They say time flies when you are having fun – and for the team behind AnglicareSA’s Communities for Children Onkaparinga program, the last 20 years have certainly flown by.

What began in 2005 with a three-person team has grown into one of AnglicareSA’s longest-running programs, supporting thousands of families in the Onkaparinga area region of southern Adelaide to stay connected in their local community.

AnglicareSA Head of Social and Economic Wellbeing, Sue Christophers, was one of the original team members involved in setting up the program in 2005, and worked in the program for close to a decade before progressing into senior management roles.

She said she was proud that the program was still going strong and supporting the community.

“At the time, it was quite a unique and relational program,” Sue said.

“It is based around the foundations of a place-based initiative and builds on relationships in the community. Being able to provide free activities that engage people in their local community and environment is amazing.”

Sue said that over the past 20 years, she had seen the program change and evolve with the community’s needs.

“There are different issues now that are affecting our community – we are dealing with the cost of living and the lingering impact of Covid that affected places in the community that were key to somebody’s world and neighbourhood,” she said.

“In saying that, Communities for Children’s foundations are in community development and that has not changed. It is still very flexible and focused on building communities.”

Sue said she hoped people remembered Communities for Children’s legacy as a program designed by the community that puts children and their voices first.

“I would hope that people remember the connection and environment that was created to bring people together, the message about the importance of children – children being visible, having a voice, and being about to make decisions about what they want to see in their community – and looking at child-safe and child-friendly spaces in the area.”