Free childcare for Ryde committee members

Residents who join Ryde Council’s advisory committees will receive free childcare in an effort to encourage more people to join.

Ryde Council recently voted to provide free childcare for advisory meetings. Pictures: Angelo Velardo

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Residents who join Ryde Council’s advisory committees will receive free childcare in an effort to encourage more people to join.

The council has 16 advisory committees that meet quarterly to cover issues including traffic, festivals and improving women’s participation and engagement in local government.

Last week, the council voted to provide free childcare for members during meetings.

Charmaine with daughters Alana and Pennan.

Cr Penny Pedersen, who brought the motion to the council and is the chair of the Status of Women Advisory Committee, used to bring her two children to meetings when they were younger.

“I, myself, know it’s really difficult to juggle,” she said.

Cr Pedersen, who is chair of the Status of Women Advisory Committee, said the changes were “incredibly important” and would encourage engagement from parents of young children, who were not well represented on the committee.

Jessica Matthews is one of only a few committee members who are parents of young children.

As a member of three committees and a mum to a seven-year-old, she said it could be difficult to juggle attendance with family commitments.

She often brings along her daughter, who plays quietly in the corner, to meetings but providing on-site childcare means the Ryde District Mums co-founder can be present without having one eye watching her daughter.

Ms Matthews said providing childcare would take away “one of the biggest roadblocks” for parents of young children being involved in committees.

Jessica Matthews with friend Xavier. Picture: Angelo Velardo

Charmaine Soh was a member of last year’s Cork & Fork committee and while she enjoyed it she found it difficult to juggle attending meetings with caring for her young daughter.

Ms Soh said providing childcare for committee members was a great idea and would encourage her to join another committee in the future.

“If you’ve got childcare and you’ve got more manageable meeting time hours that would open it up to a lot more people, wouldn’t it,” she said.

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