$50,000 Initiative to Foster Kindness in Children Across Regional NSW

By Robert Heyward

The Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation has invested $50,000 in a pilot program aimed at nurturing empathy and reducing anxiety in young children across regional New South Wales. The initiative, titled ‘SeeMore Kindness,’ will be delivered by KIDS Foundation to 650 early childhood education centres in regions including the Central Coast, Hunter, Mid

North Coast, Northern Rivers, Central West, and New England.

Jackie Connors, Head of Customer Retail at Newcastle Permanent and spokesperson for the Charitable Foundation, highlighted the signifcant impact the project is expected to have on local families.

“This pilot will initially focus on 20 Early Childhood Education Centres but will ultimately reach more than 26,000 parents through a digital parenting book offering practical tools for raising emotionally intelligent children,” Connors said.

She emphasized that teaching emotional skills like kindness and empathy from a young age is crucial for lifelong success.

“We hope the children who receive the SeeMore Kindness training will grow into more confdent and understanding individuals. The Foundation is committed to supporting projects that drive positive social impact, and we are thrilled to support

KIDS Foundation in this important work.”

Dr. Susie O’Neill OAM, spokesperson for KIDS Foundation, expressed enthusiasm for the program’s potential to become a staple in early childhood education.

“We are delighted to deliver our new SeeMore Kindness module, which will beneft not only the children but also their families and educators,” Dr. O’Neill said. “Our curriculumaligned content provides practical lessons and activities designed to teach kindness as a practice for building empathy and reducing anxiety in children aged four to six.”

The long-term vision for the SeeMore Kindness program is to embed it into the preschool curriculum as a best practice for fostering lifelong emotional intelligence in children.

“With the help of our program, we believe that over time, children will become healthier, more connected, active, resilient, mindful, and kind,” Dr. O’Neill added.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation for their support, which has made this important program possible, and we are excited to see the positive impact it will have on children.”

For more information about KIDS Foundation and their initiatives, visit www. kidsfoundation.org.au