The Learning Club fosters a positive environment for students to complete school related tasks with afternoon tea and assistance provided by trained volunteers and the Learning Club Coordinator. The program aims to increase primary school students’ school engagement by improving self‐confidence, confidence in learning and improved literacy and numeracy levels.
The program fosters a closer family relationship with education and possible educational pathways to achieving success at secondary school and later employment.
Flagstaff Group’s Project LEAP, which stands for Learning Empowerment Achievement and Purpose, provides Year 10 students with Autism and Intellectual disability with work experience and skills in a group situation. The program aims to develop independence, communication skills and confidence and create employment prospects in a goal‐focused environment.
These students may not necessarily identify with having a disability but may find it hard to get work experience by themselves. LEAP provides transport to and from workplaces and runs over 5 weeks, with up to 15 students attending for 2 hours a week to work on their project.
Project LEAP hopes to extend the program to all schools in the Shoalhaven, four programs are planned for this financial year. Current partners are Bomaderry High School, Nowra High School and Haven Lee School. The program has significant flow-on impact for raising awareness and inclusion of people with a disability by the general public and schools. The program also involves people from cultural and indigenous groups teaching through art skills, storytelling and real-life experiences.
Grant programs are regularly advertised on Shoalhaven City Council’s website.
Photo caption: Marshall, a student involved in Project LEAP, with seedlings and a cicada.
