An update from our Safedance for Kids Project Manager
Written by Mia Hollingworth
Cairns Update
Ausdance QLD (Julie + I) travelled to Gimuy (Cairns) to deliver Child Safety and Safedance for Kids information sessions to the dance community there. The event was presented at the lovely Bulmba–ja venue and was a collaborative and productive trip…
The focus of the visit was on explaining upcoming changes to Child Safety legislation that will impact dance studio owners’ operations. A summary of the new laws and regulations aimed at enhancing child safety were addressed, how these will alter existing responsibilities and what Ausdance QLD are doing to support and resource its members.
It was also the first time the curtain was raised on the Safedance for Kids Program and our guests/ members received a preview of the learning journey and content they will encounter. The intimate open forum meant we were able to open the floor to questions, clarify any concerns regarding these changes as well as listen to our dance communities and what they value and need from us.
It is evident that upcoming changes to compliance requirements around child safety are a significant concern to our dance teaching and leading community. Teachers are wanting and needing a program that addresses the safety concerns of children in a dance context to continue to provide a safe environment for children, their families and teaching staff so everyone benefits as a community and sector.
The interest in the program and feedback has been immediate and very responsive, with studio owners and teachers eager to get started as soon as the program is ready to go. Pilot delivery is expected to roll out later in the year through to early 2025. Watch this space for regular updates and news...
To register your interest in being a SDFK program delivery partner in 2025 click here!
SDFK Update
What else is going on behind the scenes of the SDFK program….
A heartfelt thank you to the education writers, experts in their fields, who have contributed to the learning modules of the program. Their work has delivered engaging, enlightening, dance-specific content and inspiring lesson plans that address key safety concerns for young dancers aged 8-10, including physical safety, body image, nutrition, social and emotional well-being, with online safety soon to follow.
The review and refinement of the program is on-schedule and well underway, and we will soon welcome an experienced education program designer to offer valuable guidance on shaping the learner journey. Their expertise will help ensure that the Safedance for Kids program remains both accessible and equitable for all participants.
We are thrilled to announce our partnership with the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, ‘a national not-for-profit organisation dedicated to protecting children and young people from violence and trauma wherever they live, learn, and play’. Together, we will develop Module 5 – Online Performance Safety – tailored specifically to the needs of the dance community.
I am confident studios and dance teachers who participate in the SDFK program will gain practical insights, valuable tips, and illuminating "a-ha" moments. They'll discover that prioritising child safety in dance education can be fun, creative, and seamlessly integrated into any type of dance activity.
To register your interest in being a SDFK program delivery partner in 2025 click here!
About the Author
Mia Hollingworth
Safedance for Kids Project Manager
Mia Hollingworth is an Australian educator, content writer and performance artist based on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. A dance graduate of the Victorian College of Arts 1996, her career as a contemporary dancer for live and film work has seen her collaborate and tour with some of Melbourne’s leading experimental contemporary companies and choreographers from 1997-2007. During a lengthy hiatus from practice and performance, Hollingworth became a mother and returned to study in the field of somatic practices in Yoga + Pilates and also completed a Bachelor of Education in 2017. Since moving to the Sunshine Coast, Hollingworth returned to her art practice and has since been a grant recipient to create in a number of local activations, festivals, and community arts development projects. Hollingworth is committed to dance advocacy through contributing to conversations, writing and education and feels privileged to join Ausdance QLD in the development of the Safedance for Kids Pilot Program.