How can you help?
12 Buckets
12 Buckets helps local children to flourish regardless of background or circumstance. It has been identified that some primary school students in educationally disadvantaged areas show less resilience at school due to adverse childhood experiences or trauma. Through our one to one mentoring program, our volunteer mentors, help identify a child’s spark, and then, seek to strengthen and grow that spark to help foster resilience and confidence. 12 Buckets is a place for connection and a place to be challenged to grow. It is a space for kids to have a break from their reality, dream big and know anything is possible! We believe fullness in life comes when you pour yourself out for others.
Ability Centre
Telethon and Ability Centre are partnering again in 2021 to deliver the In-home Baby Intervention Service (IBIS) for babies and toddlers who are at risk of developmental delay or disability. Experienced IBIS therapists empower families in the crucial early years of a child’s life to positively support their development.
Ability Solutions
The All Abilities Art project aims to use innovative modified and adaptive equipment to enable fun, engaging artistic expression for those children whom otherwise have limited opportunities to participate in these sessions at their own discretion.
The High Care Kids project is focused on children under the age of 18 living with severe and complex disabilities. These children require assistance with physical support and personal care on a daily basis. The High Care Kids project aims to brighten up these lives through social and physical interactions.
All Stars for Autism Incorporated
The All Stars Telethon Teen Mentoring Program provides an exciting opportunity for autistic high school students to mentor autistic primary school students. This ground-breaking initiative enables autistic children to connect, collaborate and inspire each other as they work together on creative and meaningful community-driven projects.
Amanda Young Foundation
AYF is excited to release a new primary school health program called Detect & Protect in 2021. Buddy, our new German Shepherd mascot, will guide students, teachers and parents through detecting potential meningococcal disease threats and finding ways to protect against the disease. This fun and interactive program will be available online and as an incursion.
Anglicare WA
At Anglicare WA, we believe everyone deserves to belong, have a hopeful future and the support they need to flourish. Telethon will support Young Hearts – a free counselling service that empowers young children to overcome physical, psychological and emotional trauma and abuse caused by family and domestic violence.
Asthma WA
The Asthma WA Paediatric Respiratory Hub provides children and their families with a ‘one-stop-shop’ for asthma diagnosis, treatment and support. It combines paediatric respiratory testing, comprehensive individualised education with device technique training and an appointment with a paediatric respiratory specialist if required – all the one location and during the same appointment.
Australian Children’s Music Foundation
“Music takes me out of the place I don’t want to be and puts me in the place I like.” Thanks to a Telethon, ACMF will deliver weekly music tuition sessions to disadvantaged children and at-risk youth in Perth and the Kimberley – providing a creative and imaginative outlet whilst achieving positive educations and behavioural outcomes.
Autism Association of WA
Autism Connect aims to minimise the trajectory of a child’s disability through a program that creates specialist support for families in vulnerable communities of Western Australia. Autism Connect includes: Specialist playgroups for young vulnerable families who suspect their child has Autism; Specialist training for community organisations to better identify early signs of utism and to provide enhanced support; Specialist dads program to create stronger & more connected families.
Bio Rehab for Kids Inc
Providing Advanced Biomechanical Rehabilitation (ABR) therapy to children with cerebral palsy or similar disabilities which develops and restores the myofascia in the body improving children’s range, mobility and strength. Family support is also provided for those in need that are partaking in the ABR treatment.
Cahoots
Together, Cahoots and Telethon continue to change the lives of Western Australians who face exceptional challenges. Cahoots Cultural Camps have grown rapidly in response to community need, especially during COVID19. Cahoots focus on connection with culture and community, through online blended learning, for young First Nation’s people, and their families – building capacity of WA’s next generation.
Camp Quality
The enormity of a parents (carer) cancer diagnosis can have a profound impact on a child’s emotional and physical well-being. Research shows that providing children assistance in developing their resilience in a fun, safe, ‘normalising’ experience is needed. In partnership with Telethon, Camp Quality will develop a program supporting kids impacted by
carers cancer.
