In the lead up to World Children’s Day, November 20, 2025, we explore two initiatives delivering refreshing supportive services to children living in the Kimberley.
Variety the Children’s Charity of Western Australia took part in supporting the Kimberley 9s 2025 beach carnival, a two-day event in late October that created opportunities for children to play sports and learn valuable life skills.
Led by Purple Hands Foundation and Fremantle Dockers, with backing from organisations such as Variety WA, Kimberley 9s brought students and teachers from remote Kimberley communities together for the multi-day AFL carnival and life skills program.
Celebrating its fifth year, 492 students, teachers and support staff participated in the 2025 rendition of the event, with 219 of those students travelling up to 900 kilometres to attend.
Many of these children live in communities where access to organised sport, enrichment programs or connection beyond their town is limited.
Variety WA supported the Kimberley 9s by providing financial assistance to ensure distance and cost would not prevent schools from participating.
Purple Hands Foundation general manager Donna Rendell said the carnival grows bigger each year, with more young people and their teachers travelling from across the Kimberley to join in.
“We’re grateful to the many organisations, including Variety WA, that contribute not only funding but also volunteers to help deliver the Kimberley 9s,” Ms Rendell said.
“Their commitment makes the event possible."
For five years, the Kimberley 9s has helped children living in remote WA to access organised sport. Photo: Fremantle Dockers, Purple Hands Foundation
“The Kimberley 9s demonstrates the impact of genuine collaboration. By using football as the connector and surrounding it with opportunities to learn, grow and build skills, partnering organisations help strengthen capacity across the region,” Ms Rendell said.
More than a football carnival, the Kimberley 9s forms part of the broader Kimberley Connected program, focused on improving school attendance, building confidence and strengthening connection to culture and community.
“Experiences like this build confidence, connection, and belief; things every child deserves.” Variety WA CEO Chris Chatterton
Students participated in six workshops over the two-day event designed to build life skills and resilience across:
- Cultural Pride
- Teamwork & Leadership
- Social & Emotional Wellbeing
- Anti-Smoking / Anti-Vaping Education
- Sustainability & Recycling
- Hip Hop & Creative Expression
Variety WA chief executive Chris Chatterton said access to opportunity was never taken for granted by people living in remote communities.
“Experiences like this build confidence, connection, and belief; things every child deserves,” Mr Chatterton said.
“Variety exists to remove barriers, whether it’s equipment, therapy, communication support, or helping a school travel 900 kilometres so children don’t miss out.”
The Kimberley 9s is faciliated by the Purple Hands Foundation and supported by various dedicated sponsors. Photo: Fremantle Dockers, Purple Hands Foundation
Fremantle Dockers players Michael Frederick, Bailey Banfield, Holly Egan and Patrick Voss attended the carnival, creating memorable moments both on and off the field.
Powered by the Fremantle Dockers, the Purple Hands Foundation helps young people overcome barriers to unlock their true potential, instilling important life skills using the power of sport, so that no one is left behind.
Early speech and language support in Broome
In another act of leveraging access to community services and support systems in the Kimberley, the Y WA has been delivering speech therapy services in response to increasing demand.
The Y WA partnered with the Majarlin Kimberley Centre for Remote Health at the University of Notre Dame Australia to host speech pathology students in the final year of their Master’s from the University of Technology Sydney.
As part of this program, students were immersed and supported in a real-world early learning environment at the Y WA Broome Early Learning Centre (ELC) throughout October until early November, where they provided essential early speech and language interventions.
These interventions were designed to deliver targeted support during the most critical early years of a child’s learning and development.
Overall, the program delivered valuable support to children, gave students practical experience in their field and benefitted both staff and families by enhancing the services provided at the Y WA Broome ELC.
Speech pathology students Nicole Ferraro (back left) and Charlotte Cook with children Sandy Isaac (front left) and Aris Mills.
The Y WA chief executive Tim McDonald said the program was multi-faceted in its benefits.
“The placement partnership strengthens early childhood services in the region by providing additional support to ELC staff, enhancing outcomes for children, and building local workforce capacity in the health and education sectors,” Dr McDonald said.
A similar successful collaboration with occupational therapy students from the Majarlin Kimberley Centre for Remote Health at the University of Notre Dame Australia took place at the Broome ELC in July.
“Programs like this deliver much-needed support directly into the centre at no cost to families, while also empowering educators with the skills and strategies to support children at the most critical stages of their development.” The Y WA Broome ELC director Tracy Mathers
These students were supervised by Majarlin qualified speech pathologist and clinical educator Sarah Mtandwa as they worked with children in the centre and developed resources that could be shared and used by staff and families across all Y WA ELCs.
These initiatives have also assisted in building educator capacity to provide additional support and intervention to the children who need it most, once the participating students have completed their placement.
The Y WA Broome ELC director Tracy Mathers said the program helped address a growing need for accessible early intervention services in regional areas.
“In regional areas like Broome, families often face lengthy wait times to access essential developmental services,” Ms Mathers said.
“Programs like this deliver much-needed support directly into the centre at no cost to families, while also empowering educators with the skills and strategies to support children at the most critical stages of their development."
The Y WA's program delivered valuable support to children and gave students practical experience in their field.
“This is laying a strong foundation for success at school and beyond. Similar programs we’ve run in the past have been well received by both families and staff, highlighting just how valuable and impactful these initiatives can be,” Ms Mathers said.
The Y WA Broome ELC also offers the successful School ReadY Literacy and Language Program centred around providing educators with resources and coaching they need to make a difference every day for children developing skills in oral language and pre-literacy.
Demand for speech therapy services has been growing in the metropolitan region as well and the Y WA has been working in partnership with Edith Cowan University School of Medical and Health Sciences to directly address this.
By Hearts and Minds
