The decision to make a treehouse both the centre and the starting point for our protective behaviours game, was intentional. In this game, the treehouse represents the secure-base or safe haven. It was chosen as an alternative to the participants beginning their journey from home or school. We know for many children home or school is the location where abuse, neglect, bullying or other negative experiences may have taken place.
Treehouses signify freedom, playfulness, adventure and courage. As mentioned, perched up high in a tree, it is possible to gain a different perspective on life and the world around you. A treehouse also provides a space to process, decompress, relax and unwind - experiences we hope that children will have as they interact with this game.
Children need safe people and safe spaces for their healthy emotional, psychological, and social development. And there are many reasons why these elements are essential.
In summary, safe people and safe spaces are essential for children's well-being and growth. They provide the necessary emotional support, security, and nurturing environment that children need to flourish emotionally, socially, and academically.
More specifically looking into where we start our lives, where we start as a service sector, and where we start as decision makers.
As a team, ZOE has had a presence in Australia for well over a decade, but the main focus has always been on supporting the prevention, rescue and restoration work in Thailand as well as raising awareness and bringing education in Australia.
In terms of looking at the issue of domestic child trafficking, it’s only been the past two years that our attention has been drawn to what this crime looks like in our own country.
“Where We Start Matters”
In Australia ZOE is continuing to ask, “How can we assist in combating domestic child trafficking?” This is a very important question and one that we are exploring in depth. Now with an increased understanding of the problem in Australia, we are moving towards our goal of ‘rescuing every child’ and ensuring that no child is trapped in slavery and exploitative situations.
Treehouse Game: The aim of this game is to help children build (or redefine) strategies around how to identify safe people and safe places. Safe people and places are imperative in children's lives in order to establish strong connections and find trustworthy people they can share with when situations concern them. The objective also includes strengthening protective behaviours, healthy boundaries in relationships, and the skills to identify positive role models. The game focuses on the thought processes and language around recognising and calling out unsafe behaviour (within the game and in real life). This game is targeted at children 10-12 years old (Grade 4-6). Find out more about the game here.
Bringing Up Great Kids (BUGK) Program: The family environment is key for the prevention of abuse in childhood. Parenting programs have been shown to reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors associated with child maltreatment. To learn more about the Bringing Up Great Kids program click here.
Education and Awareness: We believe that creating a space for students to learn and ask questions from our team, will encourage them to think holistically about issues and embolden them to use their giftings and talents to become advocates for others. We offer a range of educational talks centered around child trafficking, Modern Slavery, ethical consumerism and exploitation. Each talk has been developed to be age-appropriate and can be modified to ensure that it meets the unique needs of your class. Find out more here.
Curriculum: We also have Year 9 and 10 curriculum. The Australian Curriculum gives teachers the opportunity to explore some of the big issues facing the globe today. These resources were developed to support Year 10, Unit 2: Geographies of Human Wellbeing and Year 9, Unit 2: Geographies of interconnections, with free downloadable versions available to comply with the Australian Curriculum Standards. The curriculum was written by Mark Easton who has written, co-written or contributed to more than forty textbooks for students and guides to support teachers in their use of these resources in the classroom. Find out more here.
On a cold Melbourne night in July 2019, my husband and I met Margaret at a ZOE prayer night. She offered to write a curriculum for churches to use in their kid’s ministry programs to encourage them to pray for children in slavery and those who have been rescued.
Since early 2020 when the planning began, the curriculum has been massaged and reviewed by several people, scripts written to match the content, and short videos recorded to enhance the learning experience. Finally now, after many months, the curriculum is ready to be released and provided free to churches, families and schools.
Despite the fact that it’s written for children, as one of the people who has been working on the curriculum, it has spoken to me too and reminded me many times of God's character and promises.
For example, many familiar Bible stories start with hopeless situations (Moses, Daniel, David and Goliath, Jonah, Noah). But just as Romans 8:28 tells us that God works all things together for our good, it’s important that we read and remember such stories. They change our thinking. They train our thoughts to be hope-filled. When we believe in God, we know that a situation that seems hopeless is not the end of the story! Our God is always good. When we invite God into our story, everything changes for good.
Working in the arena of child trafficking, the tasks that lay before us can oftentimes seem unachievable. Though there are days when we encounter ‘impossible’ situations that seem hopeless or too big, this curriculum reminded me again that God will anoint our work and give us ways to see problems through a different lens. It’s so wonderful that each theme in this prayer curriculum teaches children to see the world as God does, where no problem is too great and no child is out of His reach. It reminds children to ask God for ‘faith eyes’ to see things the way He sees them. Things that might seem impossible to us, are possible through His mighty power working through us!
There are 7 lessons included in this curriculum:
What is 'Hope' Like?
Eyes to See
We are Family
Finding a Way
God’s Treasure Hunt
Protection
Together is Better
And each lesson includes:
Warm-up (game or activity)
Group Time
Video
Reflection time/Talking with God
Small Group Time
Take Home Sheet
Comic Strip
Parent's Connect
Equipment List
The curriculum embraces topics such as trusting in God. Trusting in God means putting all our faith in His perfect love and letting go of all our fears. God has a plan. There is nothing God cannot do. It reminds children that they are a child of God and that He loves them. He walks with them. He encourages them. He protects them. He has a wonderful plan for them in this world.
It also covers how as God’s children they can ask God to give them Heaven’s ideas and plans to solve every need or problem here on earth. God wants them to see problems through His eyes of wisdom and understanding. He wants them to see challenges the way He sees them.
One of the most impactful lessons though is the one about the power in the words we speak and how our words create life or death! It encourages children to pray "No!” to the injustice of child slavery and poverty and declare it is not okay! And pray “Yes!” to life, declaring God’s promises over the children trapped in slavery.
If you or your church would like a free copy of this curriculum, please contact us at info@goZOE.org.au and we will gladly share this free resource with you.
