For all children to thrive and be empowered

to lead creative community change

vision

To foster positive outcomes for children 0-12 and their communities by developing innovative arts, education and social justice programs in partnership with educators and children’s specialists

purpose

what Children are major contributors to, creators and leaders of community

child led change

what Children taking a lead in identifying community strengths, and finding ways to increase those strengths through their own actions Children identifying community problems and finding solutions and actions they can take – with or without the support of adults Children taking life-transforming ideas and skills back to their homes and communities, leading their adults by example into new ways of being in the world

child led change and child voice

what Children taking a lead in identifying community strengths, and finding ways to increase those strengths through their own actions Children identifying community problems and finding solutions and actions they can take – with or without the support of adults Children taking life-transforming ideas and skills back to their homes and communities, leading their adults by example into new ways of being in the world

child led change and child voice

what Children taking a lead in identifying community strengths, and finding ways to increase those strengths through their own actions Children identifying community problems and finding solutions and actions they can take – with or without the support of adults Children taking life-transforming ideas and skills back to their homes and communities, leading their adults by example into new ways of being in the world

child led change and child voice

community/ professional agencies/research/education

key learning discipline

in schools and communities inspire and skill kids to lead personal and community change just add content

Partnerships

The Arts

Child Voice

Child-led Change

Content

Kids Thrive methodology

community/ professional agencies/research/education

key learning discipline

in schools and communities inspire and skill kids to lead personal and community change content

Partnerships

The Arts

Child Voice

Child-led Change

Early Attachment

Kids Thrive methodology

Baby Choir

community/ professional agencies/research/education

key learning discipline

in schools and communities inspire and skill kids to lead personal and community change content

Partnerships

The Arts

Child Voice

Child-led Change

Anti-bias

Kids Thrive methodology

Postcards from Nanna

KIND songwriting for cultural empathy 2011 – 2016 Hume Wyndham Altona North

Reflective conversations Songwriting Performance

Personal and cultural pride Noticing differences Noticing any unfairness attributed to those differences Taking action against unfairness

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KIND % of kids demonstrating change:

Self-Confidence 94% Teamwork 95% Empathy 94% Self regulation 89% Willingness to share their culture 95% Respect for others 91% Respect for diversity 90% Recognise unfairness 95% Take action to address unfairness 86% Family engagement 68%

community/ professional agencies/research/education

key learning discipline

in schools and communities inspire and skill kids to lead personal and community change content

Partnerships

The Arts

Child Voice

Child-led Change

Social Emotional Learning

Kids Thrive methodology

2010 - 2016

Banyule Kids Thrive West Heidelberg

Reflective conversations Songwriting Performance

Social and emotional skills Practice alternatives to violence Improve emotional self-regulation

Jamal’s self-portrait Before After

Banyule Kids Thrive

% of kids demonstrating change:

Self-confidence 91% Teamwork 87% Empathy 84% Self-regulation 83% Positive behaviours 87% Social skills 100% Literacy 71% Communication 100% Persistence 100% Family engagement 52%

community/ professional agencies/research/education

key learning discipline

in schools and communities inspire and skill kids to lead personal and community change content

Partnerships

The Arts

Child Voice

Child-led Change

Resilience

Kids Thrive methodology

KIDS AS CATALYST

2010 – 2017 Wyndham Benalla Goldfields West Heidelberg Alphington Ivanhoe Heidelberg

Before Kids as Catalyst I was just an

ordinary schoolgirl Now I’m a legend.

I’ve made a change in the community. Heba, aged 10

An integrated learning program - starting in the classroom and extending into the community focusing on child-led philanthropy and community projects, in which students in upper primary and lower secondary:

kids as catalyst

• Discover philanthropy • Explore their community • Embrace their personal values and motivation • Create community partnerships • Develop and deliver local philanthropic community

actions – using their ‘time, talent and treasure’.

kids as catalyst

Women and girls Men and boys The Arts Disability Cultural Diversity Elderly Animals Environment

values focus

• Maloort Landcare • Carisbrook Elderly Citizens • Newstead Men’s Shed • Newstead Kindergarten • Tarrengower Cactus Warriors • Tarrengower Women’s prison • Inglewood Aged Care • Alphington Sports • Wildlife Rescue

community organisations partnering with children

• Castlemaine CERT • Kids Under Cover • Homeground • Asylum Seeker Resource Centre • Heidelberg Women’s Refuge • Carisbrook Playgroup • Local artists and performance groups • 3081 Angels for young mothers in need • Righteous Pups

community organisations partnering with children

Program delivery OVERVIEW Term 1 - Pre-program Professional Development Training (1 full day) Participating school staff and principals, delivery partners and community mentors participate in a full day of training to understand the program in detail. This is an immersive experience, in preparation for teaching/ leading/ coaching students.

