Children from disadvantaged communities often start school developmentally vulnerable, and continue to fall behind through their school life. As the Grattan Institute Report Widening Gaps: What Naplan tells us about student progress (2016) highlights, children from disadvantaged communities fall several years behind their peers over the course of their school life.
Our mission is to increase engagement in education, build aspirations and enhance the learning outcomes of children in disadvantaged communities.
Ardoch also works intensively in areas of high disadvantage through our place-based work. This is where dedicated Ardoch staff work with schools and early years services in the region to deliver programs that respond to the specific needs of the children in the local communities as identified by our school and early years partners.
The majority of our programs are delivered by volunteers from the community or workplaces. We recruit and train Education Volunteers to work intensively with students one-on-one or in small groups to develop strong foundations of education, while workplace volunteers engage with the students through letter-writing, blogging and other learning experiences that enhance the children's language, social skills, confidence and aspirations.
Ardoch Youth Foundation is a children's charity providing education support for disadvantaged children and young people. We deliver tailored education and wellbeing programs that address barriers to education, develop skills and broaden horizons. We mobilise volunteers to support schools and early childhood centres and advocate for change.