Bicultural Support Program

Our last Greek Playgroup for the year was a great success, full of κάλαντα (traditional Chrismas carols) sweets, dancing and lots of cheer! We thanked Κυρία Πελαγία for all her wonderful work and dedication to our little group and wished to be together again in 2026!!! Many thanks to Kingsgrove Public School for hosting our group 🙂 all the best to all our families in the New Year 🥳

Our first Greek Playgroup was a great success with many families attending and enjoying activities, stories songs and play! We made koulourakia with playdough, talked about the colour blè and dyed our rice blue, danced and listened to a story.
Kuria Pelagia looks forward to seeing you all next week for more fun 🙂 Kingsgrove Public School

We are sooooooo excited for our first ever Greek playgroup!!

Join us in Term 4 on Fridays from 9.30am - 11.30am at Kingsgrove Public School

Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/H7e5XKcP5A

Vale Vivi!!

My migration had a great influence on what I became…”
Vivi Koutsounadis Germanos, 1943 -2025

It is with great sadness that our organisation announces the passing of one of our founding members and former Executive Director Vivi Koutsounadis-Germanos.

Vivi was born in Chios in 1943 and emigrated with her family to Australia in 1954, growing up in her parent’s milkbar on Regent Street in Redfern. It was there that she formed a strong relationship with both the local Indigenous Australian community and migrant communities in Sydney. The injustices she witnessed and the challenges she saw both communities face, shaped her beliefs and values and led her to pursue study in psychology and counselling and eventually a long career in welfare and social justice.

Vivi was a Founder of the Ethnic Childcare, Family and Community Services Cooperative, now known as Ethnic Community Services. She also served as the Executive Director of ECCFCSC from 1979 to 2017.

She helped establish the Ethnic Child Development Unit which began with research into latchkey children and saw the first funding of $73,000 (recurrent grant) from the then Department of Childcare. The legacy of this project is the Bicultural Support Program, a UNESCO-recognised Best Practice model for Early Childhood Education and Care that continues to provide support to multicultural children and families, including those from humanitarian backgrounds, almost 50 years later. Bicultural Support Program

The work of the ECCFCSC also paved the way for the establishment of the Addison Road Community Childcare Centre in 1988, formally opened by then Prime Minister of Australia Bob Hawke. Vivi also served as the President of the Addison Road Community Centre for many years. A road at the Addi Road Centre has been named after her. Addi Road Community Organisation

Vivi also helped found the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW (MDAA) in 1995 and served as Chairperson for many decades. Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW

She was awarded the Human Rights Medal in 1998 for recognition of her three decades of advocacy and community work across a broad range of social welfare areas. “Her work also included Aboriginal welfare, childcare, women's issues, aged care and disability issues. A strong advocate of equal rights, Vivi has worked at both a grass roots and policy level of many community-based organisations; lobbying for resources and funding on behalf of disadvantaged groups.”

In 2002, she went to the United Nations, where she lobbied the high commissioner of refugees about the need to tackle the problems experienced by children in detention. Vivi received the Officer of Order of Australia in 2008 for her contribution to social justice issues.

Despite retiring in 2017, Vivi continued to advocate for the most disadvantaged and marginalized members of Australian society. She continued to serve the community in various roles and capacities.

She was a great mentor and friend to many, her legacy will continue to inspire our organisation in our work and advocacy for multicultural children, families and communities into the future.

Our sincerest condolences to Vivi's family and friends, Vale Vivi!

We were so privileged to have Robyn from raisingchildren.net.au visit our Multicultural Playgroup in Lakemba today to present certificates and letters of appreciation to women and amothers who took part in community consultation workshops that will inform national strategy for engaging multicultural families.

We also celebrated our Hindi/Urdu speaking Educator Afreen’s birthday!

Call us on (02) 9569 1288 to join our nearest playgroup! Ethnic Community Services

Casual work Available for ECEs: 9am - 3pm, Good Casual Rate, Paid Km's/Travel, fulfilling work supporting cultural inclusion of multicultural children and families. We need:

Swahili - Penrith
Mandarin - Campbeltown
Cantonese - Quakers Hill
Colombian - Waterloo
Spanish - Mosman
Burmese - Greenacre

EMAIL: [email protected]

Join us for FREE Kurdish Playgroup at Shelley PS in Blacktown every Friday from 10.30am - 12.30pm!

Starting this FRIDAY 16/05!

Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/H7e5XKcP5A

Playgroups are BACK for Term 2!

Join us on Wednesdays at Cabramatta Public School from 9.30am-11.30am for FREE Multicultural Playgroup and Parent Information Sessions.

Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/H7e5XKcP5A

You’ve got mail!! NSW Department of Education

Who saw the Early Childhood Education and Care update this week? You may have noticed our FREE Preschool Multicultural Support Program is BACK FOR 2025 🎉🥳🎉🥳

Click here to submit an EOI today: https://forms.office.com/r/Sa9w7aPXAz

Eid Mubarak 🌙🏮✨
Today our two Arabic-speaking playgroups, including many newly arrived families from Gaza, came together in Chester Hill to celebrate the end of Ramadan. There was plenty of music, dance, balloons, gifts and sweets for everyone.

We also heard from Paula Abood from TAFE NSW about skills recognition and other opportunities for study.

Thanks to Addi Road Community Organisation for their donation of food pantry items and gifts for families and also to Arab Council Australia for their generous donation of sunglasses for the children and other useful clothes, toys and books. These will go along way to support newly arrived families as they transition to life in a new country. ❤️🙏🏻

A special shout out to our Playgroup team today Yasamin, Mariam, Haneen and Hala for all your hard work.