This document is an introduction to a resource booklet about neighborhood harmony in the city of Maribyrnong in Melbourne, Australia. It describes how the booklet was produced through a collaboration between the local council and schools to examine how shared values like kindness, compassion, respect and caring create harmonious communities. The booklet contains personal stories from young people about how and where they feel connected, valued, safe and respected in their diverse community. It also explores eight important values through the eyes of the students, with different schools focusing on pairs of values.

1. 1
HaRmONy
NeiGHbouRhoOD
Living well together
This resource is a collection of young people’s personal stories and
experiences. These stories tell how and where the young people in
our community feel connected, valued, safe and respected.

2. neighbourhood harmony:
Project background 4
The Maribyrnong community 5
Universal values, local lives 6
Mutual Respect 8
Respect for Self 10
Compassion 12
Social Justice 16
Non-Violence 18
Respect for Nature 20
Kindness 22
Peace and Harmony 24
a note for Teachers
and parents 26
It is with great pleasure that I introduce the Neighbourhood Harmony Resource Booklet.
This project is the result of a collaboration between Maribyrnong City Council and local
school communities. The central theme of the project explored how people from diverse
cultural, social, faith and language backgrounds live well together. The City of Maribyrnong
is an exceptionally diverse community, but it is the things we share and value: family, friends,
health, prosperity and happiness that are precious to all cultures.
The Neighbourhood Harmony project examined these shared values through the eyes of young
people who live in our community, recording their own experiences, observations and beliefs.
Their voices resonate throughout and reveal how simple acts of kindness, compassion, respect
and caring create harmonious communities. I invite you to see our community as the young
people of Maribyrnong see it, and to share their wisdom.
Cr John Cumming
Mayor, City of Maribyrnong
Acknowledgements: This project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Immigration
and Citizenship through the Diversity and Social Cohesion Program. The Australian Government is committed
to addressing the needs of cultural, racial and religious intolerance by promoting respect, fairness, inclusion
and a sense of belonging for everyone. The Government believes that strong social cohesion is best developed
by projects that bring all Australians together and in particular create connections across the community, For
more information on the Diversity and Social Cohesion Program, visit www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia
Mayor’sWelcome
2 3
Contents

3. 4 5
The Maribyrnong Community
The City of Maribyrnong is a small,
densely populated area located in the
inner western region of Melbourne.
Before European settlement
Maribyrnong was home to clans of
the Woi Wurrung and Boon Wurrung
language groups of the Kulin Nation.
The area is bounded by the
Maribyrnong River and includes the
suburbs of Braybrook, Footscray,
Kingsville, Maidstone, Maribyrnong,
Seddon, Tottenham, West Footscray
and Yarraville.
Maribyrnong is a place of incredible
vibrancy, cultural diversity and creativity.
From the noise of the bustling Footscray
market, to the competitive shouts on a
sporting field, the quiet of the river to
the rush of peak hour traffic after school
– the City of Maribyrnong is one of the
most culturally, socially and economically
diverse communities in Victoria.*
*Community Indicators Victoria, 2012
The Maribyrnong community is made
up of approximately 74,000 people from
many different cultures, ethnicities and
faith groups.
This booklet was produced as part of the
Neighbourhood Harmony Project managed
by Maribyrnong City Council. The project
was framed around the idea that people of
different cultures, ethnicities, faiths and
social backgrounds share common values,
and that these values enable us to live
peacefully together.
Maribyrnong City Council worked
with four local primary schools and
students from grades 4, 5 and 6 at
West Footscray, Footscray, Footscray
North, and Dinjerra primary schools.
Working with schools on this topic is a
recognition that our youngest citizens
demonstrate a natural curiosity about
the world and show a real interest in,
and desire to live harmoniously.
Students participated in a series
of workshops, which included role
plays, writing and art activities, and
they were excited to talk about what
values mean in their lives and how
they experience them. The program
provided opportunities for these young
people to talk about the people, things,
events and places that made them feel
happy and valued. The students’ stories
illustrate how common values such
as compassion, kindness and respect
enrich and unite us.
The project looked at eight important
values that seem to be shared by many
people from all over the world. Each of
the four participating schools explored
two values, as shown below.
FOOTSCRAY PRIMARY
SCHOOL
Compassion
Social Justice
FOOTSCRAY NORTH
PRIMARY SCHOOL
Peace and Harmony
Kindness
FOOTSCRAY WEST
PRIMARY SCHOOL
Non-Violence
Respect for Nature
DINJERRA PRIMARY
SCHOOL
Respect for Self
Mutual Respect
Almost half (48%) of the people
who live in our community were
born overseas, and 36% speak
languages other than English while
at home. 43% are from Christian
religions, 20% practice non-Christian
religions and 26% stated no religion.
Perhaps most significant to this
project is the fact that over 17% of
our population are children.
neighbourhood harmony:
Project Background
4
Australia 37,447
Vietnam 6,778
India 2,869
China 2,129
UK 1,841
New Zealand 1,236
Italy
1,037
Greece
950
Philippines 773
Macedonia 556
City of Maribyrnong Top Ten Countries of Birth, 2011

