Delivered in partnership with Raising Literacy Australia, this inaugural project is aimed at supporting and improving literacy outcomes for Aboriginal children, because while 23.8% of children in South Australia start school developmentally vulnerable, this figure rises to 42.5% for Aboriginal children – a gap that the project seeks to address in culturally meaningful ways. (Australian Early Development Census)
The project will build on the successful early childhood development campaign, Words Grow Minds – a universal program that demonstrates how everyday activities like talking, reading, playing and singing with babies and young children can help them to thrive.
The adaptation of this campaign is already underway and will be grounded in collaboration with Aboriginal leaders and service providers, reflecting the understanding that the most effective programs are those shaped by Aboriginal voices.
Brenz Saunders, Chair of Raising Literacy Australia’s Aboriginal Leadership Group says, “Closing the gap starts with listening. The most powerful programs are those co-designed with Aboriginal people. Our vision for this project is to ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed in their early years, with every family able to access early literacy support in a way that is palatable to their learnings, traditions and perspectives.”
