2021 Education & Employment Grants

Ardoch is a children’s education charity focused on improving educational outcomes for children and young people by increasing student engagement, building aspirations, and enhancing learning.

Ardoch received a $39,350 grant to increase the potential of children aged 3-8 years by providing them with the building blocks needed to learn – confidence, listening, social skills, and early literacy. The program will support students during the vital transition years from preschool to primary school.

The Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO) is a nationally recognised peak organisation in the disability sector representing people with disability.

The Australian Federation of Disability Organisations received a $35,000 grant to strengthen the educational, employment, and social participation of young people living with disabilities across the Geelong and Colac regions through the Passport 2 Employment program. This program is a partnership with the Geelong Local Learning and Employment Network and the South West Local Learning and Employment Network.

Back to Back Theatre creates new performance works for the stage and screen driven by an ensemble of artists who are perceived to have an intellectual disability and/or neurodiversity. The works have been presented around Australia and the world.

Back to Back received a $30,000 grant to support an increase in the organisation’s engagement within the local community and provide continued employment opportunities for people with a disability.

Barwon Disability Resource Council works to promote the rights of people with a disability, their families, and carers, and to support their participation in the community both socially and economically.

The Barwon Disability Resource Council received a grant of $39,385 to improve the futures of young people living with a disability, who are in contact with the criminal justice system. This grant will provide educational and employment pathways that lead away from criminal activity.

Bluebird Foundation is a Geelong-based community arts organisation creating and delivering arts programs founded on the belief that the arts have the power to create meaningful social change.

Bluebird Foundation received a grant of $40,000 to support parents in the 3214 and 3219 postcodes to develop their capacity as their child’s first and most important teacher. This program will build parental confidence to engage meaningfully with formal educational settings while improving long-term educational outcomes for their children.

CatholicCare Victoria assists people live life to the fullest, through their individual and family counselling, parenting support, pastoral services, employment support, emergency relief, housing, and refugee and asylum seeker programs.

CatholicCare received a $40,000 grant to improve the transition of refugee or asylum seeker youth from secondary school into further education or meaningful employment pathways, and to support them in navigating these new situations.

Cloverdale Community Centre is a Neighbourhood House/Learn Local organisation actively working to remove barriers to participation in community and education.

Cloverdale Community Centre received a grant of $10,000 to deliver pre-employment Learn Local training, focused on preparing people for entry-level, non-clinical roles in partnership with the health sector.

Common Ground Project is a not-for-profit organic farm located in Freshwater Creek that runs programs to support the wider region through education and employment in food and farming.

Common Ground Project received a $35,964 grant to assist participants in developing employable skills in the hospitality and agricultural sectors while supplying emergency food relief to those experiencing food insecurity through their Staying Grounded project.

Kids+ is a leading allied health provider supporting children, young people, and families, who are living with Cerebral Palsy and other similar neuro-physical disabilities.

Kids+ received a grant of $35,000 to help children and young people with complex communication conditions, for example those who are non-verbal to remain engaged or re-engage with their education by expanding their speech pathology and communication technology services.

MacKillop Family Services provides support to children, young people, and families through residential and foster care programs, education pathways, mental health programs, and parenting services. Annually, they provide support to almost 8,500 children, young people, and families across our region.

MacKillop Family Services received a grant of $35,000 to provide social and emotional support for traumatised young people in care, reducing symptoms of trauma and increasing wellbeing and learning achievements through its Therapeutic Life Story Work pilot program.

Multicultural Community Services Geelong (formerly known as Divsersitat) provides culturally and linguistically diverse specialist services in settlement, training, disability, financial counselling, and aged support to people.

Multicultural Community Services Geelong received an $18,160 grant to support their Family Learning program which is a wrap-around education program and to assist in delivering their Sunshine Circles and Homework Club programs in Colac.

Operation Newstart Geelong provides hands-on, outdoor, and personal development activities to re-engage young people (aged 14-17 years) who are at risk of disengaging from their education and/or are experiencing complex problems in their school and family settings.

Operation Newstart Geelong received a grant of $30,000 to continue to enhance and improve outcomes for young people participating in their program in 2022.

The Raise Foundation provides mentoring services to high school students in years 7 to 10 through trained volunteer mentors.

The Raise Foundation received a $35,000 grant to provide mentoring sessions at North Geelong Secondary College and Belmont High School.

Somebody’s Daughter Theatre Company is a unique company of artists whose mission is to work with, and support disengaged young people and people in and exiting the justice system through participation in specialised arts programs.

Somebody’s Daughter Theatre Company received a $35,000 grant to re-engage participants through personalised education pathways and the achievement of creative goals through the Nobody’s Fool Theatre program in partnership with Newcomb Secondary College. This program is a unique, arts-led education program aimed to re-engage young people back in their education.

EdConnect Australia pairs volunteers in mentoring and learning support roles with young people in schools who need extra assistance and guidance.

EdConnect received a grant of $35,000 to provide essential social, emotional, and academic support for students at risk of disengaging from their learning by expanding their services to partner with more schools across Geelong and the Surf Coast.

Skyline Education Foundation Australia works to empower gifted or academically talented students who are experiencing social and/ or economic adversity.

Skyline Education Foundation Australia received a $23,000 grant to support talented and resilient students facing social or economic challenges in achieving their academic and personal development goals throughout their VCE years.

The Song Room works in partnership with schools to improve student learning and engagement through participation in the arts.

The Song Room received a $35,000 grant to provide arts learning to students, build teacher capacity, and enable the school community greater connection with the learning environment with positive outcomes for students, teachers, and parents through The Teaching Artist program at Newcomb Park Primary School.