Every year the Aboriginal Literacy Foundation conducts a number of Literacy and Heritage Camps. These camps benefit hundreds of Indigenous children and family members throughout Victoria. The camps are conducted in Ballarat and surrounds, Gippsland, and Melbourne. The camps provide a fast-track intensive literacy learning program for some of the most struggling students in our wider tutoring program. With the support of Indigenous leaders, we provide an interactive literacy learning program within a Koori experience. The two day camp, held over a weekend, is aimed to engage and inspire the students through their literacy and numeracy learning pathways. The strength and success of these literacy camps is the concept of joint learning with their peers, parents and carers.

The camps have also been designed as a get-away and fun experience for some of our most disadvantaged students.

There are at least six camps each year held in Ballarat, and another six in other locations in Victoria. Our most recent camp was held on Saturday 25th October at Federation University in Ballarat.

The Literacy and Heritage Camps have provided a wonderful opportunity to make a real impact on hundreds of students every year. Our evaluation of the students on completion of the camps have highlighted some significant progress and improvements in literacy and numeracy skills, resulting in the vast majority of them moving closer to and/or beyond national benchmarks.

“I thought I was the only one, but at the camps I enjoyed spending time with other Koori friends from other areas who also struggled to read and write. Now I know I’m not alone” Stuart, Ballarat.