A My State Foundation Grant has helped Tasmanian kids reach their full potential thanks to a Bloxel Buddies Social Skills group developed at VisAbility Children’s Therapy Centre in Bellereve.
The valuable funding from MyState Foundation (link opens in new window) provided the funds to purchase initial Bloxel sets so VisAbility Tasmania could run a fun, interactive and informative specific skills-based group for school aged children.
The group offered an opportunity for participants to experience and develop social skills in a high tech environment providing a chance for them to gain communication and collaboration dexterities along with design and coding abilities on an individual level.
Children use ‘Bloxels (link opens in new window)’ to teach them the skills that involve computer coding. The program consists of a grid with coloured blocks that can be arranged in different patterns to create interactive characters, landscapes and virtual worlds. Use of an iPad application brings the block creations to life on the screen.
Via group work the participants have to negotiate each other’s virtual worlds, working in a collaborative framework to create an interactive computer game. Several highly successful groups have run through out the year, engaging children and increasing their social skills.
These kinds of programs improve the ability for children to integrate in their natural environments such as school and sporting situations. This then helps increase school attendance, capability to work in groups and awareness of others and their needs at home with family and friends, increasing confidence and self-esteem. Thank you to MyState Foundation in helping to make these services possible.
For more information about our Bloxel Buddies – social skills group contact us at ctcreception@visability.com.au