School: Echuca Specialist School (VIC)
Partner: Campaspe Primary Care Partnership
Providing a practical curriculum based on individual needs and abilities, Echuca Specialist School caters for children aged 5 to 18 years with intellectual and associated disabilities. The curriculum is designed to be challenging, motivating and flexible with a significant focus on life skills and personal development programs. The school’s strategic plan focuses on improving student communication and interpersonal skills and transition pathways into, through and beyond the school environment.
In keeping with the school’s overarching goals, Echuca Specialist School is looking to establish a kitchen garden program that will address what is seen as a concern for children with a disability: a higher prevalence of weight issues in comparison to their non-disabled peers. Obesity is not only a risk factor for chronic conditions but also for secondary conditions (such as mobility limitations, fatigue, depression and social isolation), and a large proportion of the student population at the school is affected.
The school kitchen garden program is viewed as a perfect platform to build knowledge and skills associated with healthy eating and nutrition for children and adolescents with a disability. The learning styles of the school’s students require information to be communicated in a visual ‘hands on’ approach where they experience the learning. It is envisaged that a kitchen garden will facilitate this style of learning and provide children with the opportunity to engage with the healthy eating process either in the garden, kitchen or by simply harvesting the produce. It will also provide a valuable physical activity for the students to engage in. Ultimately, students will enhance their ability through the program to live as healthy, independent adults.
In order to make this project a reality, the school has approached a number of local organisations. The Shire of Campaspe will provide labour and materials, and their expertise to help with the construction. Campaspe Primary Care Partnership, along with its network of health and community service providers, will assist with the implementation of the garden program, and provide health promotion advice and project management. Echuca Regional Health will also be providing health promotion officer time, and Murray Human Services will use their skills bank to help with building a chook shed and associated infrastructure.
A significant amount of planning has already gone into establishing the kitchen garden, as has work into further developing existing partnerships and creating new ones to support the construction of the garden. It is hoped that by September 2010 the garden will be up and running, with the aid of Schools First Awards funding, and that students will then be well placed to enjoy better health.
