Bala Venu Beeram
As the National Party candidate at the Kelston electorate in the general election due to be held on Saturday, September 23, 2017, I am keen to identify their need and serve them. I am also keen to understand their challenges and problems and address them with the leader of my Party and with the concerned ministers, ministries and government agencies.
Increased Police presence
I am happy that I was able to work with the New Zealand Police and increase their presence at the Glen Eden Shopping Mall in deference to the wishes of businesses located within the Mall.
As well as working with the Indian community, I am engaged with the people of Samoan, Tongan origin and others to make our constituents feel and believe that they are safe.
I am grateful to my leaders and the New Zealand Police for taking positive action.
HIPPY Programme
As a responsible member of the community and as a parent, I would like to work with people to ensure that every child in every family attends School, since education is the most important factor in the all-round development of our children.
I am a teacher of the Home Interaction for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) Programme, and I am happy to interact with a cross-section of our people in Kelston.
HIPPY is a home-based programme that helps parents create experiences that lay the foundation for their children’s success in school and later life.
The Programme has been designed specifically for those parents who may not feel comfortable in their own abilities to support their children’s education.
Great Potentials Foundation introduced HIPPY to New Zealand in 1992.
Challenged parents
It works with parents of 3 ½ to six-year old children who live in low socio-economic areas with under-achievement in education. Some parents on the Programme have additional challenges for success, such as English as a second language, and many of the children not attending other Early Childhood Education at the time of their enrolment to HIPPY.
The 60-week Curriculum, worked over two years, comprises 60 weekly workbooks with activities that develop the cognitive and non-cognitive skills essential for children to become competent learners.
The activities are linked to Te Whaariki, the Early Childhood Curriculum Policy Statement, and the New Zealand Curriculum, enabling children to transit successfully into school.
HIPPY is based on the premise that parents are their children’s first and most important teachers. It is unique in that participating parents develop the skills and confidence to undertake this important role for everyone’s benefit.
This is truly a two-generational programme that opens doors for mothers into training, education and employment.
Australian engagement
I had the honour and privilege to be a guest at an event organised by the Australian Telangana State Association (ATSA) (formerly known as the Australian Telangana Forum) last fortnight in Sydney to celebrate the ‘Telangana State Formation Day.’
Among the dignitaries that I met at the event included Vinod Kumar Boianapalli, an elected Member of Lok Sabha, India’s Lower House of Parliament representing the Karimnagar Constituency in Telangana State, Julie Owens, an elected Member of the Australian House of Representatives representing the Division of Parramatta, New South Wales and Jaypal Kadire, President of ATSA.
Editor’s Note: The Telangana Association of New Zealand hosted a similar event at Mt Eden War Memorial Hall in Auckland on Sunday, June 11, 2017, a report on which appears under Communitylink in this issue.
*
Photo Caption:
Bala Venu Beeram speaking at the ‘Telangana Formation Day’ celebrations hosted by Australian Telangana State Association in Sydney on June 3. He is seen here with (from left) Jaypal Kadire, Vinod Kumar Boianapalli and Julie Owens.
