About the Program
Journey to Big School workshops bring together early childhood services, schools, community members and other relevant services, such as health and family services, to plan culturally safe and respectful ways of supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families as they transition to big school.
The workshops emphasise relationship building and the development of action plans to strengthen local networks to collectively support children’s start to school. This package consists of two face-to-face workshops three months apart, with mentoring and support in between.
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More information on Journey to Big School
Beginning school is a key transition phase within early childhood. Children’s and families’ first experiences with the school system have significant implications for educational and broader developmental outcomes. This is accentuated for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, who experience higher vulnerability and exclusion in early childhood.
The Journey to Big School is a community model, working with primary schools, early childhood services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to support children’s school readiness and their effective transition to formal schooling. This project redresses the causes behind poor child readiness as a strategy to see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children attend and engage successfully with formal schooling at the point of entry, setting a course for continued engagement and positive educational outcomes.
The program will provide much more than traditional training through which specific skills and knowledge are transferred. It will additionally facilitate the development of local networks, relationships, leadership and transition support plans while imparting knowledge of evidence-based good practice approaches. SNAICC will work alongside a community partner that is supported to take ownership and drive a sustainable local approach.
The Journey to Big School program is designed for:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educators
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educational support workers
- early childhood educators
- elders
- community members
- families, parents and carers
- childcare providers and workers
- primary school teachers
- language support workers and teachers
- transition workers
- student welfare officers
- speech therapists
- any related early childhood professional