This week, Learning Links welcomed the team from Play Included C.I.C., who travelled all the way from the UK to bring their internationally acclaimed Brick-by-Brick® program to Australia.
The Brick-by-Brick® program, endorsed by the LEGO Foundation, is a clinically devised, child-led approach that is based on the latest research in neurodiversity and learning through play. Designed in conjunction with autism consultants, Play Included’s Brick-by-Brick® program offers neurodivergent children positive, meaningful social experiences in a playful and accepting environment. Through collaborative LEGO play sessions, children have fun, make friends, and develop their communication skills, confidence, and social and emotional wellbeing.
Over the last few months, Learning Links has been working with Play Included to evolve of our long-standing partnership and launch a brand-new collaborative program offering for professionals. Learning Links will be an official training partner of Play Included and the first to offer Brick-by-Brick® program training to education and allied health professionals in Australia.
Learning Links and Play Included share a common mission of empowering children thrive and realise their full potential. By training other professionals to facilitate the Brick-by-Brick® program, we can ensure many more children benefit from the valuable social experiences that Brick Clubs offer. Play Included currently offers the online Level 01 Initiate training for professionals internationally and Learning Links will be running face-to-face Level 02 Facilitator training in Australia, which provides a more immersive experience to equip professionals to deliver Brick Clubs with groups of children.
Michelle Button, Educational and Developmental Psychologist and Executive Manager Psychology at Learning Links, said: “At Learning Links, we’ve seen the positive impact of the Brick-by-Brick® program on children’s social skill development and emotional wellbeing for many years now. We are so thrilled to have the opportunity to share our knowledge and train other education and allied health providers to deliver the program, so many more children can benefit.”
Dr Gina Gómez de la Cuesta, Founder and Director of Play Included, said: “We are delighted to launch our Brick-by-Brick® program in Australia. As official partners of the LEGO Foundation and Learning Links, we are grateful for their support to help us bring our program here. Dr Eli Brett, Co-Director of Play Included, and Dr Jean McPherson, Senior Psychologist and Program Lead, are both looking forward to meeting and training the allied professionals at Learning Links to become registered Brick-by-Brick® program trainers. We at Play Included are delighted that the Brick-by-Brick® program will support children’s social and emotional wellbeing through fun and collaborative LEGO® play across Australia.”
Education and allied health professionals can learn more about the Brick-by-Brick® program and register for the training courses here: https://www.learninglinks.org.au/brick-by-brick-training/.
A 20% discount on the Level 01 training course is available with the code LEARNINGLINKS20. This is valid on all bookings until 16 August 2023.