The following schools and projects were granted CSIC funding in 2023.
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Dohertys Creek P-9 College: to support the development of a community art gallery which will be co-designed with a local artist and families within the community, alongside cultural traditions and skills workshops.
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Keysborough Secondary College: to provide a whole-school Yoga Day and cultural celebration, alongside excursions to community cultural centres and the purchase of Hindi resources.
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Lyndhurst Secondary College: to support recognition of International Yoga Day and create a yoga club, alongside community Diwali celebrations, an Indian night market and the establishment of a cultural dance and music education program.
- Preston South Primary School: to produce a Bollywood film with the students and a week of activities exploring and celebrating Indian cultures.
- Wheelers Hill Secondary College: to establish a Learning Mentor program with students from local universities from Indian communities for lunch/after school clubs, and create a unit of work for Year 9, including an Indian banquet with local chef input, guest speakers and excursions.
CSIC Projects 2023
This year, CSIC funded schools have delivered a range of activities that contribute to strong, sustainable and meaningful connections with the Indian community and provide Victorian students with the skills and tools they need to understand, appreciate and respect different cultural contexts.
As part of the program, Lyndhurst Secondary College's students and staff organised an event to recognise the International Day of Yoga, which was first observed in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly to acknowledge the importance of yoga on the body, mind and spirit. The school celebrated the day with members of the local and Indian community and held a whole school assembly to explain the importance and benefits of being healthy mentally and physically. This was followed by a mass yoga session, where students in Years 7 to 12, school staff and guests all participated in different yoga techniques. The session was finished with an energetic Bollywood dance class to get in some cardio. The event concluded with some healthy snacks and foods from the various regions of India. The day helped Lyndhurst Secondary School foster meaningful community connections and provided their students with the opportunity to try new things and learn about the practices from other cultures, including India.
Wheelers Hill Secondary College also organised a trip to the National Gallery of Victoria for Year 9 Art class as part of their involvement in CSIC. Students viewed the Asian collection, with a focus on cultural and religious artifacts from India and learned about the collection from an expert gallery facilitator. This was followed with a luncheon at a nearby Indian restaurant, where students had the opportunity to taste traditional Indian cuisine. The whole activity directly related to the Victorian Curriculum General Capabilities and other CSIC initiatives being completed by the school, including traditional Indian dance workshops and Indian cooking classes facilitated by one of the school's parents for the school's Year 10 Hospitality class. The program has broadened the horizons of students and has made them aware and empathic of the rich cultural diversity that surrounds them.
The glitter and glamour of Bollywood also came to Preston South Primary School through the CSIC program. The students celebrated a fun-filled week of spicy food, sweet drinks, Indian art, language, music and created an authentic Bollywood film for the 2023 Cultural Week. The event provided a great opportunity for the school to connect with the Indian community. Members of the Darebin Indian community, including Indian senior citizens attended the event and the school engaged Sikh Volunteers Australia to educate the community about the work they do. There are over 33 languages spoken in the school and celebrating and promoting diversity forms a strong part of the school's values and vision. Through this event Preston South Primary School envisions new and ongoing connections with Indian residents and associates.
Under the banner of Project Sangam, Keysborough Secondary College ventured into several smaller projects that aimed at fostering connections, understanding, and appreciation between the school community and Indian culture. The name "Sangam", derived from Hindi, means to associate, reflecting the project's core mission of creating meaningful connections. As part of this endeavour, the school took on various initiatives to enrich the educational and cultural experiences of students and staff alike, including:
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the acquisition of new library resources to provide students with a broader understanding of Indian history, literature, and culture, fostering a sense of global awareness and appreciation for diversity
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a full-day Yoga workshop that not only contributed to the physical health of the participants but also served as a bridge to Indian traditions
- an engaging cooking incursion led by an Executive Chef specializing in Indian cuisine
- a celebration of Diwali, the festival of lights, which involved cultural performances from various parts of India, food stalls, market stalls, henna, face painting and a Bollywood dance workshop.
