Leading retailer Officeworks has launched an annual nationwide appeal to raise funds to support life-changing literacy programs for children in marginalised communities across Australia.
Celebrating 13 years of partnership with the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF), the appeal has contributed more than $4.2m, supporting over 35,000 students and continues to provide access to life-changing support to improve literacy levels for Indigenous and marginalised children across Australia.
The Appeal, which runs throughout September and closes on Saturday 30 September, forms part of Officeworks' People and Planet Positive Plan commitment to raise $5m for local causes between 2020 and 2025 and supporting 30,000 students who need it most.
Making an impact and driving long-term sustainable change
Officeworks Community Manager Zoe Cairns pointed to research showing that one in five children in Australia are already developmentally behind before they even start school.
“Sadly, students who start school behind often stay behind,” Cairns told The Educator.
Cairns said Gillen Primary School in Alice Springs is a powerful example of the impact the Literacy is Freedom Appeal has made.
“ALNF started working with the school in 2016, and with Officeworks’ support they have supported nearly 200 students and over 20 educators and teaching staff with the Early Language and Literacy program,” she said.
“Recently, a review was made revealing that before ALNF started working with the school, the students were vastly behind the rest of the state in their results and now they’re exceeding and above average.”
Cairns said there are many studies and evidence showing that the work ALNF is doing “makes an impact and drives long lasting sustainable change.”
We’re passionate about ensuring every child in Australia can have an education, no matter what their circumstances are, and we are proud of our long-standing partnership with ALNF and of the positive impact we make together,” Cairns said.
“Thanks to the generosity of our customers and local communities, we are excited to help make a real impact in the lives of Australian children through this year’s Literacy is Freedom Appeal and empower more children to write their own bright futures and make bigger things happen.”
ALNF Co-Founder and Executive Director Kim Kelly said while being able to read and write is a basic human right, many Australian children continue to fall through the cracks of our education system.
“This traps these children in a cycle of vulnerability and illiteracy,” Kelly told The Educator. “One in 5 Australian children start school developmentally vulnerable, and that figure jumps to 2 in 5 if they do not go to preschool.”
Kelly said this is where ALNF steps in.
“Our unique projects and programs are anchored in experience and research, working shoulder to shoulder with marginalised communities across Australia for 25 years,” she said.
“We believe that solving one of the most challenging issues in Australia today requires sharing and exchanging knowledge, and new ways of thinking, acting, and partnering. And our Literacy is Freedom Appeal with Officeworks is an example of collaboration for true impact.”
Kelly said all funds raised go directly to ALNF’s work on the ground, supporting the families, children and communities that need the most help.
“We are proud to be partnering with Officeworks, an organisation walking with us towards equality and deeply committed to being a part of the change,” she said.
“Being able to read, write and communicate opens the door to a world where everyone has the confidence to express themselves, engage with society and share their stories. No child should be left behind.”
Helping Indigenous kids write their own stories
This year, ALNF ambassadors, award-winning actress Michala Banas and actor and Play School presenter Luke Carroll, are throwing their support behind the campaign again, encouraging Australians to donate to the appeal and support ALNF’s work to make literacy accessible to all.
Carroll said the reason he’s a proud ALNF ambassador is because he loves his culture.
“I'm a proud Wiradjuri Ngunnawal man, First Nations man, but I'm also passionate about education, and it's something that my mum instilled in me at a young age and throughout my life until her passing recently,” Carroll said. “I hope to instil this not only into my own children, but into all children.”
Banas said the Literacy is Freedom Appeal is important because ALNF and Officeworks are taking “extraordinarily important” work with literacy out into Indigenous communities and underserved communities.
“It's helping Indigenous kids right across the nation to build brighter futures for themselves, and most importantly, write their own stories.”