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Welcome
to the Bamboo-Crew
Welcome to the Bamboo-Crew, a SACAS sub-group designed for children approaching
or over 5 years of age. This group was the
brainchild of two SACAS members who are regulars at the 0-5 Panda-Play program.
Many of our parents and children have formed friendships and a supportive
network through attending Panda-Play but quite a few of the original children
have now graduated into a Kindergarten and/or Primary School environment. So the simple aim of
the Bamboo-Crew is to ensure that as our children grow up they will
continue to have opportunities to interact with their peers and to explore and
celebrate Chinese culture together. All children of SACAS Members are
welcome to join the Bamboo-Crew and do not have to be adopted from China.
See "Who Can Join" below for more details.
What
will the Bamboo-Crew Do?
Activities and events will be tailored to meet the needs of the
kindergarten-primary school group. Some will have a cultural focus, but others will simply be fun
social activities. In fact SACAS believe that we should never
underestimate the importance of having fun and socialising with our peers.
And that applies equally to children and parents. Cultural opportunities
too should always be fun and accessible. So over the years you can expect
to participate in activities as diverse as picnics, camps, ice-skating,
sleepovers, dragon boating, beach parties, martial arts/self defence, visits to
temples, zoo's, plays, music, festivals etc. The options are limited only
by our imaginations and as participants you can make further suggestions to the
coordinators. Please visit our Events Page for
calendar updates on Bamboo-Crew events and activities.
How Will
the Bamboo-Crew Work?
The Bamboo-Crew will operate on an informal
basis and will attempt to accommodate the busy life of today's kindergarten and primary
schooler.
Initially members will correspond via email and arrange to meet for age
appropriate activities/events during the school holidays. The group will
effectively self-manage and participating parents will be expected to actively
contribute to the group. However SACAS will be there to assist in a number
of ways. SACAS will promote Bamboo-Crew events and activities and assist
where possible with resourcing and strategic planning. Indeed our Project Committees are
already actively working with this demographic in mind and so as the 5-Year Plan
indicated, you can expect to see SACAS increasing its efforts for the 5+ age
group in the coming years and for the Bamboo-Crew to benefit as a result.
Who Can Join?
Any child of a SACAS Member approaching 5 years of
age or older can join the Bamboo-Crew. The child doesn't have to
be adopted from China, they can be biological or adopted from any other country.
Just like SACAS and Panda-Play the Bamboo-Crew will always aim to be as
inclusive and tolerant as possible. However naturally activities will
relate primarily to the needs of children in the 5+ age range and some will involve the
exploration and celebration of Chinese culture. We also recognise that
many families have children of different ages and that attending an event for
just one age group can be difficult. If that describes your family then
rest assured that all your children are welcome to attend events - even if one or more are below
5 years of age.
What
Will it Cost?
The
children of fully financial SACAS Members who meet the above eligibility criteria can
register to join
the Bamboo-Crew for free. This is just one benefit of belonging to a
community group like SACAS. The
children of non-SACAS Members within the Chinese adoption Community can also
attend, but they may be required to pay a cover charge to attend an event in
order to cover administrative costs. SACAS see this as providing an
opportunity for non-members to explore the benefits of membership. Some events/activities
may have a user
pays cost attached and this will be advised when the event/activity is
promoted. For example visits to the zoo or other attractions would
naturally incur an entry fee. Joining the Bamboo-Crew does not obligate you to attend
any event/activity.
How Do We Join?
Janet Dutscke and Helen Gilbert, who originally
proposed the concept, have agreed to coordinate the Bamboo-Crew. So
if you have a child who is eligible and would like to take part please email contact_sacas@yahoo.com.au
You will then be placed on the distribution list for information about the group
and its activities.
What's Next?
Bamboo-Crew events are listed on our Events Page
. If you have any ideas or
constructive input please email us at any time on contact_sacas@yahoo.com.au
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