Intergenerational Playgroup Launched in Portland

The Portland Tabulam Health Centre held its first intergenerational playgroup on Monday 29 October 2018 in partnership with Communities & Kids – LINC and Lithgow City Council.

The playgroup created a space for children and their parents to actively engage with Tabulam’s aged residents, supported by centre staff.

“This is a very worthwhile project and I’d like to thank the Department of Family and Community Services for awarding a $16,000 grant to trial this project”, said Mayor of Lithgow City Council, Clr Ray Thompson. “I’d also like to thank the project partners, Communities & Kids at LINC and Portland Tabulam Health Centre for their professionalism and commitment to positive ageing and enhancing social inclusion in our community”.

“It was wonderful to see how the children and residents were drawn to each other and participated in activities sometimes entirely intuitively – without needing much or any conversation,” said Mila Blofield, Divisional Therapist at Portland Tabulam Health Centre.

“I’m extremely proud of how smooth and well-run the session was. I’d like to thank Lydia Commins and Victoria Cini from Communities & Kids for setting up such a superb play space,” she continued. “The smiles and interactions between children and residents was such a pleasure to see.”

The Intergenerational Playgroup at the Portland Tabulam Health Centre is a pilot project and will be held every Monday during term four in 2018 and term one in 2019. The pilot will enable the project team to try new approaches to enhancing social connectedness and wellbeing.

For further information on the Intergenerational Playgroup Program, please contact Viktoria Gulabovski, Community Development Officer and Project Lead on (02) 6354 9999.