CHILDREN from Meredith Primary have joined with students from across the Golden Plains in writing postcards of support to community members in need.<\/p>\n
With the pandemic lockdown came cases of loneliness and isolation for vulnerable residents, so the municipality\u2019s Youth Development and Active Ageing and Disability Services groups teamed up with schools to send messages of hope.<\/p>\n
Meredith Primary principal Steven Trotter stressed the importance of his pupils getting involved and gaining connections with community members.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know that there\u2019s a number of people in and around the Golden Plains and Meredith that are often hard to reach out to, whether they\u2019re elderly or vulnerable for other reasons,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an initiative that means we can reach out without having to put people in positions where they feel awkward about their vulnerability.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meredith Primary School teacher Fairlie Pritchard said 52 school kids from grades 3 to 6 were involved in writing some of the over 1000 postcards created during the campaign.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about connecting and getting something that you probably wouldn\u2019t normally get,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Postcards from students included messages like, \u201cRemember there is always a rainbow after a storm. Breathe, laugh, relax and smile. Everything is going to be ok,\u201d and, \u201cYou are not alone. Things are getting better each day; even if you can\u2019t see it right now. Have faith that this too, will pass.\u201d<\/p>\n
Golden Plains Shire mayor Cr Owen Sharkey said the initiative is a quick and fun way for the pupils to send positive messages to those in need.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe response has been fantastic to the point that we\u2019ve run out of postcards,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s positive in terms of getting the kids to put themselves into that space and reflect on the messages that they are sending. It\u2019s also great that it\u2019s not digital!\u201d<\/p>\n
After attending school over the internet for the last few months, the staff said students found it a bit foreign putting pen to paper.<\/p>\n
\u201cPostcards are probably not something they write very often so it\u2019s a bit of a novelty,\u201d Ms Pritchard said.<\/p>\n
Mr Trotter said it was important to retain face-to-face interactions with pupils during the COVID-19 restrictions on education.<\/p>\n
\u201cParticularly being rural, our families don\u2019t always have the access to services or supports that you might get in Geelong or Ballarat. So, we had a real focus on the human element and connecting to people,\u201d Mr Trotter said.<\/p>\n
The postcards are just one part of the primary school\u2019s community outreach program.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a few projects up and running including the community pantry, which we put non-perishable food in and it\u2019s just down on the school gate,\u201d Mr Trotter said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe advertised it pretty strongly when COVID kicked off and the response from the community was great, people have been using it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Trotter added that there is an unnecessary stigma in regional areas in asking for help and it\u2019s programs like these that aim to reach out to the needy without shame.<\/p>\n
\u201cThings like the food pantry where people don\u2019t have to see them, and these postcards which don\u2019t have names on them get the message across that people should put their hand up to say that they need help, are lonely or need a bit of food,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CHILDREN from Meredith Primary have joined with students from across the Golden Plains in writing postcards of support to community members in need. With the pandemic lockdown came cases of loneliness and isolation for vulnerable residents, so the municipality\u2019s Youth Development and Active Ageing and Disability Services groups teamed up with schools to send messages […]<\/p>\n