Community Integration for Special Needs Students at Kaikorai

By Kristen Anuik | Posted: Tuesday November 21, 2017

Community Integration forms part of our Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) programme and is an important learning opportunity for students at Kaikorai. 

Education Outside the Classroom programmes enhance hauora (well-being), because learning opportunities appropriate to individual students’ needs and abilities are offered within the context of the community.

Through participation in enjoyable social activities, students are encouraged to become active, safe and skilled within their local community. Socialisation skills are enhanced through a range of co-operative learning experiences shared with members of the immediate community.

Two of our students go out into the community once a week with their teacher aides.  Some of the places they visit are: supermarket, library, museum, parks, SPCA, fire station, cafe, post office. 

Students will:

1. Participate to learn a range of outdoor and community related skills.
2. Stimulate and develop the senses through a range of safe and meaningful activities.
3. Develop a range of health related skills such as decision making, problem solving.
4. Be assisted to increase confidence, independence and responsibility through meeting new challenges.
5. Develop awareness and a positive attitude toward their own safety and that of others.
6. Learn about how to use and to care for public amenities and the environment.
7. Links with the wider community such as the opportunity to live, work and co-operate with others.
8. To become known and accepted by a wide variety of people living within Dunedin.

This Community Integration programme has proved to be a beneficial experience for the students and they thoroughly enjoy participating and learning through these experiences.

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