Dr Tony Cree, with Anne Cooper and Steve Johnson

The Aboriginal Literacy Foundation is an incorporated association, registered and based in Victoria, Australia. Founded in 2003 by Dr Tony Cree OAM, our work builds on our founders 25 year+ career in education and involvement with the Indigenous community.

Prior to the foundation’s incorporation, Tony was a leading member of the Aboriginal Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ATAS), and was responsible for the coordination of a number of tutors around Victoria. However, funding to the scheme came under enormous pressure from budget cuts. As such, Tony’s work in this field was significantly reduced. Tony decided not to continue working under such pressure and constraint, and in 2003 he established the Aboriginal Literacy Foundation.

The Aboriginal Literacy Foundation is historically based in Ballarat, Victoria, where we still continue to provide tutoring at our Ballarat Learning Centre, and our Literacy & Heritage camps. However, in 2010, our national administrative office was established at Ross House in Melbourne, Victoria, where we continue to work today.

Our organisation works largely in Victoria, although we have a vast national reach through our network of partnerships and our national Books for Learning program (see ‘where we work’). It is estimated that our programs and partnerships reach some 60,000 individuals, family and community members.

The Aboriginal Literacy Foundation is a 100% privately funded organisation. We are honoured to count some of the largest and most prestigious philanthropic and corporate organisations in Australia amongst our benefactors. We are also very grateful to have the support of over 1500 individuals from communities across Australia and overseas.