A Forbes-based pilot program is seeking to bridge the gap between two groups who can too easily become isolated – new mums and older Australians.
The Nurtured Village, a charity born from the simple but powerful idea that “it takes a village” to support our young families, is looking to connect them to older volunteers with time to give.
It's hoped an hour a week, starting with a 10-week pilot program, could make all the difference to everyone involved.
Emma Gray, founder and executive director, explains creating this connection has been a long-held vision for the Nurtured Village and now a grant from Endeavour Mining has made it possible to put the structure around it.
Forbes shire is to host the pilot, starting in late September, then the Nurtured Village will review it and work out how they can best take it to more communities.
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They're just looking for people to give it a go in Forbes first, accepting expressions of interest until Friday, 22 August.
It's as simple as weekly visits that might involve reading books to older children, sharing a cuppa, holding the baby while mum showers, or helping with a gentle outing.
There are so many ways in which that extra set of hands can be welcome with a young family, and so many ways little people can bring joy to and benefit older people.
Emma has never doubted how incredible it is to have older people around, particularly while your children are young.
It's been shown in studies and through the beautiful tv series, Old People's Home for 4 Year Olds.
“We know the power of that multigenerational village in bringing up kids,” Emma said.
“It’s so beneficial for all generations.”
People who would like to be part of this pilot are urged to submit an expression of interest through the Nurtured Village's KinKind website.
It’s open to mums who have welcomed a baby in the past two years, and to older Australians who have time to give.
“We did a survey last year and 94 per cent of mums reported loneliness in motherhood,” Emma said.
“Then you look at loneliness in older Australians where one in three report loneliness as they age.
“That social connectedness is what we’re about completely at the Nurtured Village, we don’t have to do it alone,” Emma said.
“This was just another way of us being able to increase that social connection from two priority populations that really did need that social connection.”
It’s more than five years since the Nurtured Village formed out of a need to build a village around mums who don’t have one, the organisation has been a registered charity for three years.
They’ve been in Forbes all that time, and now extend across 23 communities, with local volunteer coordinators rallying support to provide a mum with a supportive hamper from their community every month.
Locally and across all their communities, Nurtured Village is seeing families feeling the pressure, and they’re excited to be launching this pilot in a rural community where the village has always been so strong.
To find out more about The Nurtured Village, go online to www.thenurturedvillage.org
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