Schools engagement
Background:
The value of dairy is increasingly being challenged by public issues. The primary education sector is both a community/consumer group who are exposed to these issues, and a channel to address concerns about the dairy industry and promote its value.
Primary schools are an opportunity to present a coordinated dairy story, and also promote adequate dairy consumption to children who are a major dairy consumer segment. Children spend over half of each weekday at school, and schools have a priority to educate students about nutrition and where food comes from.
Children and teachers are often disengaged from the dairy supply chain and this has the potential to reduce their perceived value of dairy foods as well as their actual consumption behaviour.
Project objective:
Improve the perceived value of the Australian dairy industry and its products by ensuring teachers use the industry as a positive example when teaching students about ‘where their food comes from’, and the importance of dairy in a healthy balanced diet.
Project scope:
This project is delivered through three initiatives:
- The Discover Dairy website provides teachers with educational information that enables them to teach students about the importance of the dairy industry and its products. Teachers are most likely to search for educational resources on the web, and primarily access our website for food processing information rather than health and nutrition.
- Picasso Cows is a six week curriculum initiative that targets primary schools in dairying regions that are also feeder schools into our secondary schools program Cows Create Careers. It educates students, teachers and parents about the importance of the dairy industry and its products.
- Picasso Cows – The Great Wall of Dairy is a follow on initiative the Picasso Cows. It is creative and interactive curriculum project that will run in schools lready participating in the original Picasso Cows project.
Outcomes/benefits:
- Reinforce the value of the dairy industry and its foods among children, as the key to long term domestic demand.
- Teachers use the dairy industry as an example when educating students about where food comes from, thereby raising the industry’s profile.
- Australian primary school children are given opportunities to interact (both directly and indirectly) with the Australian dairy industry and dairy foods which generates a more positive perception of the industry and enables positive dairy consumption platforms for children.
- Promotes the Australian dairy industry as a positive contributor to Australia's economic, social and environmental platforms, and as a potential career consideration for the future.
More information:
For more information, please contact Vanessa Forrest, School Communications Brand Manager,