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Extracurricular activities are a quintessential element of Australian education and from music and performance to sport and community service, the choices are near endless. Research indicates that there are many potential benefits from academic achievement to mental, physical and social well-being. However,   John Hattie (2009) suggests that it is likely that the effects from socioeconomic resources are more influential during the pre-school and early years of schooling. There are 2 factors that heavily influence Extra-curricular activities for students from families with lower social economic status.

Financial investment and Time investment

Provided some resources to assist Teachers with this issue.

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Students access to technology inside and outside of the classroom is commonly referred to as ‘The Digital Divide’. This divide refers to more than just access to technology, but the ways in which in it is utilised (Harris, Straker, Polllock, 2017). For schools to bridge ‘The Digital Divide’ it will take more than just a dusty rack of iPads in the corner of the room.

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Katz, Corlyon, La Placa and Hunter (2007), found that socio-economic status does not affect parenting capacity however low-income parents are four times more likely to feel chronically stressed which can negatively affect a child’s education. Through supportive schemes and providing access to relevant information, the Victorian government has created a structure to help families in need of assistance.

Katz, I., Corlyon, J., La Placa, V., & Hunter, S. (2007). The relationship between parenting and poverty. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

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School Uniform Relief for Disadvantaged Students | State Schools' Relief (SSR)

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Child FIRST - Child and Family Information, Referral and Support Team

Child FIRST is a State Government Initiative to help vulnerable families, children and babies.

The primary purpose of Child FIRST is to ensure that children, young people and their families are linked effectively into all relevant services.

Family Life is a partner service provider in the Southern Victorian region from Portsea to Port Phillip.

Call Family Solutions Child FIRST on 1300 721 383.

Child FIRST can help with:

providing support for you and your family

information and advice

linking children, young people and their families into community services

identifying and understanding what your family needs

assisting families to work towards their goals and meet their needs

support in joining groups such as playgroups, young mum's and dad's groups, parent education groups, volunteer and mentoring support programmes and social support groups

Child FIRST Referrals

Child FIRST was set up under the Children Youth and Families Act Vic (2005) to be the entry point for all Family Services support programs.

If there are concerns about the well-being of a child (this can include an unborn child), Child First is the first point of contact.

A report should be made to Child Protection if you have immediate concerns about a child's safety, stability or development.

Is it confidential?

A person making a referral may choose to have their identity remain confidential. However, in most cases, better outcomes for the child, young person and family are achieved when a referral is made with their consent and participation.

Child FIRST operates confidentially in line with the Children Youth and Families Act Vic (2005 and the Privacy Act).

How much does it cost?

Child FIRST programs are free and available to families of any cultural background with children aged 0 to 17 years. If you are pregnant, you are also eligible to receive support to help you prepare for the birth of your baby.

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Child FIRST is a State Government Initiative to help vulnerable families, children and babies. The primary purpose of Child FIRST is to ensure that children, young people and their families are linked effectively into all relevant services. Family Life is a partner service provider in the Southern Victorian region from Portsea to Port Phillip.

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The Orange Door is a new way for women, children and young people who are experiencing family violence or families who need assistance with the care and wellbeing of children to access the services they need to be safe and supported.

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http://services.dhhs.vic.gov.au/early-parenting-services

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Call 13 22 89.

The National Relay Service is available to help callers with a hearing or speech impairment. For:

TTY users, call 133 677, then ask for 13 22 89

Speak and listen users (speech-to-speech relay), call 1300 555 727, then ask for 13 22 89

Internet relay users, connect to the National Relay Service, then ask for 13 22 89.

The Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) is available (24 hours, 7 days) for callers who speak other languages. Call 131 450.

Website: visit Parentline Victoria

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Call 13 22 89. The National Relay Service is available to help callers with a hearing or speech impairment. For: TTY users, call 133 677, then ask for 13 22 89 Speak and listen users (speech-to-speech relay), call 1300 555 727, then ask for 13 22 89 Internet relay users, connect to the National Relay Service, then ask for 13 22 89.

