Skip to main content

KIND

Songs and stories to promote cultural empathy

A creative program for primary school students combating bias and racism aligned with the Victorian F-10 Curriculum. Led by Kids Thrive artists and diversity conversation leaders in partnership with schools and agencies.

Play Video

‘If every school had something like this, and the money was put towards programs like this, in twenty year’s time we would be living in a different society.’

Sharon Doyle, Teacher, St Dominic’s Primary School

Kids thrive in diverse communities

KIND is an award-winning school-based cultural diversity and empathy program that leads young children to recognise, embrace and celebrate their differences, and take action against unfairness.

This unique program runs over two terms and encourages children ‘to be KIND’ and to feel ‘of a KIND’, whilst acknowledging we are each ‘one of a KIND’.

It uses arts-based workshops, facilitated anti-bias activities and conversations, community concerts and professional development training for teachers to engage children and families in positive, creative, celebratory interactions and dialogue about diversity, fairness and empathy.

KIND empowers children to control their destiny by choosing positive alternatives to conflict.

By starting the conversation with the child, KIND impacts the family and the community, contributing to building a harmonious society.

A creative approach to sensitive cultural issues

Drawing on contemporary research around anti-bias and race-based discrimination, and informed by issues directly affecting the communities in which it is placed, the program takes a creative approach to sensitive cultural issues, promoting dialogue through songs, stories and performance, and connecting children into notions of global citizenship.

KIND brings together educators, multicultural specialists (including refugee family mentors, multicultural classroom aides, diversity conversation leaders and community educators), and Kids Thrive cultural development artists to deliver the program in classrooms across the school year.

Two young girls in school unifrom playing to the camera

KIND has been delivered in the primary schools across Melbourne since 2013

KIND builds on the Anti-Bias Curriculum, a practical resource for educators that focuses on:

  • Self-esteem and valuing my own culture
  • Noticing and valuing differences
  • Noticing unfair behaviour attributed to those differences
  • Taking action against unfairness

Aims

  • Introduce intercultural creative activity and conversation
  • Relieve children from the burden of perpetuating historic or cultural anger, fear and discrimination
  • Provide harmonious interfaith community events
  • Build the capacity of teachers and professionals to promote interfaith dialogue
  • Inspire the community to create a new cultural vision for their future
  • Deepen connections between cultures, children and adults

Outcomes

Over 80% of children participating in KIND consistently demonstrate significant improvements in:

  • Self-confidence – 87% improvement
  • Sharing aspects of their own culture – 89% improvement
  • Understanding and acceptance of difference – 81% improvement
  • Capacity to recognise unfairness – 80% improvement
  • Capacity to take action against unfairness – 63% improvement

Evaluation

Evaluation shows that KIND:

  • has a significant positive impact for students and staff, improving the skills and capacities of children and teachers, and building links between families, schools, Hobsons Bay City Council and ISIS Primary Care
  • is effective in engaging children, families and education professionals in positive, creative interactions and dialogue about culture, diversity, tolerance and empathy
  • is effective in addressing racism and bias in primary-aged children, and in building links between schools, families and the community

Recognition

  • Awarded NAB Schools First Award 2013
2016 KIND in Hobsons Bay Evaluation Report

KIND in Hobsons Bay

2016 Delivery Partners – schools and agencies
Altona North Primary School | Bayside P-12 College, Altona North Campus| Hobsons Bay City Council | IPC Health

2016 Funding Partners
Australia Council for the Arts | Ian Potter Foundation| Sidney Myer Fund | The Angior Family Foundation | The R E Ross Trust| Victoria International Container Terminal (VICT)

KIND in Hume

2016 Delivery and Funding Partner – agency
Hume City Council

Kids Thrive.