A mini supermarket established right on the grounds of a North Wollongong school is expected to equip students with valuable employment and broader life skills.
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Para Meadows School, which provides education for children with special needs and disability, on Tuesday opened its Mini Woolies, a mock store that includes real groceries, ticketing, signage, staff uniforms and checkouts with working registers.
Senior students at the school will 'work' within the store, which principal Gillian Hendry said provided the opportunity for them to develop job and money handling skills.
Ms Hendry said they would also benefit from practising their visual communication skills, social skills and general life skills, as well as building their independence.
The store is located next to the home science room, which means younger students will be able to go there to 'purchase' their groceries after planning their meal, then head into the kitchen to prepare it.
Ms Hendry said the shop would serve as an environment for primary school-aged students to play at shopping.
"From kindergarten to year 12, everybody's going to have a different opportunity in the store," she said.
Prior to the arrival of the miniature supermarket, Ms Hendry said, only senior students were able to go out on community access excursions to shop.
She said the school did have a smaller version of a shop that a teacher created with a grant, but in contrast to this store, it was only stocked with play food.
"Having seen firsthand the passion and creativity of students and staff at our other Mini Woolies stores across the country, we look forward to seeing how the Para Meadows School community uses their new Mini Woolies store to help students gain independence and develop new skills," Laurence Bennett from Woolworths Group said.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