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Support Information for Child Safety and Family Services

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Support Information for Child Safety and Family Services

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https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/children-youth-and-families

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Raising Children Network is supported by the Australian Government. Member organisations are the Parenting Research Centre and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute with The Royal Children's Hospital Centre for Community Child Health.

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Support is available to parents in the City of Melbourne through individual appointments, practical parenting advice, information sessions and child development clinics.

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Teachers and schools can help improve the health of all students through knowing their students, being educated on possible programs and referring to health professionals, as supported by Winicki & Jemison (2003).

Winicki, J. & Jemison, K. (2003). Food insecurity and hunger in the kindergarten classroom: its effect on learning and growth. Contemporary Economic Policy 21(2), pp.145-157.

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Food Insecurity

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2016 Foodbank Victoria Distribution Map

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Breakfast Clubs

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With the generous help and lunch-making skills of a dedicated army of volunteers, Eat Up makes and deliver thousands of lunches a month to schools around Australia. In fact, since 2013, we've delivered over 250,000 lunches. Which is over 250,000 afternoons of learning salvaged from the grips of hunger.

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We are registered with most major health funds and some of our fees can be claimed back through private health insurance. We suggest you get in touch with your fund to see if you're eligible.

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Not all children get an equal start in life.

Today, one in six Australian children and young people are living in poverty ¹, where even life's basics are hard to come by.

When families are experiencing financial disadvantage children can fall behind with their learning, leaving them more vulnerable to experiencing hardship themselves later in the life.

Research shows children and young people living in disadvantage have access to fewer books and learning materials in the home. Access to support and resources forms the foundation for learning. In many cases, the parents of disadvantaged children may not have the skills or experience to support their child's education. As these children get older, they have fewer role models, and access to mentors and networks that are critical for creating educational opportunities to help them build their aspirations and be motivated to learn.

The Cycle of Disadvantage

The effects of growing up in poverty go beyond the home environment. For over 1.2 million Australian children and young people ¹ this can negatively affect their school life and mean they are less likely to achieve the educational outcomes (and in turn employment outcomes) that then limit their overall life outcomes, passing on disadvantage to the next generation.

Families receiving our support face some complex and often compounding challenges:

All of them live in low-income families

More than half live in single-parent family, with 6% living with another relative or in foster care

Around 40% of students and 50% of their parents / carers have a health or disability issue

More than half have a parent or carer who didn't finish Year 12

More than 70% of students have a parent or carer who is not in paid employment

One in five students in Years 5 - 12 have attended four or more schools

Three in 10 Learning for Life families/children do not have a computer or tablet connected to the internet

the impact of disadvantage

Disadvantaged students are on average 2-3 years behind in reading and maths by the time they are 15 years old. ²

The reading gap between the lowest socio‑economic status (SES) students and the highest SES students is equivalent to almost three years of schooling. 3

Year 12 completion rates are significantly lower (60%) for students from low SES backgrounds than for students from high SES backgrounds (90%). ⁴

University students from high SES backgrounds are three times more likely to attend, than students from low SES backgrounds. ⁵

We need a comprehensive national framework for reducing child poverty, with targets and publicly reported figures so we can measure it over time and determine which policies are most effective.

Now is the time to tackle child poverty as a national priority. Let's not go back to business-as-usual as we recover from COVID, when we have an opportunity to make things better.

During Anti-Poverty Week 2021, Doug Taylor, Smith Family CEO, called for a national framework for reducing child poverty. Read more.

why is education so important?

Research shows that completing Year 12 (or equivalent) increases a young person's likelihood of continuing with further study, as well as entering the workforce. 6

It also leads to higher annual earnings for individuals, greater community involvement and economic benefits for the country as a whole.

Not completing Year 12 can lead to:

Increased crime and poorer health outcomes among early school leavers

Nationally lower levels of productivity

Reduced quality of the labour force

Increased unemployment

Lower growth in income tax collections⁶

Education attainment is an important predictor of future employment, welfare and health prospects - and it improves [a person's] ability to contribute socially and economically in the community.

how we help break the cycle of disadvantage

Our Learning for Life programs support children and young people to participate more fully in their education by providing innovative, evidence-based programs and emotional, practical and financial support throughout their schooling and tertiary education.

