July was focused on supporting children, young people, and families through school holiday activities, school attendance initiatives, community engagement, and collaborative partnerships. School resumed on 14 July 2026, after which the program continued its core services of morning student pick-ups from the community and family visits to support school attendance. Activities Undertaken At the beginning of July, during the school holidays, the Jarlu Jarlu Program delivered a range of school holiday activities to provide safe and engaging opportunities for children and young people. Following the return to school, the program continued to: Conduct morning student pick-ups from the community to improve school attendance. Undertake family visits to encourage regular school attendance and strengthen relationships with families. Deliver after-school activities, including fishing trips, to provide positive recreational opportunities for young people. Facilitate a traditional kangaroo tail cooking activity, where children were shown the traditional method of preparing and cooking kangaroo tail. This activity provided an opportunity for young people to learn about and experience cultural practices while strengthening their connection to culture and Country. Commence the Family BBQ Breakfast Program, held every Tuesday and Thursday, to encourage family engagement, strengthen community connections, and support children attending school with a nutritious breakfast. The Jarlu Jarlu Program supported the school in celebrating NAIDOC Day celebrations Community Feedback Throughout the month, children and young people shared valuable feedback about the types of activities they would like the Jarlu Jarlu Program to provide. A common request was for more activities to be held outside of the community, where they can enjoy a safe environment away from the challenges they experience within the community, including exposure to violence. The introduction of the Family BBQ Breakfast Program, held every Tuesday and Thursday, has provided an opportunity to engage with families in a relaxed and welcoming environment. During these breakfasts, families were encouraged to share their ideas and priorities for future activities and services. The feedback received highlighted a strong interest in more family-focused, cultural, and wellbeing activities within the community. Families requested the following: Men's camps focusing on healthy relationships and domestic violence awareness. Women's camps. Youth camps. Parent and child activities to strengthen family connections. Healthy eating education and nutrition sessions. Men's cooking program. Women's cooking program. Men's and women's health checks. A clean and tidy yard competition with prizes. Community baby showers and family celebration events. Community sports days. Traditional activities, including a greasy pole competition. The continuation of the twice-weekly Family BBQ Breakfasts. Challenges Throughout July, the program experienced very low staff attendance, which significantly affected the number and variety of activities that could be delivered. Due to limited staffing, priority was given to essential services such as morning student pick-ups, family visits, and the Family BBQ Breakfasts. As a result, fewer after-school and community activities were able to be delivered than originally planned. Another challenge has been the limited availability of resources for program activities. Having access to appropriate equipment, sporting gear, arts and crafts materials, fishing equipment, and other activity resources would enable the program to deliver activities more effectively and ensure they run smoothly. Investing in these resources would enhance participant engagement and improve the overall quality of activities provided to children, young people, and families. August Priorities Continue morning student pick-ups and family visits to support school attendance. Continue the Family BBQ Breakfast Program every Tuesday and Thursday. Deliver more cultural and on-Country activities. Increase after-school activities and excursions outside the community. Strengthen collaboration with ABFP and other partner organisations. Purchase resources and equipment to support program activities. Replace or repair the BBQ equipment. Continue recognising students for improved attendance and resilience. Conclusion Despite ongoing staffing challenges, the Jarlu Jarlu Program continued to deliver essential services throughout July. The introduction of the twice-weekly Family BBQ Breakfasts, the collaboration with ABFP, continued support for school attendance, and participation in the school's NAIDOC celebrations were positive achievements for the month. The program remains committed to strengthening community engagement and supporting children and families through meaningful and culturally appropriate activities.