National Families Week Ideas

For organisations and community groups:

  • Erect a National Families Week display in your work foyer highlighting what services your organisation provides for families
  • Arrange a picnic for your organisation and people who use your services
  • Hold an open day or morning tea
  • Promote your services, events and activities to families in your area through local media outlets
  • Host a family-friendly day in your workplace
  • Organise an event such as a seminar on an issue relevant to families
  • Promote the achievements of local families through recognition awards
  • Promote the diversity of families in your local area
  • Organise street parties
  • Provide information for families in public contact areas
  • Arrange for feature articles to be placed in the media on local families and wellbeing
  • Hold a writing or poetry competition
  • Arrange a community outing to local areas of interest
  • Arrange to do something special for a family in difficult circumstances e.g. a gift hamper, arrange babysitting, take the children to a movie
  • Disseminate information on youth and families, parenting and the issues faced by families
  • Encourage staff to bring children to work for the day
  • Have a photographic display or competition
  • Have a work experience day for youth from the local school or children of staff
  • Hold a BBQ etc. for staff, clients or the public to showcase your services
  • Hold a bush dance, hip-hop or a multicultural dance display
  • Hold a writing or poetry competition – ask the local paper to publish entries
  • Hold an open forum to discuss the concerns of families and youth in your area
  • Hold seminars on topics relevant to the week for your clients and staff
  • Hold on Open Day for families to see what your agency or organisation does,
    and how it assists families
  • Hold staff family celebrations
  • Honour families and youth who are an inspiration to you
  • Investigate families' needs, the issues they face and review services accordingly
  • Erect displays in libraries, health centres, shopping centres etc
  • Have a family friendly day for staff
  • Link up and organise events with service clubs, community organisations and service providers and agencies in your area – include invitations to more disadvantaged members of your area
  • Look at your work and family policies. How effective are they? Are staff aware of them? Do they need updating?
  • Make a display in your foyer, service area or office highlighting what you do for families and what families mean to your organisation
  • Organise a concert
  • Organise a picnic for your organisation and the people who utilise your services
  • Place a suggestion box in your foyer to encourage visitors to comment on your services
  • Produce a National Families Week edition of your newsletter or publications
  • Promote the diversity of families in your area
  • Promote the Week and any events or activities you organise through community radio and TV commercials
  • Provide colouring in sheets for children in public contact areas
  • Provide discount entry to your facility for families
  • Provide information for families in public contact areas
  • Record interviews with people in your community to build an oral history
  • Sponsor or raise funds for a local family or youth related community project

For families and individuals:

  • Encourage your family to make short movies on issues important to them – and then hold a “Movie Premiere Night”
  • Have a special family breakfast before work and/or school
  • Organise a family walkathon
  • Take some family photos
  • Have a family movie marathon
  • Have a family sports carnival
  • 'Adopt' a granny or grandpa at the local nursing home or hostel
  • Hold a family talent quest night
  • Have a family games night
  • Let the children make dinner for the adults – and choose the entertainment!

The types of events are only limited by your imagination! Many of these ideas are interchangeable between organisations and families.

If you are holding a public event be sure to check whether you need public liability insurance (see www.ourcommunity.com.au/insurance for further information).