NSW Workshops

Workshops

The workshops

Just Like You is a disability awareness program designed to build understanding, acceptance and inclusion. Through celebrating differences, developingempathy and creating inclusion, students learn that people with a disability are the same as everyone else – they are ‘Just Like You’.

Just Like You is designed for primary school students’ specific year groups, and mapped against the Australian Curriculum. The workshops are tailored to separate stages (Years 1 & 2, Years 3 & 4, Years 5 & 6, and Years 7 & 8) and can be delivered face-to-face or via digital platform.

Just Like You workshops are lively, interactive and compelling, where students are engaged to reflect on their own roles and actions as a citizen in theirschool and community.

Stage 1

Years 1 & 2

Stage 2

Years 3 & 4

Stage 3

Years 5 & 6

Stage 4

Years 7 & 8

Stage 1

Celebrating difference, creating inclusion

Years 1 & 2
Duration: 45 minutes

Our dynamic Facilitator educates students to gain a fundamental understanding of why uniqueness is valued and should be celebrated. Students will learn how to identify differences as a positive feature in their lives.

Concepts covered

Understanding and including people with disabilities

We may have differences but our physical and emotional needs are the same

Uniqueness and differences are positive

Curriculum aligned

Our workshops have been mapped to the Australian Curriculum as follows:

Health and Physical Education
  • Describe their own strengths and achievements and those of others, and identify how these contribute to personal identities (ACPPS015)
English
  • Understand that people use different systems of communication to cater to different needs and purposes and that many people may use sign systems to communicate with others (ACELA1443)

Stage 2

Know the facts for better impact

Years 3 & 4
Duration: 45 minutes

The Stage Two workshop informs students of the different forms of disabilities, including physical, invisible and sensory disabilities. Students learn how to empathise with challenges that people with disabilities may face, using positive language.

Concepts covered

Understanding the varied causesand manifestations of disabilities

Empathising with challenges people with a disability face

Understanding the importance of positive language

Curriculum aligned

Our workshops have been mapped to the Australian Curriculum as follows:

Health and Physical Education
  • Describe how respect, empathy and valuing difference can positively influence relationships (ACPPS037)
  • Adopt inclusive practices when participating in physical activities (ACPMP048)
  • Apply innovative and creative thinking in solving movement challenges (ACPMP049)
English
  • Use interaction skills such as acknowledging another’s point of view and linking students’ response to the topic, using familiar and new vocabulary and a range of vocal effects such as tone, pace, pitch and volume to speak clearly and coherently (ACELY1688)
Civics and Citizenship
  • Distinguish facts from opinions in relation to civics and citizenship topics and issues (ACHCS005)
  • Interact with others with respect, share views and recognise there are different points of view (ACHCS007)
  • Pose questions about the society in which they live (ACHCS015)
  • Distinguish facts from opinions in relation to civics and citizenship topics and issues (ACHCS016)

Stage 3

Challenging norms to find the extraordinary

Years 5 & 6
Duration: 45 minutes

Pre-conceived ideas around disability are challenged. Students look at their own role in society and their contribution to positive and negative mindsets and practice integrating alternative modes of communication and movement into their classroom environment.

Concepts covered

Removing emotional, physical and behavioural barriers thatrestrict opportunities

Learning different methods of communication

Curriculum aligned

Our workshops have been mapped to the Australian Curriculum as follows:

Health and Physical Education
  • Investigate community resources and strategies to seek help about health, safety and wellbeing (ACPPS053)
  • Investigate and reflect on how valuing diversity positively influences the wellbeing of the community (ACPPS060)
  • Demonstrate ethical behaviour and fair play that aligns with the rules when participating in a range of physical activities (ACPMP069)
English
  • Clarify understanding of content as it unfolds in formal and informal situations, connecting ideas to students’ own experiences and present and justify a point of view (ACELY1699)
  • Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)

Stage 4

Breaking down barriers

Years 7 & 8
Duration: 45 minutes

This workshop explores different types of barriers that we all face in our everyday lives, and how people with disability may face additional barriers that we can all help to break. Students are introduced to different types of barriers and practice ways to break them down through inclusive language and accessible design.

Concepts covered

Inclusive language can help break down barriers

Different people have different needs in the world

We can create an inclusive and accessible world

Curriculum aligned

Our workshops have been mapped to the Australian Curriculum as follows:

Health and Physical Education
  • Examine the roles of respect, empathy, power and coercion in developing respectful relationships (AC9HP8P04)
  • Investigate strategies that influence how communities value diversity and propose actions they can take to promote inclusion in their communities (AC9HP8P05)
  • Investigate modifications to equipment, rules and scoring systems that support fair play and inclusive participation (AC9HP8P08)
English
  • Understand how language expresses and creates personal and social identities (AC9E7LA01)
Personal & Social Capability (General Capability)
  • Acknowledge the emotions, needs, cultures and backgrounds of different groups and compare with their own Analyse roles and responsibilities of citizens within communities
  • Demonstrate communication skills in a range of contexts, responding to the enablers of, and barriers to, effective verbal and non-verbal communication