Our programs give disadvantaged students the skills, motivation and essentials to stay in school and get the most from their education so they can create a better future for themselves.

Breaking Poverty: A New Smith Family Podcast

A hand up, not a hand out

Firsthand stories of how education is playing a role in breaking poverty.

¹ Poverty in Australia, 2020, ACOSS/UNSW Report.
² Thomson et al, 2011, Challenges for Australian Education: Results from PISA 2009.
³ Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, 2011, Review of school funding final report.
⁴ Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2012. National Report on Schooling in Australia 2010: Additional statistics.
⁵ Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, 2008, Review of Australian Higher Education Final Report.
⁶ Access Economics 2005, The economic benefit of increased participation in education and training. Dusseldorp Skills Forum and Business Council of Australia, Sydney.

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Poverty in Australia | The Smith Family Australia

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Today, one in six Australian children and young people are living in poverty 1, where even life's basics are hard to come by. When families are experiencing financial disadvantage children can fall behind with their learning, leaving them more vulnerable to experiencing hardship themselves later in the life.

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Brimbank Council After School   Activities

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Brimbank Council After School   Activities

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After School Activity Zone - Learning in Brimbank

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Keilor Library is conveniently located near the Keilor village shops and is attached to the old Keilor Shire Hall. The library offers a boutique range of collections and facilities and is ideal for those library lovers looking for a quiet environment. Programs are run for all ages and the Keilor Art Shed is set behind the library.

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Which extra-curricular activity is right for your child?

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Which extra-curricular activity is right for your child?

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Extracurricular activities are a quintessential element of Australian education and from music and performance to sport and community service, the choices are near endless. The benefits are varied, offering the opportunity to make new friends, become part of a team, learn new skills, expand knowledge, boost self-confidence and enhance independence.

As your child nears the end of their primary school education, they will become exposed to an increasing amount of extracurricular activities, so it's important for parents to understand what they have to look forward to.

Here are some of the more common extracurricular options.
Music and performing arts
Many schools hold productions, often at the end of the year, with plays or musicals comprised of students that perform on stage and assist with behind the scenes work. These are a great social opportunity for single-sex schools to collaborate with a brother or sister school. Most schools also offer pupils the chance to learn a variety of instruments, with specialist teachers available for private or group tuition. Depending on the instrument, students may perform in ensembles and bands. Private lessons often involve preparation for the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) exams, which provide nationally recognised qualifications in music, speech and drama.
Sport and outdoor education
The majority of schools group pupils into houses and hold annual competitions for swimming, cross country running and athletics, with elite performers given the chance to represent their school at district, regional or state levels. Inter-school sport is also common, allowing students to compete against nearby schools in football, cricket, hockey, netball and tennis to name a few. Outdoor education excursions and school camps may involve the opportunity to try alternative activities such as skiing, orienteering and surfing.
Personal development programs
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is offered in several high schools across the country to young people aged 14 to 25, with awards delegated for finishing a tailored program comprised of physical recreation, volunteering, adventurous journey, skill and residential project. The award is completed at bronze, silver or gold level over of a certain time period. Cadet programs are another example, featuring activities such as navigation, orienteering and first aid.
Academic competitions
There are many academic competitions open to students in subjects like maths, science and English, as well as in more specialised areas such as IT or economics. The International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS) program is conducted by the University of New South Wales to gage aptitude in computer skills, English, mathematics, science, spelling and writing. The Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiads and the National History Challenge are also available. Debating is another great option, whether it's an internal contest or testing students against other schools in local competitions.
Leadership and community service
School want to encourage their students to demonstrate leadership qualities, allowing them to apply for positions as captains of a particular area or a spot on the Student Representative Council (SRC). There are normally a variety of leadership positions available, ranging from school and house captains to more specific roles in sport, faith or art. Students may also get the chance to attend leadership conferences or camps as part of their role. Community service is also looked upon favourably and could consist of anything from joining Amnesty International, raising funds for charity or tutoring fellow pupils. Some schools even have dedicated exchange programs where a group of students will visit remote villages interstate or abroad to help the local community, although this tends to occur later in high school.
Other opportunities
These options won't necessarily appeal to your child so it's wise to see what else is available or whether there are activities your child can get involved with outside of school. Exchange programs with overseas sister schools and international study tours to countries that correspond with a language the student is learning are not only academically advantageous but an excellent cultural experience.
For more information visit www.goodschools.com.au. This article originally appeared in Aussie Kids Magazine - Which extracurricular activity is right for your child?

