Jarjum Centre is an Early Childhood Centre for Aboriginal Children, located in Lismore the lands of the local Widjabal Wiyabal people within the Bundjalung Nation. The Centre was established 40 years ago and championed by a group of strong dedicated Elders who worked tirelessly to recognise the pathway to success was through Early Childhood Education. In addition, campaigned for the rights of Aboriginal children, families and community to access a fair, equitable, culturally inclusive and significant educational opportunities were Aboriginal children could thrive, adapt and obtain a high-quality education as a platform for inspiring their life chances and achieving their full potential.
Jarjum Centre provides educational programs for Aboriginal children aged 2 to 6 years. We provide transport, a nutrition program, Aboriginal language, occupational therapy and other community programs for Aboriginal children and their families.
Transformative education is a sustainable process that should leave a lasting positive impression about one’s self and strengths. It acknowledges the present, has a holistic approach to barriers, and actively supports solutions and self-determination.
Jarjum Centre’s has a unique setting, including an exciting partnership with the University of Wollongong. Our approach to Closing the Gap, and program delivery positions Jarjum Centre and children who enroll, towards an exciting contemporary educational Journey.
Our Purpose
The overall objective of Jarjum Centre is to provide a place for Aboriginal Children, Families and Community that will offer and coordinate culturally appropriate and safe early childhood education programs and care, parent and family support, and early childhood health services.
- Our purpose is to provide every Aboriginal child with a quality early childhood experience.
- To provide accessible, inclusive, best practice, early childhood education programs for Aboriginal children aged 2- 6 years.
- To Support families with their child’s formal education Journey whilst at Jarjum Centre. (This includes provision of streamlined services within a culturally safe space)
- Provide continued ongoing accessibility of services that assist with Aboriginal transformative education once children leave Jarjum Centre.
- We strive to create a safe, nurturing and developmentally appropriate environment, which fosters individual needs.
Our Values
Jarjum Centre values the importance of early childhood learning and continue to embed local cultural, advise and understanding, we promote children’s health and wellbeing and continue to improve family, student and community engagement. We strive towards local Aboriginal perspective in curriculum content and continue to build and uphold our reputation through our commitment to ongoing learning.
- Valuing the family as a child’s first and most important teacher
- High expectations: We believe that each child has amazing potential. This includes potential to achieve dreams, exceed expectations and to pass knowledge onto educators. We will deliver our program accordingly
- Culture and community: We will commit supporting connectedness between Jarjums, community and culture to support a sense of Belonging
- Integrity: Always putting the best interest of children first. Never compromising our reputation by upholding personal honesty and behavior
- Commitment to ongoing learning: We understand the importance of reflecting on our practice and its impact, and embracing progress through change.
Our Vision
We strive to:
- Empower and encourage Aboriginal families to be engaged in their children learning
- We believe that ALL Children have a right to develop, grow and learn in a society where each individual is valued and respected: where each individual in turn values, respects and contributes positively to others and the environment which we all share
- Equality of educational and health outcomes between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children.
- An Australia where all Aboriginal children enter into primary school education and leave the early years with a strong sense of wellbeing, identity, culture and connection to community.
- Aboriginal children, young people and their families to exceed challenges in both worlds that we walk in.
