Give Where You Live is proud to support Good Beginnings through a two year $140,000 Grant to support their work with students in the Northern Suburbs.
Good Beginnings believes all children deserve a good beginning and is working with Northern Bay P-12 College (NBC) to share the vision of the Northern Bay Promise. The Promise is a commitment to the Northern Suburbs that students who actively engage will have the opportunity for further education or employment.
The majority of children and youth are attending school, doing well and achieving. However, a significant number still need support and for example, are starting Prep without being school ready.
The Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) measures five areas or ‘domains’ of early childhood development. These are based on teacher assessments and domains are closely linked to predicting good health and doing well at school.
| Vulnerable on one domain | Vulnerable on two domains | |||
| 2009 | 2012 | 2009 | 2012 | |
| Vic. | 20.3% | 19.5% | 10.0% | 9.5% |
| Corio | 62 (30.7%) | 78 (33.1%) | 33 (16.3%) | 51 (21.7%) |
| Norlane, North Shore | 35 (41.2%) | 26 (30.2%) | 16 (18.8%) | 15 (17.2%) |
There are three key elements to this collaborative, place-based project by Good Beginnings:
“ONE”: Develop a Wellbeing of Postcode 3214 Children & Youth Report (that is, Corio & Norlane). Essentially, this is an even more highly targeted example of the State of East Gippsland’s Children & Youth Report – covering a single postcode rather than a region.
“TWO”: Develop a coordinated community response to evidenced gaps in wellbeing
“THREE”: Facilitate the the Northern Bay Promise pathways for successful transitions to post secondary school education, training or employment.
The ultimate outcome of the Promise is that ALL children of Northern Bay College finish school and achieve work or tertiary study or enter skilled training. This clear agenda envisages a community where any child expects to achieve an outstanding education and a healthy, happy future.
Thanks to the Innovation Grant from Give Where You Live, the first stage of the project – compiling our Wellbeing of 3214 Children & Youth report – is in sight. The Wellbeing Report aims to set a benchmark of needs, celebrate successes and guide a collective response to improving the wellbeing of local children and youth. The Wellbeing Report will ensure that anyone who works with the community will understand it’s specific needs and priorities for action, as identified by the partnerships between the Norlane/Corio community, Good Beginnings Australia , and the Promise Project.