Child and Adolescent Health Service
The Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS) treats children from around Western Australia and is committed to programs that promote lifelong health in children and adolescents. CAHS is made up of Neonatology, Community Health, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and Perth Children’s Hospital. Discovering new ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating childhood diseases and conditions to improve the health and wellbeing of children, thanks to the generous support of donors like Telethon, is one of the ways we aim to give children and young people the best start in life and achieve our vision of ‘healthy kids, healthy communities’.
Conductive Education
Conductive Education thanks Telethon and the Western Australian community for supporting WA’s first and only Conductive Education High School program at Castlereagh School. Your support enables children and young people with complex physical needs access to a life changing program in a High School setting that maximises their potential.
Constable Care
Constable Care Foundation is undertaking a pilot program in primary schools designed to assist children to develop critical thinking, empathy and ethical reasoning skills that research indicates will help them make better life decisions. This study will explore the benefits of weekly volunteer-led discussion groups for students and school communities.
Curtin University
Professor Pete Gething is a global expert in geospatial modelling and epidemiology. He uses cutting edge technologies to understand how health and wellbeing of children varies geographically, pinpointing hotspots of risk and underlying drivers. Pete leads an international collaboration called the Malaria Atlas Project and has been applying geospatial methods to issues like COVID-19 and schools and the rising rates of obesity in Western Australia.
Cystic Fibrosis WA
The Regional Support and Vulnerable Families Programs provide school, community and hospital-based education, financial support, counselling, occupational therapy, advocacy, and a means to connect parents and carers including siblings and offspring. These early intervention and prevention strategies improve equity of access to essential support services and improve health outcomes.
Down Syndrome WA
The Down Syndrome Western Australia Peer support program is the first point of contact for parents of a newly diagnosed child with Down syndrome. DSWA support families with both a prenatal and postnatal diagnosis. The Playgroups are open to families of 0-5year old’s and are valuable in the early years of the child’s life.
Edith Cowan University
The ECU Pregnancy to Parenthood (P2P) Clinic supports early relational health between parents and their babies. A Family Engagement and Support Coordinator enables P2P to connect with families in need of mental health support earlier and prevent more serious long term mental health problems developing in very young children and their families.
Dyslexia SPELD Foundation of WA
Vitally important foundation skills in language and early literacy are first developed in the home. The Dyslexia-SPELD Foundation’s Literacy Booster Pack project will provide families throughout WA with access to a collection of engaging and easy-to-use home activities aimed at boosting these skills through downloadable materials and informative videos.
Edmund Rice Camps
Edmund Rice Camps for Kids serve the needs of kids aged 7–16 and their families. We provide camps and other recreational and developmental activities for children who would not otherwise have such opportunities, supporting kids who are ‘at risk’ or experiencing some form of disadvantage.
Fair Game
Fair Game – Ensuring equitable access to healthy lifestyle choices through recycled sports equipment, fitness and health education. Our Recycle & Donate program makes the significant mental, physical and social benefits of community sport more accessible for children in Western Australia.
Foodbank WA
Foodbank WA’s School Breakfast Program (SBP) ensures WA school children have equitable access to a healthy breakfast, fuelling young minds and bodies to learn and play. Program benefits extend beyond food provision to positively impact school attendance, education, health and social outcomes with flow-on effects to the wider school community.
Hannah's House
Hannah’s House provides health and support services to children with life-limiting and complex conditions and their families. Life-limiting conditions are those for which there is no reasonable hope of cure.
The challenges of providing ongoing care for a child with complex care needs places families under great strain. Hannah’s House focus on quality of life through clinical and social support from diagnosis through to recovery or bereavement and beyond. Their vision is to provide care, comfort and joy to every child with a life-limiting or complex condiion, enabling them to participate fully in home and community life.
Healthy Strides Foundation
Non-ambulant children with cerebral palsy (CP) experience more sedentary behaviour, spending up to 96% of their waking day sitting. With no evidence-based interventions available, this can have a devastating impact on health and well-being. CP-Movetime aims to develop new interventions that reduce sedentary behaviour for better health outcomes.
