​Finding ways to entertain four young children and make friends is always challenging, but lucky for Bankstown’s Nina El-Masri, there is Canterbury-Bankstown Council’s Outreach to Engage and Educate programs.

The year-round service, which runs in Villawood, Bankstown, Chester Hill and Greenacre aims to connect families with children from birth to 12 years old to local services and programs.

“I might have been living in Bass Hill for a long time, but I was completely lost in my own community,” Mrs El-Masri said.

“I love that this program exists. It was such a blessing for me because it helped me find my feet in the local area, even if it was just pointing out where the local library or playgroup was.”

Mrs El-Masri and three of her children joined the Chester Hill Public School Hub Bus Tour, which saw them engage with staff at Karitane, have morning tea at Bankstown Library and Knowledge Centre, learn about how to access speech pathology services, and attend drawing and hula hoop classes at Bankstown Arts Centre.

Administrator, Richard Colley, said the free bus and walking tours helped link and familiarise families to the local area.

“It’s great that Council can deliver this free service to our residents so they feel comfortable and connected to a variety of services across our community,” Mr Colley said.

“It’s an added bonus that these programs can be tailored to suit individual families, and that we can also provide child-minding services on the day if the family needs.”

Places to visit on the tour include: The Bankstown Children and Families Hub, Council’s library facilities, playgroup and child minding services, Legal Aid NSW, Bankstown Women’s Health Centre and other health services, as well as Council’s Customer Service Centres.

For tour dates, times and pick-up locations, call Council’s Outreach Engage and Educate Officer on 9707 9651.

Bankstown Communities for Children Facilitating Partner is funded by the Australian Government and facilitated by The Smith Family. The Outreach to Engage and Educate project is delivered through Bankstown Communities for Children funding.