News from the Play Australia team...

Happy Valentine’s Day to all our lovers of PLAY !!!!

And there is lots to love in 2024!

Loving the fact we are seeing play happening in so many places across Australia at the moment. Intergenerational play is also becoming a new interest for many, so our mission to build healthy communities through play is happening! 

At Play Australia we have been working on delivering new initiatives. Our current funding program for 1000 Play Streets is ending and we are looking at opportunities, but needless to say, at the moment our funding is heavily reliant on membership. So, a HUGE thank you to everyone who has been renewing promptly and a special welcome to our new members!  We love to see our membership grow and the number of new members joining our community is climbing!

Our long-term goal is to be fully self-funded, so membership and training initiatives, like our online learning modules and fee for service consultancy and training opportunities, are important in reaching that goal. If you can support us in any way, please let us know and share the LOVE!

As you may have heard this year it is 110 years since Play Australia was formed…so we are wanting to ensure a solid base for the next 110 years! And we are loving the thought of the celebrations ahead of us!

Have a great week!

Robyn, Joanne, and Peter.

Do you know someone you'd like to invite to join our community as a Play Australia Organisational Member?

During the month of February, every new Organisational Membership and their referee, will go in the draw to win a voucher for one of our Masterclass packages, featuring international guest speakers, OR, a voucher for one of our online Playspace Development training courses, valued at $595 per winner!

How to enter?

Email info@playaustralia.org.au with you and your referee details. We'll check our growing list of new members and once confirmed, you'll BOTH go in the draw to win!

To be eligible, referees must sign up to our Organisational Membership package by February 28, 2024!

Winners announced in the March eNews.

We are really delighted with the range of quality of speakers lining up to present at our Online Learning Series (OLS). If you haven't checked out our latest webinars online, please take a peek, we think you will be impressed.

At Play Australia, we feel so lucky to have so many experts that make up our membership! These presenters are dedicated to play, are well-respected in their fields and add huge value to our tribe!

Of course, there is always room for more, so do contact us with an idea or a concept and we will welcome it!
Just email Robyn on ceo@playaustralia.org.au.

We are constantly adding to our catalogue of OLS webinars so please check-in regularly and follow us on FACEBOOK.

In addition, we have released a number of recorded presentations for your viewing pleasure, with more still to come!

Some of our international presentations are “pay for view”. We have introduced this small fee to help fund international speakers to present to our Australian audiences!

Members enter the code specialsave to pay the reduced fee of $33.00

Play Australia is wishing to form a technical advisory group for the development of new resources aimed at parents and educators for our Play Today campaign.

We are seeking Play Australia members with subject matter expertise in children’s play and development to be part of this group in order to review resources and contribute your expertise. 

Applicants must have qualifications in education, Playwork or health and at least 10 years’ experience in, delivery of child or parent programs, or  higher education, or health management. The maximum time commitment will be approximately 3-4 hours per month. We need approximately 8 people for the group. Please be aware of conflict of interest, and note that all resources and IP are copyright and remain the property of Play Australia.

If this appeals to you, please email ceo@playaustralia.org.au for more information.

Play Active is part of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (the Life Course Centre). Play Active is a national program to boost energetic play in early childhood education and care (ECEC). The program is evidence based and has been co-created with the ECEC sector. 

The Centre's UWA node has a PhD scholarship and top-up scholarship available, which will focus on the national roll-out of Play Active to ensure it meets the needs of all early childhood education and care services, children, and families, particularly those experiencing disadvantage.

It includes a fully funded scholarship ($30k per year for 3 years) and top-up scholarship ($10k per year for 3 years).

The PhD candidate will be a student member of the Life Course Centre, providing them with a network of other students to connect with and access to a wide range of professional training, mentoring and development opportunities.

If this sounds like the PhD project for you, express your interest via email to Kate.Erceg@telethonkids.org.au!

Celebrated across Australia and NZ Parks Week has a range of events across the country PLUS you can list some of your own. 

If you are needing ideas for your local area why not help us log all the play spaces in your community and advertise Playground Finder so children can enjoy play in their local area!
f you have not yet seen Play Australia’s Playground Finder app, time to check it out and if you can, populate and review playgrounds across the country!

Relationships Australia is once again holding its annual Neighbor’s Day event on the last Sunday of the month in March. Play Australia and Neighbours Every Day have worked together to produce 2 new fact sheets to help support play in the neighborhood!

• Promoting Play in Your Local Neighbourhood
  
  
• Neighbourhood Street Games: Promoting Fun and Community Bonding

Having a strong sense of community is essential for vibrant and supportive neighborhoods. The neighborhood street can be a perfect playground for children and families to engage in games that promote fun, physical activity, and community connection.

For more information to connect, create and share belonging visit: https://neighbourseveryday.org
https://playaustralia.org.au/1000-play-streets

Why Children who don’t play can develop anxiety (UK Feb 2024)
https://inews.co.uk/news/housing/homeless-children-cant-play-2898542

Impact of Climate Change on Children’s Play (USA, Feb 2024)
https://thehill.com/policy/equilibrium-sustainability/4456878-climate-change-is-making-it-more-dangerous-for-kids-to-play-outside-report-finds/

New look at risky play ( Canada, January 2024)
https://vancouversun.com/news/doctors-say-risky-play-comes-with-rewards-but-what-does-that-look-like

National Play, Playing and Playwork Conference 8-10 March

Malarkey Playwork & Marc Armitage at Play are once again returning with their National Play Conference in Melbourne on 8, 9 &10 March 2024.
Tickets at www.marc-armitage.com/conference24 and more details at www.facebook.com/OzPlayConference.

QCAN – the Queensland Peak Body for OSHC Saturday 23 March

Always advocating for play, the QCAN conference is sure to have some play on the agenda.
https://www.qcan.org.au/conference

National Sports and Physical Activity Convention, Melb 27-28 June 

Play Australia is running a steam at this event!
https://nationalsportsconvention.com.au/program-2024/ 

Parks and Leisure Australia, Brisbane October 2024

https://parksleisure.com.au/event/save-the-date-pla-national-conference-2024/

Have you got a conference coming up? Email us with the details info@playaustralia.org.au