Parents teach their children how to cross the road safely, but teaching personal safety can feel far more challenging. Thanks to support from the Your West Support Fund, HELP Auckland is able to deliver its early-intervention personal safety programme, We Can Keep Safe, to preschool tamariki across The West.
Now in its 30th year, We Can Keep Safe equips three to five year olds, caregivers and educators with the knowledge and confidence to protect children before harm occurs. Delivered as a six-part workshop series, the programme uses storytelling, songs and interactive role-play alongside a child-sized puppet named Toby, facilitated by early childhood educator Jude Bishop.
Through these sessions, tamariki learn foundational personal safety skills, including their bodily autonomy, recognising yes and no feelings, understanding safe versus unsafe touch, and distinguishing secrets from surprises. Tamariki also receive take-home workbooks that enable whānau to continue these lessons at home, including stickers to show where it is okay to touch them.
The programme’s impact is proven to be long-lasting, with research showing that while 57% of children would not know how to tell a trusted adult prior to the programme, a year later 92% still remember how to respond and tell a trusted adult.
HELP Auckland Executive Director Kathryn McPhillips says early intervention is critical. “Childhood experiences shape the rest of a person’s life, which is why prevention at this age is so important. Demand for our programmes is huge, so we are immensely grateful to The Trusts for helping us protect our youngest West Aucklanders.”
Funding from The Trusts supports two programmes reaching around 60 preschoolers and their households across The West.
The Trusts CEO Allan Pollard says investing in child safety strengthens the entire community. “Keeping our children safe is a priority we all share. HELP Auckland’s proactive, prevention-focused work gives young children and their families invaluable tools early on, and we’re proud to help bring this programme to West Auckland preschools.”
Learn more about HELP Auckland at helpauckland.org.nz or follow them on Facebook.
If you or your organisation could use support from The Trusts, find out how to apply at thetrusts.co.nz/our-funds.
