About Schools Project

A Jewish-Christian-Muslim team visits schools across Victoria to introduce themselves and their traditions and to explore issues relevant to the school and the wider community.

This interfaith project seeks to increase understanding of similarities and respect for difference amongst school students, staff and parents. Teams of three presenters, a Jew, a Christian and a Muslim, will visit schools in Melbourne and across regional Victoria. The presenters will, in a 90 minute session, introduce themselves and their traditions and explore issues relevant to the schools and communities

THE AIMS
• To introduce a Jew, a Christian and a Muslim who live in Australia to the students, and to show the three panellists interacting respectfully and harmoniously
• To educate many more children to be more accepting of others and feel more empathy toward people who are different to themselves.
• To decrease the willingness of children and members of the community to be involved in or to condone hateful speech, prejudiced judgements and behaviours.
• To increase understanding of similarities and to encourage respect for difference and diversity amongst staff, students and parents.

THE APPROACH
• Representatives of participating faiths interact and lead workshops with young people within school settings
• Representatives of JCMA and participants in this project all have their beliefs and religious values respected in all activities. Representatives of JCMA and this project shall not engage in any activities to advocate the adoption of any faith.
• Children will experience the learning in both small groups as well as large groups so as to maximize the benefits to students.
• The project is to be a model of best practice in terms of accountability and transparency. Its outcomes will be thoroughly evaluated, its processes transparent and open to review.

THE PANELLISTS
Three panellists have been selected, 1 representing each faith.
Jewish presenter-
Muslim Presenter-
Christian Presenter-

 

For more information contact: www.schoolscoordinator@jcma.org.au