Milieu Early Education and Care Oak Flats supports Wollongong Homeless Drive 

Milieu Early Education and Care Oak Flats recently supported the Wollongong Homeless Drive by providing donations to a local Bendigo Bank branch to provide Christmas cheer to vulnerable community members. 

• Group discussions about homelessness, why it exists, and the ways people can be impacted.
• Explaining the role of community organisations like the Rotary Club and the homeless drive, and showing how small acts of kindness can make a big difference.
• Encouraging empathy through storytelling: Sharing age-appropriate stories about individuals who may be experiencing homelessness to create a human connection to the cause.
• Promoting inclusivity by making sure all children feel empowered to participate in ways that are comfortable for them, avoiding any sense of charity-driven pity, but rather focusing on community support.

• Using inclusive language: Framing the experience in terms of community support rather than “helping the less fortunate”. 
• Emphasising empathy and collective action: helping children to understand that everyone deserves dignity and respect, regardless of their circumstances.
• Provide age-appropriate resources: For children, these resources focus on kindness, sharing, and what it means to be a good friend to those in need. 

• Storybooks and picture books: Books like "What If We Were All The Same?"  teach children to embrace uniqueness, show compassion, and celebrate the beautiful differences in everyone they meet.
• Interactive activities: During the recent initiative to support the homeless community the children created care packages together, which included essential items like toiletries, socks, or food. This helped children understand the tangible impact of their actions while engaging in hands-on learning.
• Role-playing and discussions: Facilitating activities where the children act out scenarios that involve helping others in need, teaching them the importance of compassion and respect.