HeartKids
Telethon generously fund the HeartKids Family Support Program which provides support to parents of children with congenital/acquired heart disease. Through vital in-hospital and state-wide community services to thousands of families in consultation with health care professionals, parents of heart kids are supported, informed and educated throughout their child’s health journey lessening the burden of care.
Horse Power
Horse Power provides healing through horses by offering therapeutic and recreational equestrian activities for children with disabilities and special needs.
Inclusion Solutions
The United Reds is an entry-level league for children aged 8 – 12. Teams are made up of children with and without a disabilities who want to experience a fun and friendly competition. 8 clubs are participating in the 2021 season. Supported by Inclusion Solutions, Telethon, Football West and Manchester United Foundation. Clubs are now recruiting!
Indigo
Country Kids Communicate seeks to support children and young people with a disability and complex communication needs in regional WA to use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Following successful projects in metropolitan schools this project aims to broaden the reach to develop a model of school-based AAC services within regional areas.
JDRF
The JDRF Global Centre of Excellence in Diabetes Research aims to improve health outcomes for people living with T1D and their families, now and into the future. The Centre will accelerate new therapies and evidence-based research to improve practice and policy that will deliver better outcomes for all living with T1D.
Joondalup Health Campus & Telethon Kids Institute
The ORIGINS project is a ten year research study of pregnant women, babies and their partners aimed at improving the health of future generations. This study is investigating how early environment and lifestyle influences affect child development, with the hope of preventing diseases.
Kalrarrin
The Kalparrin Hospital Support Program provides practical and emotional support to parents of children with disability or health conditions at Perth Children’s Hospital. The program helps parents, often at the point of diagnosis, to understand their child’s diagnosis, get supports and services in place quickly and connect to other families.
Life Education
“Rocks” Resilience of Country Kids, is Life Education WA’s program that will through partnering with Primary Schools in the Goldfields Region give young students’ access to vital Preventive Health and Safety education around Mental Health, cybersafety and the issues they will face with drugs and alcohol in the future.
Lions Eye Institute
Usher syndrome is a rare genetic disorder affecting young children that results in a combination of deafness and blindness. This project will be the first to test a unique gene therapy approach to treat the vision loss symptoms directly in a patient-derived stem cell organoid model of Usher type 1.
Legacy Club of WA
Upgrading camp facilities and accommodation for children who have lost a parent in Australian armed services. These camps develop skills, build friendships and develop bonds with others grieving the loss of a parent or spouse.
Make a Wish Foundation
Unique. Inspiring. Extraordinary. Each and every day, Make-A-Wish® Australia brings amazing people together to grant life-changing wishes for children with a critical illness. Wishes are designed to complement medical treatment, supporting families and empowering sick children with hope and joy when they need it most. Telethon’s grant will go towards helping us make 26 wishes come true to critically ill children in Western Australia.
Murdoch University
Researchers at the Australian National Phenome Centre at Murdoch University are mapping the metabolic development of infants and children to understand the impact of maternal and early life environment on their health. The research, led by Professor Jeremy Nicholson, will improve knowledge of the origins of major diseases including diabetes and cancers, as the roots of these disorders are often set early in childhood.
Muscular Dystrophy WA
When people with disability are socially isolated they experience worsening physical and mental health. Our Adolescent Resilience and Capacity Building (ARC) Project aims to reduce isolation in those living with neuromuscular conditions by providing opportunities for social and community engagement that build resilience, confidence and develops leadership skills.
NICU Helping Little Hands
Thanks to Telethon, Helping Little Hands continues its vital work in supporting Aboriginal families impacted by the birth of a premature baby. By overcoming practical obstacles, including transport and food costs associated with travel, families are empowered and enable to spend precious time with their premature baby.
