GETTING CREATIVES BACK TO WORK AT ELTHAM SCHOOLS
The Andrews Labor Government through its Working for Victoria initiative is providing a boost for workers in creative industries with the first 37 creative professionals starting their work with kids in 32 government schools across Victoria.
Working for Victoria will fund new jobs for more than 150 artists and other creative professionals through the Creative Workers in Schools program.
This week Christopher Summers started working with Eltham High School to develop a playscript exploring and running improvisations, story-building activities and character creation exercises with young people, using stimulus material like pictures, songs and snippets of movies.
Peter Davidson has started working with St Helena Secondary College to build puppets from either sustainable or professionally sourced materials and developing a theatre and performance format or film.
Animators, circus performers, designers, fashion designers, filmmakers, landscape architects, musicians, podcasters, poets, puppeteers, sculptors, theatre makers, and visual artists are amongst the first creative workers to begin their six month placements in Term 1.
Creative professionals will work with teachers and students on curriculum-aligned creative projects that respond to schools learning priorities in the arts. Students from prep through to Year 10 will learn new creative skills across a range of subjects.
The program builds on the success of the Government’s long-running creative education programs which have seen artists and students work on projects including theatre shows inspired by history lessons, STEM-based digital games and song writing and filmmaking projects supporting the English curriculum.
Expressions of Interest are now open for schools and creative workers to apply to the Creative Workers in Schools program for projects and placements commencing in Term 2. EOIs close 5pm, 22 February 2021. For more information visit rav.net.au/creative-workers-in-schools.
Working for Victoria is matching thousands of Victorians with employers that need workers including those who have lost their job due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Since launching last April, the $500 million initiative has created more than 12,000 jobs for Victorian workers. To register for Working for Victoria go to vic.gov.au/workingforvictoria.
Quotes attributable to Member for Eltham, Vicki Ward MP
“This is a win-win for creative workers and kids – we’re creating local jobs for workers in one of the industries most affected by the pandemic and giving local kids an opportunity to gain new creative skills.”
“We’re backing and supporting people when they need it most and fighting for every local job.”