4. What are Values?Universal values, local lives
I liked doing the Neighbourhood Project and
talking about this stuff because it was what we
thought and what happens to us. In my street
there are people from different countries.
It doesn’t feel like we are all
different. We care about the
same stuff.
Values are deeply held beliefs about what
is important, and what gives our lives
direction and meaning. Values guide our
decisions and actions, how we behave
and how we treat other people. They
are expressed in a variety of different
traditions, rituals, customs and beliefs
around the world, across cultures and over
time. But there are some values that are
shared across the world by all countries,
cultures, languages and religions.
These shared values, also called ‘universal
values’, help different people understand
one another and live well together.
Even though we can’t see or touch them,
values are still very powerful things that
shape who we are. They can shape whole
communities and cultures. They even
determine what kind of world we live in!
6
self
f
amily/hom
e
community
nation
global
The influence of values
7
Marcus, 12
Nadia, 11
All human beings are born free
and equal in dignity and rights.*
* Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on 10 December
1948. This internationally recognized ‘rule’ talks about the human family.
Do you recognise this statement? What do you think it means?
Sometimes adults talk about values like they are
special, but I think they are things that happen
in my day. Being kind you feel it and when it
happens in your day you feel good. Values are
things you can do to make your friends and
family feel happy and cared for.
Values in our community
social
justice
non-violence
compassion
respect
for self
peace & harmony
mutual respect kindness
respect for nature
Different cultures and societies may be organisedin different ways, but many of their corevalues are surprisingly similar.

5. 98
Across all countries and cultures, the most
common value of all is mutual respect. This is
sometimes called the ‘Golden Rule’ or the ‘Ethic
of Reciprocity’. All cultures and traditions refer to
this value in some way or another through their
stories, cultural practices, and laws. “Do unto
others….” is a concept that is present in almost
every religion around the world.
Mutual respect helps us live and work together co-operatively. It helps us to resolve
conflict and guides our behaviour so that we can act with fairness and care for one
another at home and in society. The world would be a very unfair and disorganised
place without mutual respect!
Social rules, or laws, exist to make sure that people respect one another in their
actions and that their behaviour is fair, respectful and thoughtful of others. Many of
these laws are based on the value of mutual respect. For example:
T Criminal laws promote respect for other people and their belongings.
T Traffic laws encourage fairness on the road
and respect for people’s safety.
T Discrimination laws promote fairness and
respect for all people no matter
what they look like, their sexuality, where
they come from, or what gender they are.
We went camping to Gisborne with other
Sudanese people and my relatives. Everyone was
having a fabulous time singing, dancing and sharing
our stories. We all respect each other with kindness, manners and
co-operation. We all value everyone’s opinion and their rights. (On Sunday,
we all went to Hanging Rock, where we had a barbecue and shared lots
of delicious food.) After eating, we climbed up the rocks to Hanging Rock.
Before we get up to the top everyone was exhausted and completely worn
out of energy but no one got lost because we all communicated to each
other with respect and manners. We all had our photos taken with
happiness in our hearts and smiling. We all had a great
memorable experience and a great opportunity.
Chin Chin
Where do you experience mutual respect?
PLAYING
SPORT
I am a competitive
player, but I
never disrespect
other team mates.
Charvante
Thanh, 12
I know people from lots of different places. My
mum and dad are from Vietnam. I live in Footscray
in Maribyrnong. This project was really about all
the things that make this a good place to live and
how we get along. How we respect each other. You
can’t see mutual respect but you know when it’s
happening. Like at school. Marcus doesn’t follow the
same team as me and when we lose and other kids
say stuff, he just says better luck next time.
I’m really hoping he’s right.
Mutualrespect
mutual respect: treating
people how you would like to be
treated, with respect.
Can you think of any stories, poems,
proverbs, or sayings that are about
mutual respect?
I show respect
by helping my sisters
read. I love and care
for my family.
Bianca
I think it’s important
to be responsible for your
actions in everything that
we do. Kimberly
Cooking for
my family shows
respect because I am
thinking of others.
Jackieat home
I feel respected
when I play baseball
because we talk and
listen. Tony
with other people

