Welcome to Bilingual Families Perth

Bilingual Families Perth is a not for profit network of linguistically diverse people in Western Australia.

Our network connects around 450 families and individuals from more than 40 language backgrounds. In the past 10 years we have provided support for families who speak Afrikaans, Bengali, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Cantonese, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Farsi, Finnish, French, German, Gujarati, Greek, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Macedonian, Malay, Malayalam, Mandarin, Mongolian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Samoan, Serbian, Spanish, Swahili, Swiss-German, Swedish, Tagalog, Tamil, Turkish, Vietnamese besides various dialects of the relevant languages.

Most families have school aged children and we are experiencing similar issues while raising our children. We also work together with professionals who share information on bilingualism. We can probably put you in touch with people who speak your language.

Current activities:

Bilingual Childcare. The Mulberry Tree Childcare Centre in Mount Hawthorn offers Spanish childcare support. The Italo Australian Childminding Centre in North Perth offers childcare in Italian.

Our next social event is the German and Multicultural Lantern Walk on Saturday 14 July 2012. Join us from 5pm for a picnic in Kings Park outside the Ivy Watson Playground. The walk starts at 6pm. If it rains we hold the lantern walk a week later on 21 July 2012. If you need a lantern check out this video in German that shows you how to make a gerat lantern: http://www.gutefrage.net/frage/wie-bastelt-man-schnell-und-einfach-eine-laterne.

Our next workshop "Raising Children in more than one language" will be held on Saturday 28 July 2012. Speaker: Irma Lachmund, Bilingual Families Perth. This parent workshop gives an introduction into bilingualism and includes strategies, tips and tricks for bilingual families. Location: Leederville. Cost: $25 per person, $20 for members. Free for concession card holders. Fee includes hand-out. Limit: 12 participants, babies welcome. Download the registration form here: http://www.bilingualfamilies.net/pages/en/downloads.php.

Workshop in Bunbury? We are also looking into holding a workshop in Bunbury in July. If you would be interested, please send an e-mail to bilingualfamilies@yahoo.com.au.

Raquel is involved in bringing Spanish speakers together in Perth. The Spanish playgroup meets on Monday afternoons in Cottesloe, 80 Railway Street  3:30-5pm. She also advises that there are free Spanish lessons to Spanish children 7-17 (or descendants) through the Spanish consulate in Perth. For more info to call her on 0431 671 011 or send her an e-mail to raquel.medrano@optusnet.com.au.

Stefan is interested in starting a language club for children who already speak Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian, with a focus on children between 4 and 8 years. Please contact him on Stefan.Mocevic@se1.bp.com.

A German Playgroup for parents with children from 0-5 years meets in the eastern suburbs on Thursdays 3:30-5:30pm at the Bayswater Family Centre, 53 Murray Street, Bayswater, WA 6053, Activity Room 2. Contact: bayswaterplaygroup@gmail.com.

Learn French through fun & play during the school holidays at the Bonjour Kids Recreational Centre. Enrolments open 1st March 2012. For 5 - 10 year old children with or without prior knowledge of the French language. Venue: Meerilinga Children & Family Centre, 30 Chichester Drive, Woodvale. Email: bonjourkids@bigpond.com or phone 0432 297 410. Website: www.bonjourkids.com.au.

In 2012 the Czech Kids Language Club will be meeting at Woodlands Primary School on Saturday mornings 9:45-11:45. Ring Tereza to find out more on 0428 501 010.

Do you speak Hakka and have a baby? Are you interested in getting together with a few other mums who speak Hakka or Mandarin south of the river? Amy from East Victoria Park is looking  for new friends. Ring Amy on 0412 111 434 or e-mail gilesandkok@iinet.net.au.

The Dutch Playgroup is looking for more children between 0 and 6 years of age and their parents or grandparents who speak Dutch. The playgroup is an opportunity to bring young children in contact with similar aged children with a Dutch background. The playgroup meets every second Saturday morning 10am-12pm @ Cottesloe Playgroup, 80 Railway Street in Cottesloe. Please send an e-mail for next playgroup dates to dutchplaygroupperth@hotmail.com or phone Diana on 0488 164 058.

A Finnish playgroup meets every Wednesday 9:30-11:30am in the northern suburbs. For more information, please email whitewave@iinet.net.au or call Jenni on 0407 610 669. The group also has a Facebook page called "Finnish Playgroup (Perth)".

Playgroups in Kingsley at The Homestead, 48 Peregrine Drive, Kingsley, WA 6026 - German & Italian Playgroups. Kingsley Playgroup have three German-speaking groups (Monday 9:15am, Friday 9:15am and 11:30am) and one Italian-speaking group on Thursdays 11:30am for parents with children from 0-5 years. For more information and to find out about possible vacancies please e-mail Kingsley.Playgroup@gmail.com.

Mothersong, the Loftus Centre Community Choir, is looking for new female singers. The choir sing in over 10 community languages. It meets in Leederville on Fridays from 4:10pm.  Mothers can bring their children, they are welcome to play while the choir sings. Some child minding is provided by high school students. More about the choir here: http://www.voicemoves.com.au/2011/10/04/mothersong/ 

Our workshop "School Readiness 101" is planned for 3 August 2012. Speaker: Lety Ognenis, early childhood teacher with more than 20 years experience. This workshop provides information around school readiness for children and the parent’s role in getting children ready for school. Cost: $25 pp, $20 members, free for pension card holders. Location (NOR) to be advised. Please express your interest for this workshop by e-mail.

Follow Bilingual Families Perth on facebook. If you are on facebook, please 'like' us and you will be notified of interesting posts for bilingual people. https://www.facebook.com/#!/BilingualFamiliesPerth

The Bilingual Families Perth Newsletter May 2012 will be available for download shortly here: http://www.bilingualfamilies.net/pages/en/downloads.php. You can also access past newsletters through this link.

Important dates for 2012, our 10th anniversary year!

• Saturday 14 July - German & Multicultural Lantern Walk
• Saturday 28 July - Workshop 'Raising children in more than one language
• Friday 3 August -  Workshop School Readiness
• Wednesday 24 October - Multilingual Story Time Session for United Nations Day
• October 2012 during school holidays - 10 year anniversary BFP

Please download a flyer with our latest activities for your fridge or your noticeboard here: http://www.bilingualfamilies.net/modules/download_gallery/dlc.php?file=3 .

This page was last updated on 1 May 2012.