Balert Gerrbik: Koorie Families as First Educators
Nine Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) across Victoria deliver parenting support through the Balert Gerrbik: Koorie Families as First Educators (KFFE) Initiative. The program is for children from pre-birth to 5 years of age and their families. KFFE partners with Koorie families to provide a strong foundation for their children's early learning and development through a high-quality, culturally safe, evidence-based parenting support program. Balert Gerrbik means ‘my strong family/kin’ and is from the Taungurong language.
Who
KFFE is available to all families with children who identify as Aboriginal aged from pre-birth up to school entry, including the transition period.
What is available
ACCOs delivering KFFE employ and support Koorie educators to work with parents/carers to build the capacity of Koorie families to support their children's early learning and development.
KFFE incorporates the Koorie In-Home Support/Home Based Learning initiative, and includes wrap around support for families, including relationship building, help with children’s health and wellbeing, language development and linkages to internal and external services as needed.
How to access
Families are able to self-refer as well as external agencies. Contact your local KFFE provider with any questions about the program and the referral process.
KFFE is delivered by nine different Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations across Victoria, in the following locations:
- Ballarat: Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative
- Bendigo: Bendigo and District Aboriginal Cooperative
- Bairnsdale: Gippsland and East Gippsland Aboriginal Corporation
- Wodonga: Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation
- Shepparton: Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative
- Preston & Morwell: Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency
- Melbourne: Victorian Aboriginal Health Service
- Swan Hill & Mildura: Mildura and District Aboriginal Services
- Geelong Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative
