Connecting Schools with Indian Communities

The program is part of the Victorian Government's strategy for further developing Victoria’s relationship with India over the next 5 years: Victoria's India Strategy: Our Shared Future 2025-30.

Benefits for students

The program provides guidance and funding for Victorian government schools to run activities and initiatives that:

foster a greater understanding and connection to students' own community and to the community of their peers from the Indian diaspora
encourage critical reflection on how community institutions and intercultural experiences influence attitudes, values and beliefs
provide exposure to tangible illustrations of global interconnectedness and opportunities to explore Indian culture, histories and stories directly from those in Victoria’s Indian community
enhance awareness of the role culture plays in identity, and in fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion in society.

Benefits for schools

The program provides schools with support to:

build stronger community connection and pride
improve wellbeing and educational outcomes for students by supporting individuals and communities in connecting with their cultural backgrounds, contributing to students’ personal growth and self-efficacy
increase access to skills, resources, ideas, training, mentoring, and support from Indian diaspora community and business organisations.

Benefits to families and the broader community

The program supports families and the broader community to:

build a more comprehensive network of support for students, families, and schools
enhance understanding and respect for the local community
provide opportunities for community members to share their skills, knowledge, experience, and resources with schools and students.

Key dates

To register for the online information session on 6 February 2025, visit: CSIC Information Session. A recording of the session will also be sent to registered participants.

To express interest in the 2025 round of funding, please email a completed Application Form to global.learning@education.vic.gov.au by 5pm on Friday 21 February 2025.

CSIC guide

For more information on the 2025 program, see the program guide.

CSIC Program Guide

CSIC projects from 2023

The following schools and projects were granted CSIC funding in 2023:

Dohertys Creek P-9 College

Used mosaics and explored colors, shapes, components, and compositions prevalent in Indian art to design a community art gallery with a local artist and families within the community.

Keysborough Secondary College

Explored physical activity as a social and cultural practice through learning about Yoga and its significance in Indian culture.

Lyndhurst Secondary College

Supported the recognition of International Yoga Day and created a yoga club during community Diwali celebrations. They also organised an Indian night market, and a cultural dance and music education program.

Preston South Primary School

Interpreted and compared how representations of people and culture in texts are drawn from different historical, social, and cultural contexts through production of a Bollywood film with the students and a week of activities exploring and celebrating Indian cultures.

Wheelers Hill Secondary College

Explored the spices, ingredients, and cooking methods prevalent in Indian cuisine, with input from the Indian community, as part of a Year 9 Food Technology unit. This was done alongside establishing a Learning Mentor program with students from local universities, representing Indian communities, for lunch and after-school clubs.