Last chance to contribute to the Student Sensory Space
Thank you, friends! With your support, we have raised $1,475 towards the development of our outdoor sensory spaces. With one month left to go on the fundraiser, we hope to hit the target of $5000 and kickstart this important project.
The initiative aims to provide a safe space for ECG Secondary College students to retreat when they are feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated or anxious. A space is planned for each ECG College campus, at Warragul, Leongatha and Pakenham.
Kirstin Fox, Chair of the CCG Philanthropic Fund Committee said, “We are really excited about creating inclusive, purpose-built spaces where our students can recover from sensory overload so that they can return to learning.
“We are so grateful to each of our donors for helping us make this possible. Every dollar goes towards creating what will be a valued resource for student wellbeing, and great tool for our teaching staff.”
Katy Grandin, Principal of ECG Secondary College said that a project like this takes many hands to deliver.
“We are so pleased to see our community stepping in to help make it happen,” Katy said. ““It has been wonderful to see Bunnings Wonthaggi lend a hand, donating plants and timber towards our local space.”
A separate sensory space will be designed for each campus, developed over time to reflect the individual needs of each site and school community. According to Katy, the impact of these spaces cannot be underestimated.
“Having a therapeutic space where students can restore a sense of calm and re-engage in learning has never been more important,” Katy said. “So many students – particularly in a school like ours – are needing that extra support to thrive.”
This sentiment is backed up by research, with a recent ABS study of Mental Health and Wellbeing revealing that almost two in five people aged 16-24 had a mental health disorder, with anxiety being the most common.
“The past few years have had the additional stressors of the pandemic, with many students impacted by distance learning and lock downs,” Katy said. “Returning to some kind of post-COVID normal has come with a variety of challenges for students. During times of anxiety or distress, we really hope to see these sensory spaces become a resource for each of our campuses.”
According to Katy, the teachers, wellbeing team, students and volunteers will all be involved in bringing each space to life.
“It truly is a team effort, and we are excited for our school community to help us bring the vision to life as funding becomes available,” she said. “We are so grateful to the donors who believe that together we can make a difference in combating youth mental health. This project demonstrates the real desire of CCG and ECG College staff to build resilience in new and innovative ways.”
Please consider donating to help us reach a milestone target of $5,000. Be quick! The appeal closes on September 30.