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Community Minded Kids
The most innovative community building program for children in Australia.
Duration: 2 – 4 school terms
Format: Online, flexible
Applies the principles of: Asset Based Community Development and Appreciative Inquiry
“Regardless of abilities, lifestyle, religion, or culture, every kid can be a Community Minded Kid!”
– Zizi Charida, Founder
| Program Overview | The Community Minded Kids (CMK) program supports children to: understand the concept of community and what it means for them; understand and explore how they can contribute to their communities; and inspires them to be change agents today with the long-term outcome of cultivating community minded adult citizens. Students develop an increased sense of connection in their school and local community, improving their overall well-being. |
| What is covered in the program? “If we’re able to cultivate a generation that thinks we, that cares for others and cares for their community, this world is going to be a better place.” -Zahia Charida, Founder | The team at Zahia Pty Ltd has over 50 years of combined experience working in the community development and corporate sectors. Together, we have produced this world class program, covering community building topics such as; Discovering Community, Me to We, Community Matters and Giving Back. More program information here. |
| Who is the program for? | The program is designed for students in stage 3 (9 – 12 years old) as part of the school curriculum. Teachers may choose to modify and adapt the program for Year 4 students also. |
| Who can facilitate the program? | – Primary school teachers – Home school facilitators – Community organisations – After school program coordinators – Parents Whilst Community Minds are happy to support schools (or other facilitators/organisations) in delivering the program, teachers are required to facilitate the activities and lessons in class. The program has been purposefully designed to be teacher-led as we aim to build the knowledge and capacity of teachers. This design allows schools to continue to benefit from materials and content post program. |
| Program Structure | CMK runs for up to 2 school terms, combining in school and out of school community learning, discoveries, and activities. |
| Supporting Evidence | Completed by UTS Centre for Social Justice and Inclusion: Program Logic Theory of Change Program Theory Support |
| Program Access | Our team has built an online teaching and learning portal that is easy to navigate, using a step by step system to walk teachers and facilitators through the program. The platform provides access to core learning modules including lesson plans, worksheets, and digital presentations to complement lesson plans, and extra activities. Before commencing the program, our team will provide a thorough walk through of the platform and resources available, and we will discuss how we can offer some support throughout your experience. |
| Tell me more about the Discover and Do, out of class activities Each week students complete a ‘Discover’ and ‘Do’ activity in the local community, encouraging students to both identify assets in their community and act in a way that positively contributes to the community. | Students complete ‘Discover’ and ‘Do’activities in their passbooks (please find in our store) following each module. Discover and Do’s help solidify student learning experiences and allow students to initiate their own ways of becoming involved in their community. To assist students with completing and documenting these out-of-class activities, each student should receive a CMK passbook. |
Testimonials
We wanted to take a moment to thank you for the incredible work you do with Community Minded Kids. We used your content as part of our Youth Voice Jr program in Term 3 last year, and it was such a valuable resource for our students. Thank you.
Community Connector
Firefly, NSW
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have a vision of community cohesion and this program enables our community to be united. The CMK program prompts the kids of our community to think beyond themselves and to discover life from another person’s perspective. CMK empowers kids to have empathy and to act upon that by helping those around them in their own unique way.
Former Program Sponsor
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
Frequently Asked Questions
| How can I run this program when there is already too much on my plate? | The program has been designed to complement curriculum areas that you are teaching to your students. Teachers/facilitators do not have to develop any materials or content to run this program. We have developed all the materials including lesson plans (approved by teachers), activities and classroom presentations. |
| Is this program mapped to the curriculum? | Yes, the program is mapped to NSW Curriculum and meets the ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority) Standards. |
| How is this program different to Civics and Citizenship taught in schools? | Whilst CMK complements Civics and Citizenship education in primary schools, the program offers a more comprehensive educational experience when it comes to understanding communities, particularly place-based communities, and how students can contribute and participate in their local community. Some of the areas we cover in the program modules include, but are not limited to: – Understanding their communities and the different aspects (assets, resources, positive attributes) of their community that can be harnessed for good; – Practicing inclusion by finding different ways to better connect with others and participate in community and broader society, as well as actively helping others feel included and what we refer to in the program as ‘creating’ belonging for others; – Deepening students’ understanding of equity and social justice and how they can put values into practice by influencing change in their communities and the world. Our Community Matters module explores what matters to students and ways they can action change with others; – Learning about innovative ways to give and care for others and the world that goes beyond just ‘charitable’ giving. These topics and community’ skills are covered comprehensively in the CMK program compared to any other curriculum or key learning area. |
| Can the school run the program again? | Absolutely! We highly recommend that schools run the program each year to help promote a culture of community mindedness. The program will grow over time, including more activities, modules, and ways for students to become community minded citizens of the world. |