Upcoming events in Australia

I am thrilled to share the news that I am heading to Australia in mid-October for two weeks of talks and workshops across the country.

The events start in Perth on 17^th Oct, and take me to Melbourne, Adelaide, and Sydney before finishing in Brisbane at the end of that month. See the end of this post for a listing.

Central to my message is the need to restore children’s freedoms: the freedom to play, to have everyday adventures, and to get around their neighbourhoods.

My starting point is that – like many other countries, rich and poor – Australia is demonstrably failing to create places that support children’s healthy growth and development.

Aussie children are amongst the most overweight and obese in the world. They are not active enough, and have low levels of independent mobility. In simple terms, too many kids are driven almost everywhere.

All this comes at a high environmental cost: on average, Australians create some of the highest levels of carbon emissions of any nation. Not surprisingly, Aussie children are anxious about what the future holds, and angry about what their governments are (not) doing. What is more, inequality and child poverty levels are worse than many high income countries.

Gloomy though this picture is, I want to map out a brighter future. As I argue in Urban Playground, a ‘children’s lens’ in planning and design can be a powerful catalyst for positive change at all levels, from a single street or playground to an entire city.

Seeing places through the eyes of children can also help build a lasting consensus on what ‘better’ looks like. Something that is sorely needed in these rancorous, turbulent times.

My talks and workshops will bring together big-picture analysis, policy insights, and practical ideas for action. Many will feature leading Aussie experts to add their perspectives and enrich the discussion.

One key development is a new global industry standard on risk management in sport, recreation and play. While this sounds technical, it could be a game changer for anyone wanting to see a more balanced, thoughtful approach to this most knotty of topics.

If you want to hear more, do come along. It is my first visit down under for over seven years. I am excited to be back, exploring how Australian towns and cities can be more playful, sustainable, equitable places. The kind of places where children grow up to be happier, healthier, more engaged, and more resilient people.

Schedule

17 October (morning) Perth
Talk on play space design and risk at event organised by Parks & Leisure Australia and the Planning Institute of Australia, with support from South Perth. *Sold Out*

17 October (afternoon) Perth
Talk on child-friendly urban planning at event organised by Parks & Leisure Australia and the Planning Institute of Australia, with support from South Perth.

19 & 20 October Melbourne
Talks on child-friendly planning and risk at two events organised by Sports & Recreation Victoria and Outdoors Victoria.

21 October Melbourne
Talk on children, cities, nature and the planet at seminar organised by Kids in Nature Network, Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Network and Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria.

23 October Adelaide
Talk on risk and outdoor play and learning at conference organised by Nature Play SA.

26 October Sydney
Two events – a talk on restoring children’s freedoms (morning) followed by a masterclass on child-friendly planning and design (afternoon). Both events organised by Play Australia.

28 October Brisbane
Talk at Planning for Play conference organised by The Outsiders Play Advocates.

30 October Brisbane
Talk at invitation event on children’s play and legacy planning for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. Contact Tim for details.

Thanks to all the national, regional and local partner agencies who made these events happen.