Over the past few months, the Underwood Centre's Limitless Learning team has facilitated ten intergenerational workshops with local students and families at Hive Tasmania.
This has led to the creation of educational resources by kids, for kids, that will offer a child-led experience of the precinct.
They were unveiled yesterday to much abuzz.
Charlotte (Grade 5) and Amelia (Prep) from Sacred Heart Catholic School Ulverstone, along with their mother, Shaunna, were part of the co-design curious group.
“When we first started in this space, it was very uninviting for children. So having the kids' input into what kind of activities to come up with has been really good,” said Shaunna.
The group devised a museum trail called Get Ready to Bumble that encourages children to do a 'waggle dance' when they finish various challenges.
“It helps us to see our space from a different perspective as well, which is so valuable. It gives us insight into what is interesting and what we can improve here at Hive,” said Jessie Pangas, Manager Arts & Culture, Central Coast Council.
Becky Shelley, Deputy Director at the Underwood Centre, stated that the participants' journeys of learning and discovery shone through at the launch, and that everyone from the curator of the museum through to the youngest co-designer was enthusiastically engaged.
“Through the process of co-design, children, parents and organisations make new discoveries about their interests, their capabilities, and their possible futures,” Becky said.
The project has been made possible through the support of the Tasmanian Community Fund, Jetty Foundation, and Cuthill Family Foundation, and works in conjunction with Children’s University Tasmania.
Tasmanian Community Fund Chairperson Sally Darke said the Limitless Learning project is having a positive impact on young people and their families in the North, North-West and West Coast of Tasmania.
“Learning doesn’t solely occur in education settings, and the collaborative model used recognises this by bringing together staff from participating institutions and young people from local schools to jointly create activities for future visitors that are child-friendly and spark the curiosity of families,” Sally noted.
The launch also caught the interest of the Central Coast Council’s Mayor, Cr Cheryl Fuller, who explained that the Council are thrilled to welcome the Limitless Learning project to Hive.
"We strongly encourage the community to come along and enjoy the fantastic, family-friendly learning activities at our cultural hub – Hive from Wednesday 1 May 2024,” she said.
Find out more about the Peter Underwood Centre.