Heywood Kindergarten

At Heywood Kindergarten our vision for reconciliation starts with honestly and holistically accepting historical and contemporary injustices towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We acknowledge the continued strength and resilience of the First Peoples of Australia and are committed to moving forward in partnership, where social equality and equity are truly recognised. Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians so we may grow stronger as a nation, and we are committed to enacting the role that our Kindergarten community can play to contribute to the reconciliation movement.    We value the rich cultures and unique perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and appreciate how this knowledge has shaped Australia's past and continues to inspire a better future.    We believe, and are committed to ensuring, reconciliation is driven by a continual cycle of learning, unlearning and relearning where all educators and children will experience pride in their family, their language and their cultural heritage, whilst learning to actively listen to and respect the same in others. We are committed to respectfully embedding First Nations perspectives in our Kindergartens learning environments and experiences, with a focus on the values and perspectives of the Gunditjmara people, the Traditional Custodians of the Land on which we deliver our service. Doing so will build respect for First Nations peoples, cultures and perspectives to become entrenched in our service communitys everyday Belonging, Being and Becoming.     Inspired by the learnings and reflections from the journey of Heywood Kindergarten's Reconciliation Action Plan to date, staff will continue to think about, and respectfully take action towards, embedding First Nations cultures and perspectives into high-quality, everyday educational programming and practice.