Program delivery OVERVIEW Term 2 – Weekly Skills-building Workshops School-based training workshops. Students connect with their personal values, identify people and organisations in their community who share their values, forge community partnerships, co-design community projects, lead budgeting and project planning. Community Project Pitch Event Students and community partners pitch to a panel of community leaders for funding and support for their local philanthropic projects. Family and community receive personal invitations to participate.

Program delivery OVERVIEW

Term 3 – Students deliver their Philanthropic Projects: Students lead delivery and documentation of their philanthropic projects in the local community - managing finances, coordinating people and resources; supported by Kids Thrive, schools and community partners. Community Projects Showcase – students and community partners come together to celebrate their project outcomes, and to share their ‘discoveries, buzzes and challenges’. Family and community are once again invited to participate.

Community reach per program (3 class groups) 220 people are directly engaged in or by each program: • 75 students • 3 teachers plus aides and well-being coordinators • Up to 6 School principals and school council reps • Average of 10 community projects delivered by kids in

partnership with 10 community groups • Average of 20 community group members directly involved in

the program plus up to 50 further community members engaged in student project delivery

• 75 families involved or engaged PLUS community members directly affected by project delivery and outcomes

the need: 8 – 12 year olds

kids’ vision for change

kids’ vision for change

Kids as Catalyst % of kids demonstrating change:

Self-Confidence 99% Teamwork 98% Empathy 93% Social Awareness 97% Leadership Skills 96% Community Engagement 99% Self-Directed Learning 96% Literacy 75% Numeracy 44% Community Engagement 85%

Connection between resilience and community connections Vichealth and University of Melbourne

Child-Led Change Does it work?

Research Findings “The Kids Thrive Child-Led Change strategy works at individual, interpersonal, community and societal levels to promote individual and community resilience and to build social connectedness and social capital… This suite of programs produces outcomes at multiple levels in the measurable and observable shorter term, which ultimately are expected to achieve child-led community change in the longer term. “

Jack Brockhoff Child Health and Wellbeing Program – University of Melbourne

what we have learnt experience and insights

Being brave – being creative – and being early by having the hard conversations with kids in using the arts within programs but also in thinking outside the box when working with traumatised communities focusing on early intervention and prevention to interrupt inherited and entrenched social challenges

What works:

what we have learnt experience and insights

Being brave – being creative – and being early by having the hard conversations with kids in using the arts within programs but also in thinking outside the box when working with traumatised communities focusing on early intervention and prevention to interrupt inherited and entrenched social challenges

What works:

what we have learnt experience and insights

Being brave – being creative – and being early by having the hard conversations with kids by using the arts within programs and by thinking outside the box when working with vulnerable communities focusing on early intervention and prevention to interrupt inherited and entrenched social challenges

What works:

what we have learnt experience and insights

Being brave – being creative – and being early by having the hard conversations with kids in using the arts within programs but also in thinking outside the box when working with traumatised communities by focusing on early intervention and prevention to interrupt inherited and entrenched social challenges

What works:

strategy new programs in development

KiCArts – community arts projects driven by kids Family violence – Safe Futures Foundation / Wesley-Uniting / Australian Children’s Foundation / EACH / Kids Thrive – partners in tender to Vic Govt Intergenerational partnerships – kids designing and delivering programs in aged care centres

strategy

Environmental sustainability – ‘Trees and Me’ performance and songwriting program Gambling – kids using creative approaches to lead conversations in communities Professional Learning programs – building professionals’ capacity to engage creatively with children, and to address issues

new programs in development

So they can lead the change they want to see - now and in the future

collaborating with children

How can you collaborate with children to improve

your community’s health outcomes?

collaborating with children