It was fantastic having Diana Roggenbucke and Raelene Tie from our Oral Health Team present at the 2019 World First Nations Early Childhood Conference on the Bush Tucker Garden Project work they have undertaken with Early Childhood services.
The conference brought together a range of delegates and speakers from Australia, New Zealand and the USA and showcased the fantastic work that is happening around Indigenous Health Worldwide.
The theme of the Conference was “Empowering Generations”. The conference is designed to inspire and enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Educators, services and other partners to step up and ensure that the rights and self-determination of the First Nations Peoples are upheld.
EACH’s Oral Health Program was successful in receiving community grants from Maroondah City Council and Knox City Council to support having 20 Bush Tucker Gardens planted in local child services.
Bush Tucker Gardens are an interactive way to engage with children around key healthy eating and oral health messages.
The Bush Tucker Garden Project ties in with EACH’s Smiles 4 Miles program and aims to expose children to a range of different foods whilst at the preschool/early learning centres and help families to make healthy food choices.
A wide variety of nutritious foods in early childhood is important for children’s growth and development and lays the foundation for children’s lifelong relationship with food.
The Project enhanced children’s understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal culture and has played a pivotal role in increasing the children’s and families’ cultural appreciation, embedding indigenous culture, and improving community connections.
The Conference is held every four years and is considered the largest gathering of First Nations Elders, Early Childhood Educators, Researchers, Child Practitioners, Psychologists and Community Controlled Early Childhood Education and Care Providers.
The event has provided us with the opportunity to further enhance our knowledge base, to network with other key stakeholders and to showcase the work that we have been doing in the Oral Health Program at EACH.
Our Oral health program operates at our Dental Clinic’s in Ferntree Gully and Ringwood, view more info HERE.