The Play Matters Collective
is an affiliation of organisations and individuals with a shared vision: to ensure children's right to play is supported across all levels of the WA community.
Our Values
Play is critical for our wellbeing and lays a strong foundation for healthy growth across all the development domains including physical, social, emotional, creative, language, cognitive and cultural. Opportunities for child-initiated, self-directed, play are important throughout childhood and adolescence. Play is a fundamental human right, enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and we owe it to all children and young people to make it a priority in every aspect of their lives.
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What we do
The Play Matters Collective will elevate the status of play and work towards the creation of a WA Play Strategy to ensure all children and young people have access to play opportunities that promote well being and healthy development.
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Create the WA Play Charter that establishes principles which can underpin a WA Play Strategy
Build a community of support for the WA Play Charter
Work with the WA Government to develop a WA Play Strategy (presently in progress)
Serve as a networking body and a reference group for the play sector
Play Matters Collective
The Play Matters Collective, comprised of passionate Western Australian citizens, drives our mission to elevate the status of play across the community, including in schools, and to champion the power of play across all geographical locations. Importantly, the PMC acts as a networking body and reference group for those interested in play matters in WA, bringing together academics, educators, practitioners, community groups, families, and other advocates so they can coordinate action and share knowledge on play promotion.
Guided by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), which recognises play as a fundamental right of every child (Article 31),the Play Matters Collective Steering Committee is committed to ensuring that every child and young person in Western Australia has equitable access to diverse and inclusive play experiences.
For further enquiries and information about our work please email :
Sandra Hesterman: s.hesterman@murdoch.edu.au or Marcelle Saratsis: marcp-s@bigpond.net.au
