Play Australia to farewell Executive Director Barbara Champion after 25 years of service

Play Australia will tomorrow farewell its Executive Director Barbara Champion, who will retire from her role at the organisation's 2022 AGM.

Champion, who has dedicated 25 years of service to the not-for-profit body, known as the Playground and Recreation Association of Victoria (PRAV) until 2011, taking it from a Victorian-based entity to national, echoing the original aim of the organisation from its inception over 100 years ago, when it was then known as the Guild of Play.

Commenting on Champion's retirement, Play Australia Board Member Barbara Chancellor wrote "those of us who have worked alongside Barb have experienced firsthand her ability to foster respectful and enduring working relationships.

“Barb always knows someone, somewhere, who is happy and willing to help – something the organisation has benefited from enormously over the years.”

Chancellor went on to state that, in August 1998, when Champion was employed by PRAV the organisation was “on its last legs”, noting "the Committee of Management nearly closed it down but their strong commitment to the importance of advocating for children’s play saw them persist,.

“When I began, I really had to start again. They wanted PRAV to be a very different organisation with a strong commitment to play. There was a lot of work to do.”

Champion embraced those challenges and grew PRAV into, according to Chancellor, “a vibrant community, ready to adapt to growing community needs."

Educating the public about children’s play has become an increasingly important role for Play Australia with Champion noting the significance of managing risk in play. With playgrounds and equipment becoming increasingly safer, new problems have emerged as children become bored with what is on offer.

Through sharing its “sensible views” about risk management, designers and manufacturers have begun to respond in creative ways which have enhanced the quality of children’s play experiences.

Alongside this, Play Australia has shared new understandings through training programs and information has filtered out, leaving the general public much more aware of the benefits of risk taking for children.

Reflecting on her legacy, Champion said she considered herself blessed to have the opportunity to be involved in the organisation, commenting "how lucky and fortunate I have been to work with such an amazing bunch of people.

“I have been so happy working for 25 years and this astonishes me and it has been so professionally stimulating and rewarding."

Image: Barbara Champion. Credit: Play Australia.