The KU Marcia Burgess Foundation, KU’s charitable entity, is supported by individuals, Trusts, Foundations, and corporate organisations alike to achieve even greater inclusive early education outcomes for children, including strengthening KU’s collaborations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Community Led Program: Wagga Wagga
Located on Wiradjuri Country, in Wagga Wagga at the eastern end of NSW’s Riverina region, this program was co-designed with Wiradjuri Elders and the local Aboriginal community. The program supports the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and was established to build trusting relationships and collaborations to improve access to culturally respectful early learning experiences and environments reflective of their culture and ways of life.
Throughout 2022, the KU Marcia Burgess Foundation (the Foundation) received funding support from both Perpetual’s Impact Philanthropy Program and James N Kirby Foundation. The important role of the Community Cultural Coordinator continued to strengthen local Aboriginal connections with KU as a high quality early education provider.
While in the process of directly supporting families’ entry to early education, the Community Cultural Coordinator identified areas of improvement to KU’s preschool enrolment process and pathways of access to KU’s Allied Health Service. They have also been able to connect Wiradjuri cultural knowledge holders with KU’s preschools as well as support locally led self-determined initiatives.
As the program develops, we have learned it is important to work at a pace suitable to the community, to listen to local voices and learn from them, and deliver meaningful early education services that Aboriginal people want to involve their families.
Aboriginal enrolments across KU’s five preschools in Wagga Wagga increased from 61 to 90 children (+47.54%) in the 18 months to December 2022, and with noticeably higher participation in services where Aboriginal educators are employed.
Responding to self-determined, locally led programs
As part of the Community Led Program in Wagga Wagga, a $10,000 grant from the CommBank Staff Foundation supported an arts-based project at KU Ashmont Preschool and Family Centre.
Working together with the children and their families, Wiradjuri artist Ms Terri O’Brien shared local cultural knowledge, language and cultural meanings of Aboriginal symbols and images to create designed polo shirts for the children and an inter-generational mural for display at KU Ashmont.
Learn about the Wiradjuri Early Language Program in KU Annual Report 2022 article, Advancing self-determination.
Aboriginal Early Languages Program
After a positive pilot program in 2021, generous donations to the Foundation enabled the Dharawal Early Language Program to be extended for 12 months in three KU services on Dharawal Traditional Lands in Sydney’s southern suburbs. Through the Gujaga Foundation, the Dharawal Early Language Program was delivered in ANSTO Children’s Centre, KU Heathcote Preschool and KU Sutherland Preschool from July 2022.
As KU grows connections with the local Aboriginal peoples, we continue to learn and develop a deeper cultural understanding and respect. As we reflect and create culturally responsive practices, experiences and environments, we hope to welcome more Aboriginal families to participate in KU services and develop an extended Aboriginal Early Languages Program.
Little Buddies Toy Library
When a community need was identified by Wyndham City Council in Victoria, the Foundation donated $20,000 to support equipment set up costs at the new Little Buddies Toy Library alongside KU’s Birnbial Kindergarten in Manor Lakes.
Wyndham is a low socio-economic community with the highest birth rates in Australia. It has the largest Aboriginal population within Greater Melbourne and 41% of the population were born overseas in 162 different countries.
The Foundation proudly supports Wyndham local families’ access to educational equipment which they may not ordinarily be able to afford. The well-equipped toy library also helps alleviate social isolation for families and their children.
Allied Health Financial Assistance Program
Introduced as a new Foundation initiative in 2022, this program supports children to achieve their best outcomes with access to early intervention assessments and services provided by KU Allied Health and Early Childhood Intervention Programs, when families are experiencing financial vulnerability.
This program alleviates financial stress for families and any further worries they may experience from not being able to afford allied health supports for children with additional needs. The relief for families is transformational, and the educational and life outcomes for their children markedly improved.