● The B4 Early Years Coalition
Vision:
Every child in Tasmania, is cared for and nurtured through the early years, no matter what.
Goals:
- Everyone values the early years
- Everyone supports the early years
- Everyone works together for the early years.
Working together across the three B4 Early Years Coalition goals will ensure everyone:
- is aware of, and understands the importance and lifelong benefits of strong healthy development, pregnancy to 4 years of age.
- has the skills, knowledge, resources and a role to support children, pregnancy to 4 years of age, their families and communities; and
- families, services, business and communities have the knowledge, skills and confidence to partner and ensure the best start for children, pregnancy to 4 years of age, their families and communities.
● What we do
The B4 Early Years Coalition will connect people and organisations from across the Tasmanian community who are committed to supporting children, pregnancy to 4 years of age and their families.
The name B4 represents the early years of a child’s life, pregnancy to age four, the years ‘before’ a child begins full-time school and the period before birth. These early years are a time of rapid change and development for children, as they learn and grow and discover the world around them.
The B4 Early Years Coalition is based on the ‘collective impact’ model (Kania and Kramer, 20 I I) where organisations and individuals from across diverse sectors work together to address social issues.
The B4 Early Years Coalition will bring together individuals, businesses, communities and government to think about what we want for our youngest community members and drive community action to achieve better outcomes for young children and their families.
● Who we are
Leaders
B4 Early Years Coalition
Influential individuals from diverse backgrounds who have been appointed by the Minister for Education and Training who represent and engage groups and individuals across identified sectors to improve outcomes for Tasmanian children and their families in the early years pregnancy to 4.
Members
B4 Early Years Coalition
Individuals or organisations located in Tasmania who take action against one or more of the B4 goals to improve outcomes for Tasmanian children and their families in the early years pregnancy to 4.
Supporters
B4 Early Years Coalition
Individuals or organisations located in or outside of Tasmania, who are committed to supporting B4, to improve outcomes for Tasmanian children and their families in the early years pregnancy to 4.
Friends
B4 Early Years Coalition
Leading individuals or organisations outside of Tasmania, invited by B4 to improve outcomes for Tasmanian children and their families in the early years pregnancy to 4.
● Our Team
B4 Co-Chairs
The B4 Early Years Coalition is Co-Chaired by the past Chair of the Tasmanian Early Years Foundation, Elizabeth Daly and David Clements Tasmania’s Interim Commissioner for Children and Young People. Elizabeth and David are both passionate supporters of Tasmania’s children and the importance of the early years in influencing the future life chances of our young people.
Elizabeth Daly
David Clements
B4 Support team
The Department of Education as the backbone organisation provides the B4 Support Team to undertake and drive project management and associated roles and functions to support the B4 Early Years Coalition Leaders, Members, Supporters and Friends to raise awareness of the importance of the early years and the need for a whole of community approach. The Support Team brings a variety of skills in the early years, education, and supporting families and communities
Suzanne Purdon
Principal Project Officer Early Years
Annette Fuller
Senior Project Officer B4 Early Years Coalition
Melanie Pennington
Administration Officer B4 Early Years Coalition