Canterbury / West Coast

Term 1, 2010

Up to date OSCAR news, events and activities in the Canterbury and West Coast regions.

A Word From The Local OSCAR Advisors
Professional Development Opportunities
OSCAR Network in Christchurch

A Word From The Local OSCAR Advisors
Welcome to 2010
We hope you had a great holiday season and are beginning to kick into the summer holiday programmes. After the Christmas season of overindulgence, family, friends and a spot of camping, we are heading back to work well rested and relaxed. We have plenty of holiday programme visits planned these holidays with a trip over to the West Coast to visit some programmes.

Water Safety
As summer is the ideal time to enjoy the water it is also a good time to reflect on the safety required for around water. Always actively supervise your children around water, this means assign at least one staff member to watch the children in the water. They need to be looking on top of the water, underneath the water and around the water.

There are often lifeguards at many pools visited but do not rely on lifeguards as adults included in your ratios or so that staff do not need to keep an eye on the children in their care. Swimming pools, beaches and rivers are all places to be cautious but it is important to have fun in these places too, enjoy being around water and keep safe.

Venue Check Ups
If you haven’t already now is a great time to check up on your resources, notices and equipment making sure they are all in safe working order and the programme and staff have everything they need for the year ahead. Redo the RAMS forms for your venue and your safety checklist, check that you have your evacuation forms up near the door and your building warrant of fitness clearly displayed.

Preparing For An Emergency
Be prepared for any emergency procedure and refresh the programmes staff on their role in all emergencies. Most programmes have a plan in place for Fire and Earthquake but also think about other natural disasters such as tsunamis, floods, snow or as well as human based emergencies such as intruders or armed offenders, or a car accident. Think about what you’ll do before, during and after one of these if they occur and discuss it as a group this will help when faced with a try emergency.

Summer Activities
Here are some handy ideas for time fillers during the summer time.

• Treasure Islands
  Take an extra large sheet of newsprint paper and some crayons in groups of about five get the children to draw a deserted Island and tell them that they can only take one item each. Have judges go to each group once they have finished and get them to tell them about their island. Using survival techniques how well would they survive on the island do they have food water shelter and heat? The group that survives the best wins.
• Water Obstacle Course
  Set up an obstacle course and use things like buckets of water to step into instead of hoops carrying water bombs instead of balls and having other children with water guns or cups of water to through at the participant’s even finish off with a water slide to the finish line. Ice sculptures Fill up some ice cream containers with water and freeze overnight using butter knives spoons and even hairdryers get the children to design a beautiful work of art. If they are not quite finished, pop it in the freezer until next time.
• Huts
  Huts are great fun during the hot summer days. Get some bits of wood, tin, some nails, and what ever you can get your hands on, and build a programme hut or two. Rope with a sheet tied over it make a great roof and card board boxes or old fence palings make great walls.

What ever you choose to do this summer enjoy it have fun and keep safe.

Ariana and Amanda

Professional Development Opportunities
Networking Meetings & Workshops

West Coast Training
This training will cover creative strategies for challenging behavours and crafts of a shoestring budget.

OSCAR Network in Christchurch
The Christchurch area is also serviced by the OSCAR Network in Christchurch.They are dedicated to providing free information and services to OSCAR programmes who are members of the OSCAR Network. Their office is open from Monday to Friday from 9am - 12noon. Appointments can be made outside of these hours.

Contact Details
You can contact OSCAR Network by phone 03 379 3915, fax 03 379 3918 or email .

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