Our mission is nothing short of transformative – we aim to make exercise as habitual as brushing teeth, and to achieve this, we believe in empowering educators with the gift of physical literacy. This initiative will have a profoundly positive impact on children's holistic development today and throughout their futures.

We are thrilled to introduce you to the MoveMentor: Empowering Educators for Physical Literacy & Gross Motor Skills Program, and we will delve into why our mission is of paramount importance.

 

Our journey is driven by a desire to change some concerning statistics:

• A recent report from the Australian Early Development Census 2021 reveals that 22% of children are starting school developmentally vulnerable.
• Shockingly, less than 1 in 4 kids participate in the recommended 60 minutes of daily exercise, according to the AusPlay national survey 2015-2018, 2019.
• Alarming predictions indicate that children born in the decade starting 2023 may have shorter life expectancy than their parents, as reported by Health and Wellbeing Queensland in 2022.

Extensive research underscores the urgency of our mission:

• Studies, such as the work of Galla et al. in 2016, highlight the remarkable benefits of combining mindfulness and movement for self-regulation from the age of 4 up to 18.
• Research conducted by Hornsby et al. in 2020 suggests that Pilates enhances flexibility, muscle strength, postural control, core stability, functionality, quality of life, and pain reduction in children.
• Notably, both aerobic and anaerobic exercise stimulate the release of growth factors and neurotransmitters in the brain, improving brain plasticity (Wittfeld et al. 2020, Chaddock-Heyman et al. 2018).

So, what is the MoveMentor Program all about?

The MoveMentor Program is designed to support the development of social-emotional skills, physicality, thinking and responding abilities, oral language and communication skills, and promote accessibility and inclusion for children of all abilities, while laying the foundations for a healthy life. Our program is tailored to fit the busy educator's schedule and comprises both theoretical and practical components.

The theory course is structured into manageable modules that educators can complete over a year, with an estimated time commitment of around 20 hours.

The practical component is an exciting and inclusive adventure for both educators and children. Educators have the unique opportunity to witness firsthand how Pilates classes work, guided by a qualified exercise physiologist. These face-to-face classes, held for 30 minutes each week during the school term, vividly illustrate the benefits of our program for children's development.

Upon completing the MoveMentor Program, your educators will:

• Possess a comprehensive understanding of child development and the ability to design targeted exercise programs for children aged 1-12 years.
• Demonstrate proficiency in using Pilates principles to enhance the holistic development of children and address movement faults within this demographic.
• Exude confidence in promoting positive attitudes toward exercise and creating engaging workout sessions.
• Be equipped with effective techniques for teaching children and addressing common movement challenges.

Our mission is to empower educators, enhance the lives of children, and uplift our entire community. We are excited to embark on this journey with you, and we look forward to the positive impact we can create together.

If you have any questions or need further information, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're here to support you every step of the way.