Westside Circus Special Projects 2007

Our Special Projects department aims to find new ways of using the medium of circus arts to address community needs, wants and dreams. We ask How can we use circus arts to address the needs of young and old; at-risk and vulnerable families; refugees and new arrivals; socio-economically and culturally disadvantaged and the general public?

We ask In what way can circus act as a catalyst for improving education, literacy, social and cultural access and awareness? We ask Where can circus take us next? - circus and healthy eating – circus and puppetry – circus and same-sex partners - circus and literacy – circus and numeracy – circus and grandparents.

We are always looking for creative partners to help us make this happen. Please contact projects@westsidecircus.com if you would like to be involved.

Our current Special Projects:

The Brimbank Children's Circus Project structures a rich environment where children aged 3-5yrs are immersed in physical play, oral language, visual stimulation and interaction with a key adult in their lives. The combination of circus activities, a strong literacy and numeracy concept and a community learning approach, enables children and their families to experience literacy through a positive and universal approach and responds to the National Strategy for Literacy and Learning in a new and exciting way.

Alongside each 10-week workshop Westside runs one Professional Development workshop for teachers and project workers and one Community Circus Day for the wider community.

This project sits within an initiative called Communities for Children in the 3020, Brimbank postcode delivered by Westside Circus as part of the Federally-funded Strategy-‘Stronger Families, Stronger Communities' facilitated by Isis Family Care and The Smith Family.

The Westside Education “Circus In Schools” Project creates a playful learning environment to assist young people who are newly arrived or from refugee backgrounds to settle successfully into school and the community by encouraging skills development which reinforce self esteem and self efficacy, social connectedness and leadership through participation in a circus and performance program based in their school.  Located at Sunshine College (West Campus) and WELS Western English Language School participants worked with 2 Circus Trainers, a Theatre Practitioner and a Musician to create two performances: “Brave” by Sunshine College and “Fables of the Sky” by WELS.

This program has been funded by the Sunshine Foundation, Ian Potter Foundation and the Sidney Myer Fund.

The Healthy Food and Circus Project advocates the benefits of physical activity in conjunction with a healthy and balanced diet as essential life skills for young people.   The project will use circus as a tool to engage children in a healthy recreation activity and to give them a role in creating their own healthy lifestyle. A Community Dietician/Nutritionist will facilitate open discussions and fun focus group activities based on topics such as food, movement and wellbeing as part of the 10-week program. In partnership with North Yarra Community Health Service and three local schools, this project has been funded by the City of Yarra.

The SaSY Circus - Same Sex Youth Circus
Funded by the City of Yarra , this project gave the opportunity for same-sex attracted young people, to come together in a safe and supportive environment. The group created an inspiring and sensitive circus theatre piece to perform to their friends and families, where each individual had the opportunity to shine as well as encourage one and another.