The Australian Red Cross is coming to Ararat Rural City this month to deliver a series of interactive workshops designed to help young children prepare for, cope with, and respond to emergencies.
The 'Pillowcase Workshops' are aimed at Grade 3 and 4 students and focus on what to expect during and after an emergency, as well as how to prepare their own emergency kits using a simple household item, a pillowcase.
The concept was inspired by university students in the United States who used pillowcases to carry their most important belongings during Hurricane Katrina. That idea has since evolved into a global Red Cross program that helps children feel more confident and capable in emergency situations.
Workshops will be held at schools in Ararat, Lake Bolac and Pomonal, with students from Buangor, Maroona, Moyston and Willaura also taking part.
Each child will receive a pillowcase to decorate and take home as the start of their own personal emergency kit. The sessions will also include discussions about different types of emergencies, how to stay calm, and how to seek help if needed.
The initiative is being brought to the region through a partnership between Ararat Rural City Council, Grampians Community Health, and the Red Cross.
Mayor Cr Jo Armstrong thanked the Red Cross for delivering these valuable workshops, saying they will play an important role in building resilience and understanding among local children.
"When it comes to a major emergency event, anything we can do to reduce real or imagined fears in our children is a brilliant thing," Cr Armstrong said. "Discussing the thoughts and feelings that may arise before, during and after an emergency is a vital part of our broader community's emergency preparedness. The Red Cross program will help our young people to feel ready, not scared."