OzHarvest
OzHarvest’s Nourishing Our Schools program innovatively tackles children’s food insecurity both in schools and at home. The program will provide disadvantaged school communities across Perth with Community Essentials Boxes which they can distribute to vulnerable families, and School Essentials Boxes for youth outreaches; breakfast and lunch programs; and sports programs.
Parkerville Children and Youth Care
Child and Family Advocacy and Therapeutic Services are a key component of the operation of the Multiagency Investigation and Support Teams (MIST). The Advocate role supports children, young people and their families following disclosures of child sexual abuse in such a way that some of the harmful impacts of disclosing child sexual abuse can be ameliorated whilst complementing the investigative, child protection and justice processes that ensue.
Perron Institute
Western Australia’s Perron Institute is researching a promising intervention for a form of infant stroke responsible for 23% of neonatal deaths worldwide. Telethon funding will contribute to this research, adapting a peptide for adult stroke sufferers that has shown promising results in preclinical paediatric applications of brain injury.
Perth Children's Hospital Foundation
The Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation is the official and largest funder of the Perth Children’s Hospital and the wider Child and Adolescent Health Service after government. By working closely with those on the frontline, the Foundation has an in-depth understanding of what clinicians and researchers need in order to have a tangible impact where it counts most.
Rebound WA
Opportunities for Children with a physical disability are severely limited, especially now with the socially isolating Covid19 pandemic. This year it is even more essential to reconnect our community back together. Our successful Giving Kids A Go program offers a unique opportunity for children and their families to reconnect and become involved in a wide range of fun sporting, recreational and social activities tailored towards their abilities.
Redkite
Children with cancer, and their families, who live in regional/remote WA experience significant challenges as they need to travel or relocate to Perth for treatment. Redkite provides vital emotional, financial and educational support so they can have the best possible wellbeing and quality of life, during treatment and beyond
Rocky Bay
Rocky Bay’s Early Start Intervention Program will provide children displaying signs, symptoms or risk factors for rare disease with intensive therapy during the critical early-years of development. With access to both land and aquatic based therapy, the program will help children and families to achieve their individualised goals leading to positive developmental outcomes.
Saba Rose Button Foundation
The Saba Rose Button Foundation is a not for profit charity focussed on raising funds to help children who have special needs and their families. Our rehabME INTENSIVE COLLECTIVE program is an ‘intensive’ rehabilitation program for children to set and achieve specific developmental goals. Thanks for your support Telethon!
Sony Foundation Australia
The Broome Camps Program is a pilot regional model of Sony Foundation’s Children’s Holiday Camp program providing free respite care for children with disabilities, physical and mental health needs, and their families and carers; a lifeline for vulnerable children in the Kimberly Region who face challenges associated with social isolation.
Sports Challenge Australia
Sports Challenge Australia (SCA) in partnership with local IT Company JH Computer Services will build, roll out and evaluate a (24x7) ‘E-PALS’ platform for mobile devices to assist in building improved physical and mental health in ‘at risk’ children. The ‘E-PALS’ platform will be combined with a SCA experiential mentoring program running parallel in school time. The project will run in one low SES community in NE Metro Perth to build back connectedness heavily affected by COVID-19.
Starlight Children’s Foundation
Starlight’s Livewire Program at Perth Children’s Hospital supports the wellbeing of adolescents living with chronic illness, mental health conditions or disability. Livewire provides engaging workshops for hospitalised young people, giving them a creative outlet, a sense of choice and autonomy and fostering social connections- helping them to thrive during hospitalisation.
Superfins WA
Superfins WA provides swimming lessons for children with disabilities to improve health and fitness, to create a lifelong pathway in the sport of swimming, to reduce the incidence of drowning by promoting safety in and around water and to encourage social interactions in a safe environment.
Telethon Kids Institute
At Telethon Kids Institute, our vision is simple – happy healthy kids. With top scientific minds and world-class facilities, our team is committed to research that improves the lives of kids, young people, families, and communities. We bring together researchers, community, practitioners, policy makers and funders who share our vision of making a real difference to benefit children and families everywhere. Our researchers are searching for answers to some of the big questions in child health – cancer, mental health, diabetes, autism, respiratory health, Aboriginal health, infectious diseases, early life – so all kids can have a happy healthy childhood.
