GEKA Bentleigh

Supporting the Community by raising funds for those in need

GEKA Bentleigh Educators

“Across the period from birth to eight years, through the support of family and others, children learn more ways to connect and contribute. Contributing in social settings strengthens children’s sense of identity, wellbeing and belonging. Children’s wellbeing is linked closely to the wellbeing of their community” (VEYLDF, 2016, p19)

At the beginning of the year we set our expectations for the group and talk about our three rules:

1. Be kind to yourself
2. Be kind to others
3. Be kind to our kinder

One of the ways we teach children to be kind to others is by challenging them to think about how they can help those less fortunate than themselves. We focus on community causes that the children can relate to and empathise with. Last year we raised money for The Salvos Red Shield Appeal by making kindness cards and selling them to families for a gold coin. We raised $63.10 and we took our donation to our local Salvos store. The staff were very excited to see the children in their store and of course very grateful for our fundraising efforts.

Towards the end of the year as school transition was taking place, we talked about families who can’t afford to buy the things their children need to start school.  With the support of our families we set the children a challenge: earn a gold coin by doing a chore at home and donate the money to The Smith Family, who support vulnerable families to purchase essential school items. It was wonderful to see the enthusiasm with which the children responded: proudly putting their money in the jar and describing how they earned it.

“I unpacked the shopping”

“I emptied the dishwasher”

“I gave the money from my share jar”

Our intention behind these initiatives is to show the children that we have high expectations of them. We want them to learn that they can work to make a difference to the lives of others and that a little kindness goes a long way!