More Victorian schools will get additional support to help teach students about the Holocaust and stamp out antisemitism, thanks to an expanded partnership between the Andrews Labor Government and Gandel Philanthropy.
An additional 110 teaching teams at government secondary schools will undertake a professional learning program run by the Jewish Holocaust Centre before the end of 2022 – building on the forty government secondary schools undertaking the program this year, as announced in December 2020.
Equal contributions from the Labor Government and Gandel Philanthropy will provide a total boost of $150,000 for the ten-step program, which involves virtual and face-to-face components, including staff from the Jewish Holocaust Centre visiting schools to support curriculum review and planning.
The teaching teams will also be able to meet a Melbourne-based Holocaust survivor and hear first-hand their unique experience.
This expansion builds on last year’s pledge to ensure Holocaust education in every secondary school, as well as new and updated teaching and learning resources to be developed in partnership with Victorian Jewish community organisations and Gandel Philanthropy. These new resources are now available to schools.
The program uses these resources to help recognise the short and long-term causes and effects of prejudice, discrimination and, ultimately, genocide. It teaches students to become informed and active citizens, protect democracy, and value a diverse and inclusive society.
The Labor Government has also increased Courage to Care funding, established a dedicated hotline to report racism for schools, students and parents, and established a new student advisory group to advise on how to address antiSemitism and look at what more we can do to make sure our schools are inclusive communities.
As stated by Premier Daniel Andrews
“Anti-Semitism is on the rise both abroad and at home – you only have to look to the wicked bigotry we saw in the Grampians last month to see the evidence.”
“The Jewish community has made, and continues to make, a profound contribution to our state. Anti-Semitism hurts the Jewish community deeply, and it offends all of us.”
“All Victorians can be proud of the work Gandel Philanthropy does to talk to generations of students and help them understand the horrors of the Holocaust. It’s only through this sort of crucial work that we’ll ensure it never happens again.”
As stated by Minister for Education James Merlino
“A much greater emphasis on the teaching of the Holocaust will have a big impact on our students’ understanding of how much damage anti-Semitic behaviour can cause.”
“We are grateful to Gandel Philanthropy for their ongoing partnership in this important work in supporting our schools, so they can play their part in educating our children to value a diverse and inclusive society.”
As stated by Chair of Gandel Philanthropy, Mr John Gandel AC
“The Holocaust holds many valuable messages for today’s young generations, from learning what it means when people’s rights are eroded, or completely removed, simply because of their background, to finding out about the acts of humanity, compassion and sacrifice of people who stood up for the victims and the ostracised.”
“Through proper, deep and effective Holocaust education we can ensure that our young people become a force for good in this world.”
