Stories Change Lives

*** This is the registration page for the in-person event - for the LIVESTREAM, please click here ***

Stories have the ability to open up pathways to learning. They provide space for reflection and connection, and a place to explore ideas in a way that expands understanding and engagement.

Join Australian Children's Laureate SALLY RIPPIN, fellow children's author and educator LACHLANN CARTER, and Creative Theatre Producer MONICA STEVENS, for a discussion on the power of stories to engage young learners.

This event will provide primary and secondary teachers, future teachers, arts educators, librarians, and others working with children with insights into how to enrich young lives through stories.

And it will provide an opportunity for networking across sectors, providing artists and arts workers a space to engage with schools, libraries and arts organisations.

The panel discussion will explore ways to support how educators and children can learn about creativity - what it is, how they can access and participate in it, how to teach it and appreciate it, and assess it without applying value judgements.

Guests will be invited to contribute to the discussion during a Q&A, and stay for networking following the session.

MEET OUR PANEL

Sally Rippin is the current Australian Children's Laureate, and Australia’s highest-selling female author. She has written over 100 books for children and young adults, many of them award-winning. Her widely popular books are beloved across the globe, and have sold more than ten million copies. She is also author of Wild Things, a book for parents about how we read, and what can happen when we don't.

Lachlann Carter is author of the middle grade series Big Trouble (Hardie Grant Children's Publishing), and the cofounder and former CEO of 100 Story Building, a not-for-profit organisation based in Melbourne dedicated to supporting the development of creativity and literacy in children and young people. He sits on the board of the Primary English Teaching Association of Australia (PETAA) and the Education Equity Alliance. He now works with schools and communities in Cairns, supporting teachers to build capabilities in creative thinking.

Monica Stevens is an mBabaram woman, and Creative Producer at JUTE Theatre Company. She has a Master of Arts (Research). In 1980, she trained in Sydney to become a professional contemporary dancer and performed in national and international dance venues. She is a co-founder of Bangarra Dance Theatre. Monica is an independent artist and businesswoman, collaborating with schools, organisations and companies to bring First Nations culture to Australian people. Monica continues to advocate for lifelong learning and education by presenting theatre to young people—leading with passion and purpose.

MEET OUR HOSTS

Faith McDonald, Literacy Coordinator at the region’s largest school, Cairns School of Distance Education, will lead the discussion.

Henrietta Marrie, Gimuy Walubara Yidinji elder, will deliver the Welcome to Country.

LIVESTREAM

To ensure this event is accessible for those across the region who are unable to attend in person, we will be livestreaming it. 

Please following this link to register for the LIVESTREAM

Nitty gritty

• This event is free, and anyone interested in the topic is welcome to register - please share with your networks!
• To allow for traffic/chats with parents for teachers heading to the event after school, we will kick off proceedings at 4.15pm
• Sally and Lachlann will have books available to purchase before and after the session, with much thanks to Cairns Books
• If you have any questions at all, please email Lachlann Carter at lachcarter@gmail.com

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Presented with thanks to major partners JCU through the Roderick Centre for Australian Literature and Creative Writing, the Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation, and the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, along with the office of Michael Healy MP, Member for Cairns and Hardie Grant Children's Publishing.