Teaching and Australian Citizen Statement

Statement affirming and outlining Holy Child’s commitment to teaching our children:   What it means to be an Australian Citizen

At Holy Child we are committed to creating an environment which supports the development of effective Australian citizens, who have an awareness of the values and systems which underpin our democracy.

We strive to ensure that our children develop the following:

  • an understanding of, and commitment to, Australia’s democratic system of government, law and civic life
  • the capacity to clarify and critically examine values and principles that underpin Australia’s democracy and the ways in which these contribute to a fair and just society and a sustainable future. These values/principles include:
    • care and compassion
    • doing your best
    • a fair go
    • freedom
    • honesty
    • trustworthiness
    • integrity
    • respect
    • responsibility
    • understanding
    • tolerance
    • inclusion
  • the knowledge, skills and values that support active citizenship and the capacity to act as informed and responsible citizens
  • an appreciation of the local, state, national and global rights and responsibilities of citizenship and civic life
  • an appreciation of the experiences and heritage of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their influence on Australian civic identity and society
  • an appreciation of the uniqueness and diversity of Australia as a multicultural society and a commitment to supporting intercultural understandings within the context of Australian democracy
  • an understanding of the ways in which citizens and governments contribute to environmental sustainability in local to global contexts and a commitment to adopting values, behaviour and lifestyles required for a sustainable future
  • an appreciation of the influence of media, information and communication technologies on the views and actions of citizens and governments
  • an understanding of historical perspectives on Australia’s development as a democratic nation
  • an understanding of the ways in which governance structures from other countries are similar to or differ from democracy in Australia.