initiatives
Each year, thousands of children and young people are displaced from their homes due to violence, abuse, and neglect. Through no fault of their own, they enter out-of-home care and crisis accommodation at little or no notice. Many of these children and young people arrive with no belongings of their own, at times with just the clothes they are wearing.
Variety Sunshine Packs
Introduced in 2015, Sunshine Packs are delivered to Child Protection offices, out-of-home care organisations, and crisis accommodation organisations across Western Australia for children and young people entering out-of-home care and crisis accommodation. Sunshine Packs are designed to enhance the mental and emotional health and wellbeing of the recipient and assist in their journey of healing from trauma. The items included have each been carefully selected to meet a specific and important need. To create a sense of self-worth, preserve dignity, show they are valued and cared about, give comfort, and help alleviate the isolation and negative impact of displacement.
In 2022 Operation Sunshine WA formed a collaboration with Variety WA, working together with the aim of producing enough Variety Sunshine Packs for every child who needs one.
Packs will vary according to age with each pack filled with age and gender appropriate essential and comfort items. A typical Sunshine Pack will contain the following items;
Underwear
Socks
Top & Pants x2
Pyjamas
Toothbrush/paste
Hairbrush or comb
Colouring book/pencils
Journal/pen
Soft toy
Reading book
Donations of Sunshine Packs and items are always greatly appreciated. If you would like to donate you can purchase your donations and drop them at your nearest donation drop point for us to collect. Please download the drop point list to find details of the donation drop point closest to you.
Courage Kits
Courage Kits are another ongoing initiative of Operation Sunshine WA. Distributed to women’s shelters across Western Australia, Courage Kits are provided to women escaping domestic violence. In a domestic violence situation women often have to flee at short notice and taking little to no possessions with them. Courage Kits give them items to help create comfort and distraction at an extremely vulnerable time. Courage Kits are made in various sizes with seasonally appropriate clothing to accommodate for all women escaping a domestic violence situation. Made using brand new items packed in an Operation Sunshine shopping tote, each pack contains;
- Socks
- Underwear
- Outfit (Top & Pants)
- Pyjamas
- Colouring Book/Pencils
- Journal & Pen
- Soap
- Toothbrush/Toothpaste
- Shampoo/Conditioner
- Period Products
- Deodorant
- Hairbrush
Boredom Buster Bags
Boredom Buster Bags are a limited time initiative introduced to address the situation faced by families during isolation associated with Covid-19.
As the government has introduced social restrictions to reduce the spread of Covid-19 high risk families face increased stress as a result of financial instability and loss of social support.
To help keep children in families at high risk of abuse and neglect entertained whilst in insolation we created Boredom Buster Bags full of board games, card games, colouring books, and craft activities.
Boredom Buster Bags are distributed to organisations running Intensive Family Intervention Programs that support families at risk remain safe at home together.
Donations for Boredom Buster Bags can be dropped to Add Storage or get in touch to make alternative arrangements.
Rise Packs
In 2019 we introduced our initiative to support young men and women at risk of homelessness.
Rise Packs are distributed to organisations running programs to support at risk young adults transition to independence.
The packs will provide essential care items to support the recipients as they work through the program to help them develop life skills, gain education and work experience, and participate in counselling to prepare for living independently and avoiding homelessness.
Each pack includes toiletries and a towel, underwear, socks, an outfit, and some pens and an exercise book to assist in employment and education training.
Christmas Gift Appeal
Each year we partner with multiple out-of-home care organisations to provide Christmas gifts to children and young people in out-of-home care across WA.
The gifts provide a sense of joy and excitement to these young people at a time when being separated from their families can be even more painful and amplify the negative emotional impact of their displacement.
We look forward to doing it all again next Christmas.
Please check back around October 2022.
Tidda Dolls
Although only accounting for 6% of the child population, 57% of children and young people in out-of-home care in Western Australia are Aboriginal. Many of these children are placed in foster care with non-Aboriginal carers and it is important to ensure they have opportunities to connect with their culture and identity even when they cannot be with their family. In order to support girls in care with positive sense of identity and connection to their Aboriginal culture we partnered with Aboriginal artist, Sally Gamble, to create Tidda Dolls. Tidda Dolls are included in Sunshine Packs sent to Aboriginal foster care agency, Yorganop, and to Child Protection offices in the Pilbara and Kimberley regions. The dolls are also available on request by foster carers and foster agencies for provision to Aboriginal children in care. If you are a foster carer or out-of-home care worker you can order Tidda Dolls by contacting us at hello@operationsunshinewa.org.au