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Which extracurricular activity is right for your child?

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Extracurricular activities are a quintessential element of Australian education and from music and performance to sport and community service, the choices are near endless. The benefits are varied, offering the opportunity to make new friends, become part of a team, learn new skills, expand knowledge, boost self-confidence and enhance independence.

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Young Australian prospects still come down to where they grow up

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Young Australian prospects still come down to where they grow up

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http://theconversation.com/young-australians-prospects-still-come-down-to-where-they-grow-up-102640

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Hattie J. Visible Learning. A Synthesis Of
Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating To Achievement [e-book] (2009). London ; New York : Routledge, Accessed September 17, 2018.
Broh, B. (2002). Linking Extracurricular Programming to Academic Achievement: Who Benefits and Why? Sociology of Education,75(1), 69-95. doi:10.2307/3090254
Sauerwein M, Theis D, Fischer N. How Youths' Profiles of Extracurricular and Leisure Activity Affect Their Social Development and Academic Achievement. International Journal For Research On Extended Education [serial online]. 2016;(1):103. Available from: Academic OneFile, Ipswich, MA. Accessed September 17, 2018

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A socioeconomic related 'digital divide' exists in how, not if, young people use computers

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A socioeconomic related 'digital divide' exists in how, not if, young people use computers

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How schools can bridge the 'digital divide'

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How schools can bridge the ‘digital divide’

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The Educator investigates why computer-based technologies may not be improving student outcomes.

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As a part of the Australian Government's National Innovation and Science Agenda, ACARA has been funded to support the implementation of the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies in some of Australia's most disadvantaged schools.

ACARA will soon commence training eight Digital Technologies specialists, who will travel to low socio-educational level schools in each state and territory as a part of the Digital Technologies in Focus project, providing support and expertise to primary and secondary school teachers.

One hundred and sixty schools with a low ICSEA (index of community socio-educational advantage) rating have been invited to participate in the project. From July 2017, leaders and teachers from these schools will participate in workshops to support the implementation of Digital Technologies subject within their schools.

In 2018, the Digital Technologies specialists will conduct regional professional learning workshops with teachers and school leaders. These workshops will be customised to the specific needs of participating schools, with webinars and online mentoring complementing face-to-face events.

ACARA CEO, Robert Randall, said it was particularly important that the Digital Technologies specialists work collaboratively with schools to address their specific, individual needs and focus on 'tackling the digital divide'.

"We need to ensure that students most at risk of falling behind in the digital age are given opportunities to participate and engage," Mr Randall said.

"Our 2014 report into the National Assessment Program - Information and Communication Technology Literacy assessments showed a significant decline in the mean performance of both Year 6 and Year 10 students between the 2011 and 2014 assessments. This decline is highly concerning as it illustrates a pressing need for students to learn about, and work with, traditional, contemporary and emerging technologies that shape the world we live in."

Mr Randall believes the initiative would provide a valuable professional development opportunity for teachers to strengthen their skills in Digital Technologies, with professional learning and leadership workshops, support materials and ongoing online support provided by ACARA.

"Through this project, school leaders and teachers will develop their Digital Technologies knowledge, understanding and skills, and in turn, students' computational thinking and ICT capability should enhance," Mr Randall said.

"Our Digital Technologies specialists are skilled teachers with intimate understanding of the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies. By sharing their valuable knowledge, we can better support students' digital learning outcomes in some of the most disadvantaged schools in our country."

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Digital Technologies specialists to visit disadvantaged schools

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As a part of the Australian Government's National Innovation and Science Agenda, ACARA has been funded to support the implementation of the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies in some of Australia's most disadvantaged schools.

