Banyule Council would like to hear your ideas and thoughts around:

  • Japanese Story Time at the Watsonia Library
  • Japanese bilingual books at the Yarra Plenty Regional Library
  • Japanese Language Café: Opportunity to connect with other Japanese people in the area and develop a wider social networkwith other local people.

Background information:

Late last year Banyule under went Community consultations for the development of a Multicultural Plan. As part of these consultations both the Japanese Playgroups in Bundoora (*Ryoko Williams) and Heidelberg West (*Yukie Kusano) gave feedback about the plan and what they would like to see in their community to benefit themselves and their families by way of better connecting locally. One of the many suggestions was to establish a Japanese Story time at the Watsonia Library, another was to:

  • add more Japanese books to the libraries collection;
  • develop a Japanese Language Café: an opportunity to connect with other Japanese people in the area and develop wider social networks.

On Monday 14 February both Japanese Playgroups and other interested local people meet for the first time at the Watsonia library, to start the discussion about how we can move forward to work on the above suggestions. It was a great opportunity to show people the library space, meet the staff and to become a member of the library on the day.

Council and the Yarra Plenty Regional Library have also put in two funding submissions to the Victorian Multicultural Commission and the Australia – Japan Fund, we will here back about the funding in June 2011. If successful the funding would go toward resourcing a Japanese Story Time and a Language Café at the Library.

From the feedback received at Mondays meeting, it was evident that the group was keen to start something sooner rather than later. At the meeting it was explained that if the group wanted to start a story time at the library they would need a volunteer to take story time.

At this stage both playgroups and the library have worked out that a Friday morning at 10am would be the best time to have the Japanese Story time.

The following is a survey to help us work out what people would like and how we can move forward to make this happen.

If you have any questions please contact:

Katie Goodrope

Community Inclusion Planner

Banyule City Council

P: 9457 9831 M: 0488 398 210

  1. Japanese Story Time at the Watsonia Library

1.1If a Japanese story time was established at the Watsonia library would you and your child attend? Yes / No

______

1.2Besides having a story read to your child in Japanese, what else would you like to see at story time? Songs/ finger rhymes – craft activity

Other: ______

______

1.3Do Friday mornings at 10am suit you for story time at Watsonia Library?

Yes / No

What other times and days would suit you? ______

1.4 What kind of benefits would you expect/ look for by attending Japanese Story Time? for you… for your child…

______

______

  1. Japanese bilingual books at the Yarra Plenty Regional Library

2.1Are you aware of libraries and other organisations which have Japanese language materials (books, magazines, DVDs)? Yes / No

______

2.2Would you like to access Japanese materials from other libraries using the free interlibrary loan service?

Yes / No

If so, why/ why not?

______

2.3Would you like to access Japanese magazine collection at the library?

Yes / No

______

2.4Would you use a bi-lingual Japanese English picture book collection for children at the library? Yes / No

______

  1. Japanese Language Café

The language Café concept can be many things it can be

Ideas for a Japanese Language Café:

Which would you prefer? *Please circle

  • Formal: sit down in a room pen and paper
  • Informal: social gathering relaxed
  • Could be for Adults only – no children
  • Could be for adults and children
  • Could be in the evenings / daytime
  • Could be for Japanese people only or could be open to the whole community who has an interest in Japanese culture and other
  • A Japanese Language Café may interest students learning the Japanese language and my like to practice this with Japanese people
  • A Japanese Language Café may interest Japanese people in the local area who may wish to improve on their conversational English in a relaxed atmosphere.
  • A Japanese Language café may like to get together to talk about Japanese culture, Australian culture, share knowledge, ask questions, swap recipes, share food, gardening tips, have guest speakers to inform the group about services, access to information .....

3.1 What would you like a Japanese Language Café to look like?

What would interest you? ______

3.2 The wording “Japanese Language Cafe” is temporary – do you have a suggestion about another name to use instead of Language Cafe?

eg: Japanese Friendship Cafe?

______

What is your preference from 1 to 3

(1 being your highest priority and 3 being your lowest priority)

 Japanese Story Time at the Watsonia Library

 Japanese bilingual books at the Yarra Plenty RegionalLibrary

 Japanese Language Café: Opportunity to connect with other Japanese people in the

area and develop awider social network with other local people

Optional

Name: ______

Address: ______

Contact: ______

Email: ______

When you have finished survey please return to:

Katie Goodrope

Community Inclusion Planner

Banyule City Council

Po Box 51

Ivanhoe 3079

P: 9457 9831 M: 0488 398 210

OR To:

Ryoko Williams

Bundoora Japanese Playgroup

Yukie Kusano

Heidelberg West Japanese Playgroup

Thank you