6. 11
Respect for self is sometimes expressed through
tradition and rituals. For example, we celebrate
birthdays not only to remember and be thankful for
the day someone was born, but also to recognise that
every person is special and important.
Birthday celebrations, like other coming of age
ceremonies, are about respect for self. Coming of age
ceremonies are held to mark the transition through
childhood into adulthood and greater responsibility.
Many of these rituals involve ceremonial costumes and even different ways of adorning
our bodies and wearing our hair. In some indigenous cultures, special stories and
cultural lore is shared with young people.
Some examples of coming of age rituals are:
T Bar/Bat Mitzvah
T Confirmation
T Initiation Ceremonies
T Special Birthday Parties
We can also show respect for ourselves in small
ways everyday by making wise choices, by sticking
up for ourselves and by showing self-care.
How do you show respect for yourself?
LOOKING
AFTER
ME
I show respect to
myself by taking care
of myself - getting
enough sleep and
healthy eating.
Nadia, 11
I really like playing basketball and running in
athletics. It keeps me fit and healthy and strong.
I go to basketball training at the Braybrook Y and
athletics twice a week. My friend Hannah loves
books and writing. She helps me train in basketball
and I share her books. One day she’s going to write
about me at the Olympics – well maybe not, but we
just really enjoy these things. Being active, playing
sport and reading are things that we love. I think
this is our way of being the best we can be and
respecting ourselves.
RespectforSelf
Respect for self: Showing
care and love towards yourself
by looking after your body, mind
and behaviour and being the
best person you can be.
I show respect to
myself by sticking
up for myself.
It’s hard to stand up
for yourself – when
it’s just you against a
group who are shouting
you down. You have to
keep trying.
It’s about sharing
different strengths
– being proud of the
things you’re good at.
Many people around the world express their beliefs,
commitment and belonging by wearing special
head coverings. The head covering often symbolises
respect for themselves, for their beliefs and for
their community.
Did you know... ?
1110

7. 12 13
How have you shown compassion to others?
Halima, 11
Compassion
What are some ways you have
shown compassion? Whose ‘shoes’
have you walked in recently?
When I think about compassion I think about
a girl in my school, Ava. I’m a really good runner but
sometimes I get asthma. Last year I got into the regional
cross country. I was so excited. When I was running I had a
very bad asthma attack and couldn’t breathe properly.
I collapsed on the ground. Ava stopped and helped me,
even though she got held back. In the end we both
finished but we didn’t get a ribbon. Ava deserves one for
the compassion she showed me!
To feel compassion is like
“walking in someone else’s
shoes” and understanding
how they feel. It is easy to feel
compassion for people that you
love and care for because you
understand who they are. It can be more difficult to feel compassion for people
we don’t know or understand as well, or for people who look or act differently.
However, compassion is a powerful value that helps you to see everyone as part of
the human family.
Compassion can be shown in our everyday life as well as through special activities
or rituals. Fasting (or restricting specific foods for a while) can be part of some
religious and cultural customs. Fasting is a symbolic activity which demonstrates
discipline and sacrifice. It is about showing compassion and solidarity with the poor
and often includes giving money, food or gifts to those less fortunate. Doing these
good deeds, showing compassion, forgiveness and making amends are part of the
fasting ritual. At the ending of a fast there is great celebration and festivities, where
people come together in unity and hope and
share special foods.
Two well known fasts are Ramadan (a month-
long fast for Muslims) and Lent (a forty-day
fast before Easter for Christians).
compassion: Feeling deep concern and
showing understanding and care for the
sufferings or misfortunes of others.
I was playing
kanga cricket with Corpus
Christi, our team verses St
Bernadette. It started raining so
we decided to go back to our bags
but it was too far away. The girls at
St Bernadette’s asked us to share
their umbrella so we wouldn’t
catch a cold.
Nhu
Once I saw a boy in Ocean Park in
Hong Kong. He was really sick because he had gone on
the roller-coaster called Hair Raiser. The roller coaster was a
very scary one. I went towards him and offered him help. I brought him
towards the toilet and I gave him a bottle of cold water. After that
I brought him to the first aid room. After thirty minutes or so,
he came out well and he thanked me.
William
There was a new student
in my class. Her name was Xing Xo,
she is Chinese. She didn’t know much English
and she didn’t have many friends. I helped her
out to find her way around the school because she
didn’t know anyone or where anything was. It was
hard for her. Now we are friends.
Ngoc Han

