Cultural diversity is represented across all eight health priority areas of the Achievement Program, through benchmarks relating to your school’s social environment. Why not take inspiration from the following schools that demonstrate cultural diversity in their every day practices.
Barwon Valley Special School joined the Achievement Program in 2013 and has achieved recognition for:
- Safe Environments
- Sun Protection
The school identified that an increased understanding of cultural diversity is vital to ensure the inclusiveness of the school, which is required to meet the Safe Environments priority area. Staff has achieved this by:
- attending professional development around working with culturally and linguistically diverse families-making some key changes to the way they engage with families including inviting families along to their own Harmony Day activities and ensuring there are variety of inclusive after-school hours whole-school activities, such as picnics
- the school also ensures that there are interpreters available to engage culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families.
Point Cook Senior Secondary School joined the Achievement Program in 2014 and has achieved recognition in 5 health priority areas;
- Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Safe Environments
- Sun Protection
- Tobacco Control
- Physical Activity
Point Cook has made sure to celebrate diversity through a variety of ways across all health priority areas, including:
- having staff from diverse cultural backgrounds help to educate the school on different cultural beliefs and practices
- providing translating services for families when required or requested for all health information communicated
- sending students on valuable cultural study exchange programs as well as hosting exchange students from around the world. The students then share their experiences with the rest of the school community.
Healthy behaviours help to lower health risks, prevent chronic disease, enhance learning outcomes and set children up for a life of healthy habits.