increased;
- children’s attendance at school and young children’s participation in early childhood learning experiences are increased;
- violence and risk taking behaviours of young mothers is reduced;
- overall health and wellbeing in family units and levels of participation in community activity are increased; and
- current leaders mentor young people and initiate new forms of engagement.