8. 14 15

9. 16 17
What can you do to ensure social justice?
SocialJustice
social justice: A belief in
fairness, equality for all people.
The Australian belief that
“everyone deserves a fair go”.
Marcus, 12
I think you have to be brave to stand up, but
sometimes you have to. Last year, when Thanh and
I were playing footy, an adult in the crowd yelled
out racist names. We all stopped playing and waited.
Thanh said we wouldn’t play until it stopped. The
other team agreed. My heart was beating really fast
and I felt scared, but Thanh said ‘we’re not playing –
we have to stand up for what is right.’ It would have
been hard to do that if we didn’t stand together.
Things don’t change if you are silent. The best thing
was we stood together.
Standing up for yourself can be hard. Standing
up for other people, or something you believe in
can be even harder! Social in-justice, or in other
words, ‘things that are unfair’, can make people
feel excluded, unhappy and without opportunity
or hope. It takes real courage to confront
injustice and stand up for others, or for something
you believe in.
What do Emily Pankhurst, Nelson Mandela, William Cooper and Rosa Parks have
in common? They are all leaders with a strong sense of social justice. They were
not afraid to stand up for what was fair and right and to help other people, even
when it was not popular to do so. Good leaders inspire us to act respectfully, and
to take action when we see injustice.
You do not have to be a famous leader to make a difference, and there are many
opportunities to help others to feel part of the human family.
We all contribute to social justice in the world
around us - through our everyday choices
and actions, and how we behave with other
people. Everyone has the right to belong, to be
included- that’s what the “human family” means.
“We acknowledge we are on aboriginal land and pay our respects
to the local custodians and elders, past and present” (indigenous
acknowledgement to country). Have you heard this? Why might
this be considered a social justice action?
One day when Elijah
and I went to our friend Jack’s house, his friend
Ryhan was there. We all were playing basketball when
Ryhan started teasing Jack because he was short. Jack started
crying and Elijah and I told Ryhan that there were a lot of good
things about being short and that calmed Jack down. Ryhan said
sorry to Jack and we kept playing basketball for the rest of
the day until lunchtime.
Gabriel
In 2010, we had a 5 cent
collection at our school. Everyone
collected 5 cents to help students who
are poor to buy uniforms and stationery. It’s a
competition and also a fundraiser to help others.
Everyone helped and I believe there are lots of
people who now have enough money to buy
stuff [the things they need].
Catherine
Our group did a
role-play about a kid in
a wheelchair trying to get on
a bus. The bus driver wasn’t going
to let him on but some of the kid’s
friends stood up to the driver and said
“Hey, people in wheelchairs have rights,”
and then the bus driver helped him to
get on the bus. Our leadership group
performed the role play for other
classes in the school.
Hayden
Do you know someone who
shows good leadership?

10. 18 19
The place that I think
demonstrates non-violence and respect
for nature is Johnson Reserve. It has a lot
of trees and there are no fights. There are
a lot of soccer matches and it is close to
the school so people visit it a lot for
cross-country and athletics.
Daniel
St Augustine’s Church is a peaceful
place where people go to learn about non-violence
and peace and harmony. At St Augustine’s Church
we pray for harmony to make the world a better place.
We pray for non-violence to make people not be mean
to other people and to not make them feel bad.
I think St Augustine’s Church is a peaceful place
to learn peace and harmony.
Emily
Do you know a peaceful place in our community?
Non-violence
non-violence: a belief
and way of life that seeks to
eliminate all forms of violence,
both physical and psychological,
and in words and actions.
Have you ever seen an act of bullying?
How did it make you feel?
What did you do about it?
Harming another person is bad. I hate that people
think they can use strength to hurt others. That’s
not strong – it’s weak. Even words need to be gentle.
There was a boy who lived in my street who used
really bad words to my sister and my friend, Hannah
– it made me embarrassed and scared. It hurt.
Finally my mum and aunty spoke to the boy. I think
he was embarrassed because he stopped doing it.
I felt proud of my mum.
Nadia, 11
Non-violence is about respecting the physical
and emotional wellbeing of others. Making insults
and put downs can be just as violent as striking
someone, so non-violence is also about treating
people respectfully and speaking kindly.
People disagree on some things, and everyone
gets angry from time to time, but violence is not
the solution.
Non-violence is a choice. It is a way of life that involves treating others
respectfully and solving problems fairly and cooperatively. This includes taking a
stand against bullying and other forms of violence whenever we see it.
Ghandi’s idea of non-violence
originated in the Hindu religious
idea of ‘ahimsa’, which means
‘avoiding harm to others’.
I think West Footscray library
is a non-violent place because people read
there and they help people. It’s quiet. I like
that I can go to a place that is safe and
I can go there by myself.
Said