Telethon Speech and Hearing
Telethon Speech & Hearing provides children aged 0-8 and their families affected by hearing, speech and/or language difficulties access to a suite of educational-based, health and therapeutic services and programs. Children are supported through individual and group-based therapy while caregivers are provided with the necessary skills to support their children at home.
The Fathering Project
The Fathering Project is the most powerful force in Australia to change the future of our kids. Research shows the profound impact of an effective father on kids’ outcomes. The Fathering Project’s Dads Group schools program inspires and equips fathers and father figures to be the best they can be.
Therapy Focus
Providing access to specialised assistive technology through a transitional rehabilitation program and therapeutic interventions that support community inclusion and participation of children with disability, helping them realise their potential and achieve their goals.
Thriving
Thriving Exercise Rehabilitation Inc. uses exercise expertise to improve the health outcomes of children and young people. Thriving AfterSchool, is a unique exercise service targeting children and young people whose ability to participate in community or school-based physical activity is impacted by physical, mental or behavioural conditions.
Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre
The Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre is the go-to organisation for families impacted by type 1 diabetes in WA. Telethon funding supports the Family Centre’s Type 1 Connect service, providing vital information, advocacy and peer support to parents of kids with type 1 online, via telephone, and face-to-face.
University of Western Australia
In partnership with Telethon, The University of Western Australia will make a difference to child health through world leading research in partnership with patients, families, health professionals, non-profit organisations, government and the wider WA community. UWA researchers will work to detect residual leukaemia to improve treatment for teenagers; use exercise expertise to improve health outcomes for those affected by illness; understand milk production difficulties for breastfeeding mothers to improve support; provide paediatric eye health services in the North West; develop new treatments for eye disease (Usher syndrome) and help schools to provide trauma informed programs for vulnerable students.
VisAbility
Telethon’s Kites Sensory Zones, an initiative of VisAbility, enables families of children with sensory challenges to improve their experience and engagement at local community events.
Kites achieves this by creating sensory spaces that meet the preferences of children with a range of sensory needs, allowing them to chill or let off steam.
WA Child Research Fund
The WA Child Research Fund was established in 2012 and is co-funded by the WA State Government and the Channel 7 Telethon Trust. It was established to fund research of direct significance to the health of children and adolescents, enhance the translation of research findings into evidence-based health policy and practice and contribute to integrating research capability across universities, research institutes and health services by encouraging the development of research-policy-practice clusters.
WA Disabled Sports Association
WADSA enhances the lives of people with a disability in WA through meaningful participation in sport and recreation. This extends to families, volunteers, support workers, staff and the wider community.
Wheels for Hope
Since its inception, the Western Australian Motor Industry Foundation Inc. has grown its fleet of Wheels for Hope vehicles to 46, changing the lives of Western Australian families through the gift of mobility. Wheels for Hope’s fleet of vehicles are loaned to eligible families, during which time Wheels for Hope insure, license, service and maintain the fleet through the assistance of our industry partners to make a difference to the lives of families of people with a disability in need of assistance with transport.
Women & Infants Research Foundation
Grants awarded by Telethon in 2021 will accelerate the Women and Infants Research Foundation’s work to improve the health of WA mothers and babies. Projects focussed on delivering greater community access to obstetric care, an enhanced role of family in neonatal intensive care, and much-needed new treatments for mothers at risk of preterm delivery will all benefit from this generous funding. With Telethon support, these projects will greatly advance the Foundation’s mission of treating babies before or soon after birth to ensure a healthy start to life for all West Australians.
Youth Focus
Youth Focus is a leading mental health provider that supports the wellbeing of young people aged 12 to 25 in the Western Australian community with free and professional face-to-face counselling. The Youth Focus mission is to equip young people who experience mental health challenges to lead meaningful lives