When Adele was completing Year 6 at a Traralgon primary school, she struggled with something most people take for granted: saying her cat’s name.
“I couldn’t say ‘Rory’ properly,” Adele Cantwell, 16, said.
“I’d always avoid saying his name out loud because I would say ‘W’ instead of ‘R.’ It was embarrassing.”
A passing conversation with her school counsellor, Ben Tunks, changed everything. Ben connected Adele to free speech therapy, funded through The Little Village Project. The result was life-changing.
Since then, Adele went on to win a writing competition and participated in a week-long camp where she came up with ideas for organisations and presented them on stage.
“During the event, I was complimented on my public speaking skills and told I had great confidence speaking in front of an audience,” she said.
“The Little Village Project truly helped me by getting me the speech therapy I needed.
“Now, I feel confident standing on a stage and speaking into a microphone in front of people.”
Delivered by Kindred Spirits Enterprises, The Little Village Project is a community-driven initiative that works with local schools and families in the Latrobe Valley to fund tailored interventions for children, helping them overcome barriers and reach their full potential.
Ben, the founder and Project Lead, said the project was about more than just direct support.
“This is about creating a culture where supporting kids is everyone’s responsibility,” he said.
“We’re changing the system, and our business community has a huge role to play.”
Already supported by key partners AGL Loy Yang and the Latrobe Health Assembly, The Little Village Project is also proud to have media partnerships with TRFM and GOLD 1242, helping to spread the message and inspire community involvement.
“At AGL Loy Yang, we are committed to supporting the communities where we live and work,” AGL Loy Yang General Manager Christo van Niekerk said.
“We are proud to partner with The Little Village Project to help local school children access the essential services and resources they need. Together, we can make a meaningful difference and create a stronger, more connected community.”
Latrobe Health Assembly Chair, Tanya Rong said “the Little Village Project is a powerful example of what’s possible when community, business, and care come together”.
“We’re proud to support an initiative that breaks down barriers and gives every child the chance to thrive,” Ms Rong said.
Ben is now calling on more businesses to join its growing village. Businesses can get involved through multi-year partnerships, one-off donations, workplace giving programs, in-kind support, or by bringing new ideas for collaboration.
Currently operating in the Latrobe City Local Government Area, the project aims to expand into Baw Baw Shire, Wellington Shire, and South Gippsland Shire, but reaching more children will only be possible with the support of business partners.
To help tell the story and bring the project to life, a series of videos will be shared across The Little Village Project and Kindred Spirits Enterprises’ social media channels and website from Monday 14 April — promoting the project and highlighting why local businesses are essential to building a village of support around children and families.