11. 20 21
Riding bikes are a good way
to help reduce pollution in the world.
I always try to ride my bike or walk to
places I need to go, like school or friends
houses that live close by. It is really
showing respect for nature. Bikes do not
pollute the air. So that’s why bikes are
showing heaps of respect to nature.
Jemma
What do you do to show respect for nature?
Thanh, 12
Respectfornature
respect for nature: showing care
and respect towards the earth, the
environment, animals and plants and
understanding that we are connected
to the earth and depend on the
earth for our life.
Can you think of things your school
has done to show respect for nature?
My uncle really likes gardening. He has a great veggie
patch. He says be kind to the earth and it will be kind
to you. Mum says the earth can be generous. Whatever
way you look at it we are part of nature and when we
dig in my uncle’s garden I feel like we are showing we
care about it and know how powerful it is.
The word ‘Maribyrnong’ is thought to
come from two different Aboriginal words,
one meaning “I hear a ringtail possum”
and the other the name for a type of edible yam that grows in abundance along the
river. The area has great significance for the Indigenous custodians.
The bends of the Maribyrnong river were traditional gathering places for ritual and
ceremony and a plentiful food source.
Approximately 74,000 people live in the City of Maribyrnong today. Although we
come from many different countries, and may have different languages, cultures
and religions, we can all help protect and care for our natural environment. We can
do this by showing respect for nature,
and understanding that we are
connected to the earth and depend
on the earth for our life.
Places that show respect for nature
21
Pipemaker’s Park
is a great place to respect
nature because it’s a giant park near
Highpoint. I love it because there’s lots of
trees to climb and there’s heaps of fruit trees,
so you can pick the fruit whenever you want.
The History of the Land garden is great because
it shows the history of Australia through the
garden, from the Aborigines to the settlers
and then the migrants. You can ride your
bike there, go on really nice walks or
just have a barbeque.
Samuel
I think my school is respectful to
nature because they have a magnificent orchard. We
grow our own food such as fruit and vegetables. We share them
around to everyone in our school. We also have water tanks that
collect rain water. We use that water to water the lovely garden we
have instead of wasting the water from the tap, that’s why
I think we have a respect for nature.
Ellie

12. 22 23
Once when we visited our
next door neighbour he had many fruits
and vegetables growing and sprouting. There were
some strawberries and tomatoes. He picked some of
them and gave them to us. He said we can take them and
eat them. We thanked him gratefully. I felt very happy
and I will always remember his kindness.
William
One day when I came
to Australia in the aeroplane, I was thinking
if I will have friends in Australia. When I came into
my house, there was nothing to do so I went outside and
I saw my neighbour waving her hand to me. “Hi,” she said.
“Hi,” I replied. “Would you like to play on the trampoline?” she
asked. “Yes,” I said. When I played on the trampoline I was
happy. She asked my sister if she wanted to play too.
“OK,” she said. Then we became friends.
Geerisha
On the first day
of school in 2007 I was
shy, I was a grade prep. I had
no friends. My teacher Christen let
all the students have freetime. I felt
lonely and I just sat with my mum and
drew on a piece of paper. Then a grade
1 girl came over and talked to me. We
became friends. Her name was Erin.
She was my first friend that I
made at school.
Dora
Stories about kindness
Kindness
Marcus, 12
Last year we went on an excursion and I forgot
my lunch. When lunchtime came I felt silly. I was
with kids from other grades. One kid asked if I
wanted to share some lunch – I think he knew
I didn’t have any. He said his mum had made
extra. It ended up being a party because lots
of other kids I didn’t know shared their lunch.
They were really kind and I don’t know how they
felt, but I felt like I belonged.
“Light” is symbolic for many cultures
around the world and features in stories
and art, as well as in festivals such as
Diwali, Christmas, New Year, Hanukkah and
Solstice festivities. In these festivals, light
is used to signify unity, a new beginning,
the hope for a better future, and the
victory of good (the light) over evil (the
darkness). The giving of gifts, sharing special foods, giving thanks, showing
forgiveness and kindness are all features of these various festivals.
But kindness and generosity isn’t just about giving gifts! True kindness,
forgiveness and generosity of spirit is about being grateful for the good things we
see in people, spending time with our loved ones and friends and letting them
know that we care about and value them. Sometimes it’s also about showing
kindness to people we don’t know so well by being helpful and thoughtful.
There are many opportunities
to show kindness in everyday
life. Sometimes it is the small
things that make the biggest
impression!
kindness: demonstrating your
respect for others through showing
care, giving help to others, being
considerate, generous and forgiving.
How have you shown kindness to others?
When someone is kind to you, how does
it make you feel?

