Latrobe City Council noted for its First 1000 Days Project

Victoria’s Latrobe City Council has received a Maggolee Award from Reconciliation Victoria for its work with the Aboriginal community through The First 1000 Days Project, Collaboration with the Healing the Past by Nurturing the Future project, and the ongoing support of families to engage in Preschools and Maternal and Child Health services.

Members of Latrobe City Council’s Family Services team, Belinda Crawford and Sascha Johnston, were nominated for their work, and were thrilled to learn of their win when attending the 2024 Maggolee Awards held at Moonee Valley City Council’s Djerring Community Hub in Melbourne.

Held annually and hosted in partnership with Local Government Victoria, these awards recognise Victorian local governments working in partnership with First Peoples to support self-determination, advance reconciliation, and strengthen shared decision making with First Peoples. The awards highlight this work and the ways local councils and First Peoples and working together.

The First 1000 Days Project supports Aboriginal families from pregnancy to the age of two years, to build a strong, deep, and resilient connection to their community and culture. 

Council’s Aboriginal Early Years Programs embed culturally safe practices into its preschools and Maternal and Child Health Services as well collaborating with Healing the Past by Nurturing the Future Project to ensure parents receive trauma-aware, healing-inspired care throughout pregnancy, birth, and the first 1000 days.

Mayor of Latrobe City Council, Councillor Darren Howe, said that receiving this award is a tremendous honour.

To find out more about the Maggolee Awards and the 9 other local councils recognised in this year’s awards, visit the Maggolee website at: https://www.maggolee.org.au/