Affinity Education Group and Australian Wildlife Conservancy form new partnership

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) provider Affinity Education Group (AEG) has formed a partnership with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) to “engage young children in the wonders of our native wildlife”.

“One of the great joys in life is watching the face of a young child light up when sparked with delight and intrigue. Children are inherently in awe of our natural world, and yet in Australia, they are still taught about only a fraction of our native animals,” an AWC spokesperson said, explaining the origins of the partnership. 

“If we are to effectively conserve our precious wildlife, we need to foster a world where Australia’s biodiversity is valued and effectively conserved by an engaged community. Educating our children – from the earliest years possible – about our unique wildlife will inspire our new and emerging generations to care for our country.”

The ‘Aussie Wildlife Champions’ program has been co-developed by AWC and AEG, bringing together “a powerful combination of conservation and education expertise”.

AEG is one of Australia’s largest providers of ECEC with more than 220 childcare centres, kindergartens, preschools and outside of school hours care (OSHC)  locations across Australia, ensuring the effective reach of the program.

Designed specifically for children aged between three and five years of age, the program is currently being rolled out across the country as part of Affinity’s Lifelong Learning Curriculum. 

“In developing our Lifelong Learning Curriculum, we have been so pleased to partner with an organisation as well-respected as Australian Wildlife Conservancy,” shared Dr Lesley Jones, Head of Education and Pedagogy at AEG. 

“Together we have produced a very special program for young children. Raising children’s awareness of our unique Australian animals and their habitats and how we can all play our part in their protection is so important.”

The Aussie Wildlife Champions program will use videos, activities and information to engage children and help them get to know lesser-known Australian animals such as the quoll, numbat, bettong, native bee and malleefowl as well as sharing insights on some childhood favourites such as the koala, kangaroo and crocodile. 

The series, which will be launched to the public in June, will also highlight the importance of biodiversity and the ways all Australians can all help to conserve habitats and protect species.

In addition to the AEG activities, four educational sets will be provided to the public via AWC’s Kids’ Corner and the AEG website.

Sparked by the delightful illustrations created by AWC’s talented in-house designer, Judy Moosmueller, the AWC Kids’ Corner brings to life the personality of some “overlooked” native species. 

Since launching in 2022, the AWC Kids’ Corner has grown in its representation of Australia’s unique wildlife with profiles for the Eastern Pygmy Possum, the Gouldian Finch and the Western Quoll, engendering affection for a broader range of Australian natives.