13. 24 25
Feeling peaceful
Peaceharmony
Halima, 11
A long held desire of the ‘human family’ is
the hope for peace and harmony between all
peoples - that people can live well together.
Living well together includes feeling safe,
feeling happy, feeling a sense of calm, getting
on well with each other, sharing with each
other, feeling included and respected, and
caring for the environment in which we
live. All of the values we have discussed – mutual respect, respect for self, kindness,
compassion, non-violence, social justice, respect for nature, help to create the peace
and harmony we desire.
Peace doesn’t just happen- it is created by our choices, our actions and our determination!
Can you think of any special rules and rituals, stories, prayers, songs or pieces of art
that are about promoting peace and harmony:
In your school?
In your community?
In Australia?
In the world?
peace harmony: achieving
a sense of goodwill between
all human beings, all groups,
all countries.
When my friend
gave me a pork bun it tasted
really yummy and I was
really happy that I had a
great friend like him. I was
very pleased and felt like
he was my best friend.
Darien
On my first day of school I met
Doris. I was really, really shy and I didn’t have
the confidence to talk to anybody. At the end of the
day when we were called to sit on the floor I was
sitting next to Doris when she pulled out a lollie.
I looked at it and she said, “My brother gave it
to me.” When the bell rang to go home,
Doris introduced me to Dora. So while our
mums talked we played together.
My Mum is from a place that has been
in wars. She doesn’t really talk about it but she
gets sad. I don’t really know what I feel. I can’t even
imagine. But I do think that when we have a problem
with a friend and people are upset it feels rocky
inside me. You can’t think. I like the feeling that
when there’s peace you breathe better – you feel
calm. I like calm, it helps me think.
A number of peace symbols have been usedin various cultures over time, one of the mostancient being the olive branch and the dove.This peace symbol was created in 1958 for thecampaign for nuclear disarmament. Can youthink of any other symbols for peace?
25
The most wonderful
thing that happened to me is when
I started school. Natalie and Doris
were helping me with things that I
needed help with, like showing me
where the toilets were and playing
with me at lunch and snack.
Farzing
Peace is
No fighting
No scary face
No angry scary rude face
Harmony is
Doing things together
Playing games.
Jonathan

