In 2023-24, $6 million in grant funding was awarded to 25 community organisations and local councils to establish new Multicultural Storytimes across the state. This investment is part of the broader $86 million More support for mums, dads and babies initiative, announced in the 2023-24 State Budget.
The 25 organisations have been funded for four years (2023-24 to 2026-27) to deliver face-to-face and online storytime sessions.
Storytime sessions will be held in family-friendly locations such as libraries, community centres and gathering places.
Research shows reading regularly with children from a young age stimulates brain development and strengthens parent-child relationships while also building language, literacy and social-emotional skills.
Multicultural Storytime will build these skills while strengthening the connection Victorian children from multicultural communities have with their families, their language, their identity and their culture.
In addition, the program will provide families with culturally appropriate and evidence-based health information, including information on health services relevant to their local area.
Multicultural Storytime Program recipients
| Organisation | Language(s) | Local Government Area(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Acacia Indochinese Community Support Association | Vietnamese | Brimbank |
| Australian Burundian Community in Victoria | Kirundi Swahili Karen | Geelong |
| Australian Greek Welfare Society (Pronia) | Greek | Darebin Monash |
| Australian Multicultural Community Centre | Arabic Spanish Turkish | Hume Maribyrnong |
| Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council | Hindi Nuer Mandarin | Ballarat |
| Boorndawan Willam Aboriginal Healing Service | Wurrundjeri Woi Wurrong | Yarra Ranges |
| Brimbank City Council | Auslan Pasifika | Brimbank |
| Bubup Wilam Aboriginal Child and Family Centre | Woiwurrung | Whittlesea |
| Centre for Muslim Wellbeing | Arabic | Moreland |
| City of Port Phillip | Arabic Amharic Mandarin | Port Phillip |
| Expression Australia | Auslan | Bendigo, Geelong, Yarra and Whitehorse |
| Greater Shepparton City Council | Arabic Dari Punjabi Mandarin | Shepparton |
| Himilo | Somali | Banyule |
| Hindmarsh Shire Council | Karen | Hindmarsh Horsham |
| Loddon Campaspe Multicultural Services | Dari Karen | Bendigo |
| Manningham City Council | Arabic Italian | Manningham |
| Maribyrnong City Council | Auslan Tibetan | Maribyrnong |
| Merri-bek Council | Nepali | Merri-bek |
| Mzuri Dance ArtisTree | Dinka Lingala Somali Tigrinya | Wyndham Yarra |
| Sunraysia Mallee Ethnic Communities Council | Dari/Hazaragi Malay Thai | Mildura |
| The Gathering Place | Gunaikurnai | La Trobe City Council |
| VICSEG New Futures | Arabic Assyrian/Chaldean Chin Burmese Farsi/Dari Filipino (Tagalog) Hazaragi/Afghan Hindi Karenni/Karen Korean Punjabi South Sudanese (Dinka) Tigrinya/Oromo Urdu | Brimbank Casey Hume Melton Melton Port Phillip Whittlesea Wyndham |
| Wodonga Council | Vietnamese | Wodonga |
| Wurundjeri Woi-wurung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation | Woi-wurrung | Merri-bek |
Updated