Mission Statement:- We are a group allowing all families to live equally within the Junior School Community.
Program Description
Throughout the time that Tots2teens has been established, an area that has utilised our services and does not come under the direct umbrella of our referral process is the Schooling System. So many of our vulnerable youth are slipping through other systems and being identified by teachers who don’t have the resources to support them. I have in the past provided multiple schools with toiletry packs for youth to access free of charge, items to use whilst on school camps, clothing and uniforms for children that would otherwise have gone without, and basic items such as underwear and socks that the children did not have. I have seen that the need is so large, that I have enlisted a lovely volunteer by the name of Lou Maxwell, how will be the Area Manager for “Classy Kids” and will approach and engage Primary School Teachers in order to develop a program that eliminates disadvantaged children from our school system. Classy Kids mission statement is “We are a group allowing all families to live equally within their school community and providing children with all the opportunities to flourish in their primary years”. Areas covered by Classy Kids will include basic toiletry items, new shoes, access to uniforms, general referrals for clothing, underwear, socks, money for excursions, help with sporting items / memberships and all other areas that at times segregate the children with stable homes against the less children that are disadvantaged. The project will be by a referral system, allowing the teachers / wellbeing teams, who engage with the children daily, to have a support system that allows them to provide the much-needed support. Identifying the children is only one peg in the puzzle, being able to support and eliminate the issues is another peg and needs to be made available so that children become equal. When children leave school at a very young age, one of the common factors that they voice is that they were “different from the other kids” and “didn’t fit in”. We want all kids to be the same, no matter what the circumstances at home
Who will Benefit?
There are multi levels of beneficiaries here. The children will benefit from all being treated as equal, barriers will be dropped, and the expectation will be that everyone attends things, and no one is left out. The teachers will benefit with more engaged students, happy learners and all children being treated as equal. The schools will benefit by having greater retention rates in the future, happier schools where everyone is equal and by being known for their “inclusive environments” that nurture our little people. Families will all benefit by feeling that they are worthy to receive the same treatment for their children as all other parents get, and they are not left out due to circumstances and financial disadvantage. It makes them feel more in control in a world where we need to come together as a “Village” and give a hand to our fellow families in a time of need. Tots2teens was built on the saying that “We can’t change the circumstances, but we can change the memory”. Supporting others who are less fortunate on a day-to-day basis in the school environment is a mammoth step in the right direction.
Donations For Classy Kids can be sent to:
Bendigo Bank – Classy Kids Account
BSB – 633 000
Account – 161 721 568