Set up in 1987, the Paroo Mobile Project provides services to
isolated and disadvantaged groups (aborigines, disabled children
and isolated farming communities) in Australia's
vast hinterland. It is run by an organisation, Contact Incorporated,
in close collaboration with the Bernard van Leer Foundation and
the Australian Government. It works by operating several equipped
vehicles which travel to and fro amongst remote communities bringing
educational and healthcare services where a stand-alone service
or centre is not viable. Vehicles transport staff, equipment and
appropriate materials to these localities as an integral part
of existing educational programmes or as the sole educational
opening available. Mobiles also interact with other services on
the ground such as Health, Welfare, Information, Disability services,
etc. The mobile staff are made up of groups of professional people
prepared to work under harsh conditions : driving vast distances,
long hours and coping with problems and lack of facilities. Their
background is normally one of experience in child development
and community networking.
The project's philosophy
is to provide a flexible, responsive and innovative service for
children and families who are experiencing social, geographic,
cultural or economic isolation. It does this by promoting and
putting in place adapted ranges of educational, social and recreational
activities for children of all ages. The aim is to support the
development of personal and social skills for families with children
and this by facilitating opportunities for socialisation between
children and adults who are experiencing isolation. Paroo Mobile
also attempts to develop a contact service linking children and
family workers, services and service users.
The characteristic of the project is that it brings learning to
people rather than people to learning. It is, above all, about
mobility. The project vehicles often have to stop and create learning
spaces for children out of virtually nothing. Walls, playgrounds
or even seating are a luxury of better-equipped communities. The
vehicles take over spaces such as old buildings, parks, even sheds
or, if lucky, school grounds. When the mobiles arrive in a given
place, children are given the priority in literacy, numeracy and
other learning activities but it is the concern of staff that
the whole family is involved. Activities centre around play sessions,
art, early-intervention programmes and information groups. Most
vehicles are equipped with materials like books, toys, posters
and video and tape machines and libraries. For those children
who do, at times, go to more conventional schools the Mobiles
offer after-school sessions and help in school work. Working parents
find time to join in, taking advantage of the parenting skills
imparted. Those who otherwise would have to travel great distances
for services (up to 300 kms) are particularly responsive to the
Mobile Project. They use workers as confidential sounding boards,
seek advice regarding their children's
education, and obtain valuable information regarding Government
resources and openings. It is worth noting that 32 per cent of
Australia's total population
lives outside the main urban areas.
The Federal Department of Health and Family Services funds most
of the Mobile Services. Local Government tends to provide administrative
and financial support, pays some workers and helps in offering
cheaper fuel for the vehicles. The ongoing funding of the project
was taken up by the Australian Federal Government in 1993. In
1994, the Mobile Services moved to self-management with an elected
community-based parents'
committee.
Contact Information:
Project for Isolated Children
1st Floor, 30 Wilson Street
Newtown, NSW 2042
Fax: (02) 9565 1477 / Tel: (02) 9565 1333