Flying Fox Education

Throughout school, from kindergarten to graduation, students are learning how to navigate the world. A core part of this journey is understanding how to treat others - how to be kind, how to celebrate difference, and how to include those around them.

Our Approach

We are passionate about supporting schools to ensure their students are equipped with the skills to build a more inclusive world, beginning within their own school community. With a focus on disability and neurodiversity, we help students develop the attitudes and skills that empower them to genuinely include and embrace their peers.

Senior School Workshops →
Primary School Workshops →
Group of young people outdoors celebrating, wearing casual clothes and green face paint, some with green accessories, smiling, clapping, and talking.

What students say about Flying Fox⤵

Schools Prioritising Inclusion

Caulfield Grammar School logo featuring a shield with a star, a book, and Latin text 'Labora ut requiescas'.
Monash University logo with crest and text
Logo of Kilvington Grammar School with a shield and the motto 'SAPIENTIA VIRTUS ET OPTIMUS' built into a banner below.
Wesley College logo featuring a purple lion with a raised paw, the name 'Wesley College,' and the location 'Melbourne Australia - Since 1866'
Logo of Melbourne Grammar School, an Anglican school, with a crest and open book, and text
Mount Scopus Memorial College logo with crest featuring a lion, crown, and olive branches, and text in English and Hebrew.
Logo for Ivanhoe Grammar School with a shield and crest, featuring two crossed swords, a crown, and a ribbon with Latin text, along with the school's name and the slogan "courageous and kind."
Bialik College emblem featuring a menorah, a Star of David, and the motto 'Step Forth With Courage' in both Hebrew and English.
Logo of Melbourne Girls Grammar School, an Anglican school, featuring a shield with a chevron, three crosses, a lily, and a banner with motto.
A logo with a stylized red and gold
FIRBANK GRAMMAR logo with a shield, crown, and Latin motto
A logo for The King David School featuring a stylized lyre with decorative foliage.
Emblem of St. Leonard's College featuring a shield with a cross, 14 white figures, a banner with the Latin motto 'Nulla Dies Sine Linea,' a book with Greek letters 'Alpha' and 'Omega,' and the text 'St Leonard's College' beneath.
The Yavneh logo featuring stylized stone tablets with Hebrew writing, a leafy branch, and a yellow sun with rays on a blue background.
  • Three young girls outdoors, one with purple face paint, smiling and posing with flexed arms, wearing T-shirts that read 'Flying Fox'.

    “Flying Fox gives young people an opportunity to lead, to work with participants and to grow in their understanding of how to treat others with respect and integrity."

    Head of Caulfield Grammar Senior School

  • Three women on a sidewalk, with one woman in a wheelchair receiving a teddy bear from another woman, while the third woman kneels and smiles.

    "The benefits to our students is immeasurable. They learn to look from someone else’s perspective, they learn to care for those who need our care and they learn how to have a resilient relationship."

    Vice Principal (Student Wellbeing) of King David School

  • A group of young people at a dance party, wearing headphones, dancing and enjoying music with a colorful digital backdrop.

    “Flying Fox has provided our students with transformative experiences that foster empathy, leadership, and a deep commitment to inclusion.”

    Principal of Leibler Yavneh College

Evidence Behind the Practices

Schools are inherently social environments where attitudes, friendships, and social norms take shape, yet students with disability are often more isolated than their peers (Biggs & Carter, 2016).

Research shows that both education about disability and direct contact with peers with disability are essential to fostering inclusion. Freer (2021) found that structured educational programs positively influence student attitudes, while Macmillan, Tarrant, Abraham, and Morris (2014) demonstrated that meaningful contact between students with and without disability improves understanding and acceptance.

More recent evidence, such as Rademaker, de Boer, Kupers, and Minnaert (2020), suggests that combining contact and education produces the most lasting attitude change.

Flying Fox is also informed by Chae, Park, and Shin (2019), who found that the number of sessions within such programs significantly affects outcomes, highlighting that repeated, authentic engagement is more effective than isolated or one-off experiences.

Together, this research underscores that schools play a pivotal role in promoting inclusion by embedding both social connection and structured learning about disability into everyday educational practice.

  • What is the Flying Fox Education Program about?

    Flying Fox Education offers inclusive workshops and immersive learning programs specifically designed to foster kindness, empathy, and diversity awareness in schools. By prioritising inclusivity and understanding, schools can nurture a culture where every student feels valued and empowered.

  • What does “Immersive Learning” involve?

    Students can enhance their learning by participating in camp programs or volunteering at weekly social activities, gaining hands-on experience that builds practical skills in real-world settings. Flying Fox’s immersive volunteering opportunities ignite curiosity and deepen understanding, enabling students to engage meaningfully with concepts. These experiences allow students to apply their knowledge positively while forming meaningful connections with young people with disability.

  • What sets Flying Fox apart?

    For over a decade, Flying Fox has delivered 100,000+ hours of social experiences for young people with disabilities, supported by 2,000+ volunteers. This work has deepened our understanding of building inclusive communities.

    We launched Flying Fox Education to create more compassionate, inclusive schools. Our dedicated young adult volunteers now help deliver impactful educational programs, inspiring the next generation to be more inclusive and embrace difference.

  • How does Flying Fox approach building inclusion and empathy?

    Our workshops equip students to appreciate diversity, embracing kindness, empathy, and respect. By fostering understanding and safe spaces, we empower young learners to challenge exclusion and build inclusive communities with empathy at their core.

  • What ages or school levels do you cater to?

    We cater to both primary school and high school students. Our workshops are designed to engage and support students across different school levels.

  • How can our school engage with Flying Fox Education Programs?

    To book or enquire about a Flying Fox Education workshop, please reach out through our Contact page. Our Education team will get in touch to discuss the workshops and answer any questions you may have!

Ready to make a difference?

Contact Flying Fox Education →