The Little Village Project
The Latrobe Health Assembly, in partnership with Kindred Spirits Enterprises, are delivering The Little Village Project in the Latrobe Valley. The Little Village Project is a community-based initiative set up to support vulnerable children in the community at school, where they feel safe, connected and are surrounded by attuned, highly qualified early childhood professionals. The premise is simple â combine the knowledge and expertise that Department of Education & Training staff have with capital raised in the community to provide timely and effective interventions that will allow children the best opportunity to access their education.
The Little Village Project was established to make sure students at Traralgonâs Stockdale Road Primary School get the therapeutic and allied health attention they may need. The costs of such services can be a great burden for many families, which is why major local businesses and organisations across the Latrobe Valley have provided grants to this foundation. The Little Village Project has since expanded to both Grey Street Primary School and Tanjil South Primary School, with plans to additionally expand the project to Kosciusko Street Primary School.
Â
An initiative of Stockdale Roadâs wellbeing support officer, Benjamin Tunks, The Little Village Project began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and, as of April 2024, has helped 78 students and provided 347 direct interventions such as mental health care, speech therapy and sensory needs. With the removal of these barriers to a studentâs engagement at school, they can more fully participate in classes and other activities, setting them up for a better future.
The 2023 Social Impact Report, prepared by Shaun Mallia, CEO of Kindred Spirits Enterprises, in collaboration with Benjamin Tunks, summarises the success of The Little Village Project since its inception and highlights the positive impacts of the direct interventions that have been provided to students at participating schools to date.
The long-term goal is to deliver The Little Village Project in all primary schools in the Latrobe City Local Government Area. However, achievement of this goal requires ongoing community support to ensure the sustainability of the program. If you would like to explore the options available to donate to this program, head to The Little Village Project GiveNow donation page.
Â
