MORE than 100 local indigenous children signed up to a new Gidgee Healing initiative that enabled them to have free health checks and equipment in time for school.
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Gidgee Healing’s Deadly Choices spokesman Cameron Leon said organisers expected less than 70 children to attend the fun day held at the clinic in Burke Street on Thursday.
He said the health screening checked for diabetes, general well-being, immunisations and ear and eye checks.
School bags, equipment and gear were supplied to each child that attended to support their parents.
“There’s a lot of chronic diseases back in the communities and if we can get the kids at a young age...” Mr Leon said, when asked about the importance of the event.
It’s the first year that Gidgee Healing has held health checks in conjunction with a fun day, he said.
Mr Leon said it may become an annual event.
The school equipment helped with the financial costs of education, especially for a family of 10 children that attended the fun day.
“It encourages kids to go back to school so they don’t feel shamed, they don’t have much gear and it gives them a bit more pride,” Mr Leon said.
He said at least one local school already helped supply books and equipment for students.
Tanya Gilbey, mother of four, said it was more difficult this year to afford school equipment, because Centrelink’s school kids bonus no longer existed.
The scheme was phased out in July last year.
“So the backpacks really help,” she said.
“They stopped the school bonus, they should have left that.That would have helped a lot.”
Injilinja Youth Services representative Sondra Ah Wing agreed that the end of the school bonuses would be difficult for some local Indigenous families.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for some kids to get items,” she said. “It takes a bit of weight off parents and grand parents’ pockets.”
Ms Ah Wing was pleased to see a student starting Year 12 collecting items at the fun day. This was worth congratulating. She said not many Indigenous from low socio-economic backgrounds completed their Year 12 certificate.
NRL’s regional games development officer Nelson Dotoi said the health fun day was a “great concept” and created opportunity.
“Throughout the year it’s hard to get kids up and bring them to appointments,” he said.
“Creating a fun day like this is a really good idea.”