The ABCDs of multi-cultural parenting

CULTURALLY diverse parents are invited to come together for a free workshop taking place on 19 February at St Patrick’s Church Hall.

Titled Project ABCD, the event is being organised in conjunction with the Ballarat Malayalee Association, the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council, and the City of Ballarat.

It will comprise of a panel of experts and a screening of the short film The Boy Who Loved Shadows.

Co-organiser Deepa Kuriachan said the workshop provides an outlet for parents to discuss the “hybrid cultures” inherent in raising children of multicultural backgrounds in regional Australia.

“For us it is about being really curious about what that means for us as parents and also for them as children and what does that mean for their sense of identity,” she said.

A member of Ballarat’s Malayalee community and a mother of two, Ms Kuriachan said the idea for the workshop stemmed from a number of “informal conversations.”

The chats occurred between parents in the community with the aim of furthering their understanding of raising children in a predominantly different culture.

“I think the broader concept was around how do we, as parents, do the best we can to first provide them with a really happy holistic childhood,” Ms Kuriachan said.

With the workshop an “evolving concept”, Ms Kuriachan said they would be adapted based around the feedback of participants.

It is hoped Project ABCD will continue to help strengthen community connections and support and allow parents to network with each other to bridge the gap between different parenting approaches.

Visit bmaballarat.com.au/events to register for a ticket.