When we play together–Building community through the power of play

Abstract

Join Robyn on a playful exploration of how play creates environments for children and neighbourhoods to thrive. Learn how we can become powerful advocates for creating stronger and more cohesive communities through the power of play.

Protfolio 

As a beneficiary of a happy, healthy childhood, Robyn has made her life’s work advocating the same for all children.  Her career has spanned 35 years, encompassing senior leadership roles in education, local government, children’s services, and the not-for-profit sector. Her advocacy and leadership have been recognized with a number of awards, including the Australian Commonwealth Centenary medal and an AM in the Australian Honours List.

Robyn is passionate about achieving reform that enhances policy and planning for Australia’s children. Robyn served on successive Ministerial Advisory Councils and played a significant role in the reform of the school age care sector in Australia between 1996 and 2018. Her advocacy work, undertaken with the National peak body, included securing the first Quality Assurance system and qualifications for the sector, followed by the development of the first Australian school age care framework “My Time, Our Place.” She is currently CEO of Play Australia, the national advocacy organization for play and since 2017, President of the International Play Association (IPA World). Robyn has represented IPA World on the UN working group for the development of the General Comment on Article 31, and the global working group for the International Day of Play campaign. Active in the media, she  speaks regularly at international and national events on the importance of play as a biological imperative, critical for healthy development and essential to build social cohesion, and is undertaking a Churchill Fellowship to examine Governments with recognised play initiatives,  to support children’s  health and wellbeing that she hopes will shape a national agenda for play in Australia.