Children begin forming ideas about difference, belonging and inclusion from an early age.
Schools have an important role to play in helping students understand that everyone experiences the world differently, and that disability is just one part of that diversity.
That is where Just Like You comes in.
Just Like You is Variety’s disability awareness program for students in Years 1–8. Through interactive, age-appropriate workshops, students explore disability, inclusion, empathy and the role they can play in creating a more inclusive school and community.
Understanding both visible and invisible disability
Disability is not always something we can see.
Some disabilities may affect mobility or movement, while others can influence communication, sensory processing, learning or the way someone experiences their environment.
Just Like You helps students build a broader understanding of disability, including both visible and invisible disabilities, while encouraging them to look beyond assumptions and stereotypes.
Rather than focusing on what someone cannot do, students are encouraged to recognise individual strengths, understand different needs and consider how their own actions can help others feel included.
Building empathy through conversation and experience
Learning about inclusion is about more than knowing the right words.
It is also about understanding how another person might experience a situation differently and recognising the barriers that can sometimes prevent people from participating fully.
Just Like You workshops are lively and interactive, giving students opportunities to ask questions, participate in activities and reflect on their own attitudes and behaviours.
As students progress through the program, the conversations develop with them.
For younger students, this may begin with recognising and celebrating differences. Older students explore topics including positive language, different forms of communication, stereotypes, accessibility and the barriers people with disability can experience.
Workshops designed for different year levels
Just Like You workshops are tailored to four different stages:
Years 1 & 2: Celebrating difference and creating inclusion Years 3 & 4: Understanding different forms of disability and the importance of positive language Years 5 & 6: Challenging assumptions and exploring different ways of communicating and participating Years 7 & 8: Understanding barriers and considering how inclusive language and accessible environments can help break them down
Each 45-minute workshop has been developed for the relevant age group and is aligned with areas of the Australian Curriculum.
One of the most important ideas behind Just Like You is that inclusion is something everyone can contribute to.
A student may not be able to change every barrier someone experiences, but they can choose how they communicate, how they respond to difference and whether they help make others feel welcome.
Those everyday choices can help create classrooms, playgrounds and communities where more people feel they belong.
By giving students the opportunity to talk openly about disability and inclusion, Just Like You helps build understanding at an age when attitudes are still developing.
Bring Just Like You to your school
Just Like You workshops are available for students in Years 1–8 and can be delivered face-to-face or digitally, depending on location and availability.
Schools can learn more about the different workshop stages, curriculum links and booking requirements through the Just Like You website.
