One of our community development teams Peer Action Groups have been working on a pilot program for Kindergarten aged children within the Geelong and Bellarine area.
The project is called Inclusive Communities – Discussions about Disability.
Using books and games self-advocates with disabilities are presenting 30-minute sessions to centres where they will discuss differences and similarities, create positive first interactions and provide a safe and fun environment to ask questions and encourage discussion.
The Peer Action Group has created resources/materials to support and prompt discussion and learning after the sessions. This includes materials for educators and take home to flyers for students to prompt discussion within the family home.
The project also includes gifting books to Early Learning Centres across Geelong to support them to diversify their collections and build a library that includes characters and stories of children and young people with disability.
We have partnered with Town and Country Children’s Centre Highton and received a Healthy & Connected Communities grant under the City of Greater Geelong’s Community Investment and Support Fund. Our aim is to deliver a series of educational sessions to local early learning centres promoting community inclusion and the value of diversity.