It began in 2007 when Anglicare Western NSW's Kandos-Rylstone Families First Project (KRFF) received a grant from DOCS to promote literacy development for children from birth to kindergarten.

The aim of the radio project was to provide a sustained literacy activity in the community for the under fives, following one-off promotions during the Rylstone-Kandos Show and National Literacy and Numeracy Week.

Radio Story Time was launched in collaboration with community radio - Kandos-Rylstone Radio 'KRR', and with support and permission to use books given by publishers: Harper Collins, Koala Books, Working Title Press, Murdoch Books and Steve Parish Publishing.

Radio Story Time has been made possible for the three year period with a donation to Kandos-Rylstone Radio (KRR) from KRFF.

Local readers from all 'walks of life' have recorded stories and children from Kandos and Rylstone Public Schools have recorded songs for the beginning and end of each story session.

Radio Story Time is aired on KRR at 11.05am each weekday. There are 26 stories, each featured for a week at a time.

Two hundred and fifty sets of books have been distributed to local children so they can follow the story with Mum, Dad, Grandparent, older siblings. Literacy games and resources are also available for loan through a Toy Library grant from Anglicare Western NSW at Anglicare House.

The Committee who 'drove' the birth to kindergarten project comprised local people from preschool, library, Mum's group and Family Day Care, Anglican parishioners along with the Anglicare Western NSW Family Advisor.

Why did both communities engage so strongly with this project?

All groups involved share a 'mission focus' that reflects an understanding that of the most socially disadvantaged postcodes in Victoria and New South Wales the village of Kandos ranked in the top 15 most socially disadvantaged communities (2004 Social Jesuit Research Council). Groups also agreed that children benefit from good quality and affordable early learning opportunities before starting school because:

1. Literacy begins from birth (Sulzby, 1994); the first 3 years are critical for early prevention and intervention initiatives (McCain & Mustard, 1999)
2. The home environment and families are of great importance in children's early literacy (Cairney, 1994)
3. Parents respond positively when their expertise is recognized and build on it (Fleer & Williams-Kennedy, 2002; Makin & Spedding, 2002);

• A significant number of families were not accessing formal early learning opportunities because of limited services in town and mobility to other areas where they are held
• The project strengthens a poor community infrastructure and thus trust in the service providers
• Rising cost of living is affecting involvement in community activity participation, particularly if there is a perceived cost.
• Rising fuel costs mean that geographically isolated families are becoming more so, and therefore their children are not accessing 'in town' services such as library story time or pre-school.

The dream was realised because...
...the community was activated. They were empowered because the radio project served their community and it's idiosynchrosies directly. They drove the problem solving for an issue that was real to them.

Unlike most health and welfare initiatives ventured in the towns it is not controlled by an unknown government or not-for-profit organisation who drive staff in from a larger town such as Mudgee or Lithgow.

Each group or individual contributed their unique skill sets to the big picture. Each contribution was highly valued by the community as a whole. The resource is for the community and is within their control and design. The groups involved represented those who may normally volunteer for activities and those who had never done so before.

Volunteers from age 5 to 80 contributed their gifts.

The juggling of these contributions to produce a cohesive outcome was achieved by talented Anglicare Western NSW Family Advisor Robyn Jenkins.

Contact:
Kandos Rylstone Radio Story Time
Robyn Jenkins
The Family Resource Centre
10a Jacques Street
Kandos NSW
familiesfirstrylsto@bigpond.com