14 May 2007

Professor Alan Hayes named
as National Families Week 2007 Ambassador

 

Professor Alan Hayes, Director of the Australian Institute of Family Studies, has become an Ambassador for National Families Week 2007, Australia's main celebration of the importance of families.

Each year, National Families Week celebrates and highlights the critical role of families in Australian society and coincides with the UN International Day of Families on 15 May. Hundreds of community groups, businesses and government departments will be holding local events around the country.

This year, National Families Week 2007 is being held from 13-19 May 2007.

National Families Week 2007 will focus on encouraging everyone to take time to celebrate the vital role of families and to do things that will improve the all-round physical and emotional wellbeing of their family unit. It has a slogan - 'FITT Families - Families Investing in Time Together'.

Professor Hayes said; "What a timely focus for this year's Families Week! In an increasingly busy world, protecting family time is a real challenge. Time together is a vital investment in the cohesion, health and wellbeing of families that pays rich dividends for them and for the nation."

Families Australia Chief Executive Officer, Brian Babington said that "This year's slogan, 'FITT Families - Families Investing in Time Together' reflects the importance of making an investment in family time and remembering that the family unit itself, as well its members, need special tending if it is to be strong."

"Families are stronger if they share time together, doing things that strengthen family life. Good communication and listening skills are crucial to strong families. Families are stronger if they share time together, enjoy common interests and find ways to accommodate differences," he said.

For more information or to arrange media interviews, contact:
Professor Alan Hayes
Telephone: (03) 9214 7807
Mobile: 0400 838 296

National Families Week is run by Australia's peak independent not-for-profit organisation representing the needs and interests of families, Families Australia (visit www.familiesaustralia.org.au), on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.