14. 26
This section has been created as a guide for
teachers and parents to discuss: “How do we
live well together?”
It focuses on our commitment to nurturing
social learning, raising good people,
encouraging responsible citizenship, and
building strong communities. This quest has
been a significant and enduring part of human
aspiration and endeavour over the millennia
and one that even our youngest members can
(and should) participate in.
WHAT WE DID
The program was delivered using two two-hour
workshops – over a period of two to four weeks
(two values per group). It included a debrief
session, where students talked about all eight
values using the collected stories and artwork
as a discussion tool.
Workshop 1 (week 1): In part one of the
workshop, background knowledge and new
concepts were discussed. For part two,
students broke into small groups for a role play
activity. Each group brainstormed then acted
out a short scenario to demonstrate a particular
value in action. The role plays allowed them to
embody abstract concepts and ‘play out’ the
choices they make that enable all to live well
together, through events and experiences that
are familiar to them in their everyday life.
Workshop 2 (week 2): In this session, students
expressed their own personal stories and
observations of the shared values through an art
activity and a writing activity. The art activity
focused on a ‘place’ where they saw the value/s
occurring. Using black, white and grey card,
they created a silhouette of a specific place in
the community that they associated with this
value. This art activity opened the way for many
conversations about the connections children
have to their community and the places that
hold significance for them. The writing activity
focused on a story where they have shown or
seen the value in action and enabled the children
to articulate how they felt about their connection
to people, places, groups and institutions.
USING THIS RESOURCE
This resource will have particular relevance
to young people aged 10-13. At this age,
children are developing self identity, social
independence, social awareness and a social
conscience. The stories and designs developed
in this resource emerge from children’s
experiences and their desire to engage with
important ideas and concepts, especially the
idea of shared values. We hope that their voices
resonate with other young people. Here are
some suggestions about how the resource
might be used by teachers and parents:
USE THE VARIOUS
SECTIONS TO EXPLORE:
• definitions and synonyms (use appropriate,
familiar language, and build vocabulary)
• how values manifest in our lives and how our
actions and choices demonstrate our values
e.g. how they become “real”
• the connection between the local expression
of values and global issues
• diversity in communities through the
expression of different values through history,
culture, religion, secular traditions and customs
• the idea of shared values, for example,
‘Mutual Respect’ is an ideal value to
introduce the topic. (It is linked to ‘The
Golden Rule’ and there is a lot of cross-
cultural information available)
Use the children’s stories as discussion starters,
or as stimulus to create your own stories,
art work or role plays about your school or
community, or what makes them feel happy and
valued in their lives.
Explore one of the values in detail or develop
a series of sessions on each value. Focus on
specific shared values that are important to
your community.
a note for teachers and parents TIPS FOR CREATING YOUR
OWN SESSIONS
• Most schools have a values framework
or approach that influences the learning
culture or behaviour code at the school.
Use the language and frameworks of these
programs that young people are familiar
with and extend their knowledge with the
new materials presented in this resource.
• Use inclusive language and speak positively
about all forms of diversity (eg culture,
ethnicity, gender, family types, religious
and secular traditions).
• If challenging topics arise about diversity,
then draw the conversation back to the
shared values and the problem of how
actions sometimes contradict values. Draw
the conversation back to what enhances
our capacity to live well together. Modeling
this type of approach is an important skill
for young people to learn.
• Work from where young people
are at- use their knowledge
and their experiences
as a springboard to
exploring new ideas.
FURTHER RESOURCES
Maribyrnong Council website
http://www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au
• Lesson plans; presentations; resource
list and links; search suggestions; pdf
of Harmony Banner; Harmony Banner
quiz questions.
“Harmony project-mutual respect”
video used in the workshops:
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/
HotHouseProjects
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/
user/HotHouseProjects
Thank you: Maribyrnong City Council would like to thank the students, teachers and primary welfare
coordinators from Dinjerra, Footscray, West Footscray and Footscray North primary schools. Your support,
input, ideas and effort have been invaluable and inspiring. And many thanks to Helen Rodd for her dedication
to the development of the project.
Disclaimer: The information presented in this booklet is a guide only. Whilst all care has been taken to ensure
accuracy of the information presented, Maribyrnong disclaims all liability to a person in respect of anything,
and the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done in reliance, either wholly or partially upon
the whole or any part of the contents of this publication. Maribyrnong City Council recommends that users
exercise skill and care with respect to its use.
Maribyrnong City Council, Cnr Napier and Hyde Streets, Footscray VIC 3011, Australia
Phone: (O3) 9688 0200, www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au
27

15. One day me and my best friend Mira were
walking up and down Barkly Street, popping in and out
of our favorite shops and buying stuff. When we were walking
back to her house, we were waving to the people sitting in
cafes, people walking with a pram past us, people talking.
After that we felt really good. This is why my
community represents non-violence.
Audrey
On the Lunar New Year we had such
a big celebration and my family brought over
so much food. We all shared the food and it was
much more delicious when we ate it together. After that,
the adults had to give money to the younger members.
To receive the money we had to greet them by saying,
‘This new year I wish you good luck, and make sure you
remain as beautiful as you are now!’ It was the
best celebration of the year.
Anne
The Royal Children’s
Hospital shows non-violence.
It has an aquarium with a sign
saying, “DON’T BANG ON THE
GLASS,” because the fish get
a shock when people bang
the glass. I think fish are
peaceful and beautiful.
Zoe