The Gender Expansion

Program details

Program description

The Gender Expansion is an interactive full day workshop that aims to broaden participants’ understanding of gender.  Through early childhood pedagogy, participants will gain practical skills to support all children’s wellbeing through practices that improve gender equality and gender diversity outcomes. The workshop is best delivered in person due to its interactive design, but can be delivered online if required.

The program is comprised of 2 parts; ‘Belief’ and ‘Practice’. ‘Belief’ is of a general nature. ‘Practice’ is specific to early childhood education and is delivered in conjunction with the 'Belief' workshop.

Part 1: Belief (3 hours):

• Unpacking current beliefs of gender and how these influence practice
• An exploration of the different perspectives of gender throughout history, across cultures and the natural world
• Separating sex and the different spectrums of gender
• Learning to identify and disrupt gender stereotypes in practice and play
• Gender diversity and its relevance to early childhood education.

Part 2: Practice (3 hours):

• Forms of gender education and how to recognise and make changes to practice
• Gender through an Anti-Bias Lens
• How to work with families and manage differences of opinions
• Practical steps for creating safe spaces to support the gender development of all children
• A guest speaker speaking from personal experience of gender diversity in early childhood.

Optional follow up reflection meeting (one hour):

• A follow up online team meeting for further discussion, questions and reflective practice.

Detailed cost

• Belief and Early Childhood Practice Workshop for a whole team (up to 40 people): $2,900 (including GST), plus travel costs.
• The cost includes a 6-hour in-person workshop and a one-hour online follow-up team reflection discussion. 
• Belief Workshop for a whole team (up to 40 people): $1,800 (including GST), plus travel costs.
• The cost includes a 3-hour in person workshop.
• Travel costs are additional. Please contact the provider directly for a quote.
• Cost may require amendment if there are more than 40 participants or requests to modify workshop content.

Implementation considerations

• Target population: early childhood teachers, educators and leaders whose work directly impacts children and their families.
• Program/practice descriptions and details: full-team professional development session is ideally delivered in-person. 
• Program adaptability: the workshop can be conducted online if necessary.
• Staffing: gender inclusion work is best implemented through a whole service approach, so the provider recommends this workshop is undertaken on a day when all staff are available. There is no minimum number of participants. 
• Tools and systems: the online meeting is conducted via Teams or Zoom, and a projector or monitor and internet access is required for the in-person workshop.

VEYLDF alignment

Item uses these practice principles

• Reflective practice
• Partnerships with families
• Equity and diversity

Item responds to these sub-outcomes

Children become strong in their social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.