National Child Protection Week (2-8 September) is all about everyone getting involved in building better communities for children and young people.

An important part of this is making sure that the voices of children and young people are heard in our society, including in the media.

This year we thought it would be amazing to give young people a role in the news during National Child Protection Week (2-8 September).

So in the week leading up to Fathers’ Day (Sunday 2nd September) many of our local newspapers have agreed to print interviews and images provided by children and young people.

Want to be involved?

If you are under 18 years of age and live in Australia, you are invited to prepare an interview or story to be published in your local paper.

All you have to do is prepare the interview and send it in to us (with a photo of you and the person you are interviewing). We will then connect your article to your local newspaper so they can publish it.

Small children will need more help from adults whereas older children will be able to do much of this by themselves. However, please note that everyone (all children and young people) will need to get signed permission from their parent/guardian (see the attached Release Form).

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

Because National Child Protection Week starts on Fathers’ Day, the newspapers are interested in stories about men listening and engaging with children.

We’d like you to interview a male adult who is important in your life – it can be your dad or someone else like a coach, teacher, relative, friend etc. This is your story, so you can ask them anything you like, and you may even like to let them ask you some questions if they want. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started:

• write an introduction about how this person is important in your life and what you like about them
• ask them who gave them a helping hand, listened to them or made a difference when they were growing up
• what they (and you) think are the most important things that children need growing up e.g. what adults can do to help children feel valued and safe
• what things they think we can all do to help create happy communities for all children.

Remember, these are just ideas… we want to hear your story in your own words!

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARENTS OF YOUNGER CHILDREN

If you have a young child who would like to have a story published about their dad or significant male in their lives, they will obviously need a fair bit of help. Feel free to talk to them about the ideas above and let them work out questions that are interesting to them. Even though you will need to type or write up the interview for them, please stick to what they want and try to keep it in their own words as much as possible.

Checklist for the writer

• • Try to aim between 200-400 words
  • Include a high quality photo (at least 1MB) of you and the person interviewed, preferably doing some kind of activity together
  • Make sure you fill in the attached Release Form and either post it back (or take a photo of the form and email).
  • Please note we may need to make minor edits for accuracy and readability, however we commit to not altering the idea or concept of your interview.

• Send to the below address or submit via the link below by August 15th 2018

NOTE: To make it even easier to contribute your story (rather than sending us an email with attachments), you can choose to simply fill in our online form. Just answer the questions, download a photo, and make sure adults have clicked on the permission buttons. Looking forward to hearing from you! 

FILL OUT THE ONLINE FORM HERE (HTTPS://WWW.SURVEYMONKEY.COM/R/FATHERSDAYSTORIES)

Please return your interview, photo and Release Form by August 15th to:

9/162 Goulburn Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Mailing address:
PO Box K241, Haymarket NSW 1240

OR EMAIL TO: contact@napcan.org.au

Download Release Form

For more information, please contact Helen on 0410 541997.