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This article is part of the Democracy Futures series, a joint global initiative with the Sydney Democracy Network. The project aims to stimulate fresh thinking about the many challenges facing democracies in the 21st century.
The digital divide in Australia is narrowing as more people become internet users. Three billion people globally are online today, with some eight new users every second.

The United Nations emphasised bridging the digital divide as part of the Millennium Development Goals. However, although the costs of telephone and internet services have declined, digital disparities persist in many developing countries. The 2015 ICT Development Index reveals that, while the internet penetration rate in the developed world sits at 81%, two-thirds of the developing world are still without access.

So far, the issue of the digital divide is largely seen as a gap in access to information and communication technologies (ICT). This access-centric discourse has led the development community to focus overwhelmingly on improving physical access to technology. In doing so, they believe they can bridge the gap between developed and developing nations.

The International Telecommunications Union annual reports regularly recommend ways to improve "connectivity". These include reducing the price of broadband and telecommunication subscriptions. Since 2003, the World Bank has spent more than US$9 billion on ICT development aid in more than 100 developing countries.

The five dimensions of digital inequality

Policymakers have a tendency to use a single factor, such as access, to judge ICT development. Digital inequality cannot be reduced, however, to a binary view of access. Governments and development bodies need to differentiate between types of online activity and pay attention to the inequalities among internet users.

We can break the digital divide down into five dimensions of inequality.

Inequality, in technical use, refers to the varying degrees of physical access to the internet and how that might affect an individual's usage. For example, lack of broadband in rural America has been shown to negatively affect socioeconomic opportunities, out-migration and social connections in remote communities.

The extent to which people have autonomy in their internet use depends on where, when and how often they use it. New studies of "cyberslacking" reveal that people in higher positions at work tend to use the internet for more personal purposes than their lower-status colleagues. Contrary to previous assumptions, personal use of the internet at work is not only a distinctive trait of people who lack home-internet access, but also of those with higher levels of computer literacy.

Evidently, inequality in skill - broadly defined to include technical, cognitive and socioeconomic factors - affects if and how the internet is used. A concept like "digital literacy", which is defined as "mastering ideas, not keystrokes", suggests that being part of the information society goes beyond having access to a computer.

flickr/Beyond Access, CC BY-SA

Knowledge of English (the de facto language of the internet) can determine one's likelihood of being part of the digital world. Empirical studies across non-English-speaking countries find that a lack of English knowledge can impair an individual's online experience, as well as their ability to retain information.

All this points to a need to rethink ICT development policies, to place greater emphasis on the socio-economic conditions that underpin access. We need to avoid policies that do not tackle inequality in a holistic manner.

Lessons from Thailand, India and Peru

Thailand's 2011 One Tablet Per Child scheme aimed to provide nearly one million free tablets to schoolchildren. The widely criticised scheme, costing taxpayers US$50 million, was flawed from the start.

Critics argue that the policy was a populist campaign measure, not a well-thought-out plan to reduce digital inequality. Many doubted that teachers would receive proper training. Instead, they believed the government would dump the tablets onto teachers without a concrete implementation plan or consideration for those who did not know how to use them.

The microchip manufacturer Intel, which helped with the technical launch of the program, was also concerned about "the lack of electricity and adequate facilities" to support tablet use in some schools.

flickr/Ratchaprasong, CC BY

Overall, the program's achievements have been mixed. It took nearly two years for the pilot project to roll out because the government could not get a manufacturer to produce the tablets at the price it had promised voters.

Even if schools received the tablets, some were not equipped to implement the program. A report based on 12 primary schools in 2013 shows that only half the schools had internet connectivity fast enough for tablet use. It also reveals that school administrators were not provided with any guide for incorporating learning through the tablets, and not all teachers knew how to use and maintain the tablets.

If the overall policy goal was to improve the education of Thai students in disadvantaged areas, the government neglected to set out assessment criteria.

The One Tablet Per Child Policy is now dead following the ousting of the government in the May 2014 coup.

A similar project on a larger scale failed to even get off the ground in India. The plan was to make 22 million Aakash Tablets available to students at a subsidised price of $35. The politicians overpromised on technologies that could not yet be delivered.

When the policy was conceived, there seemed to be little discussion, let alone forethought, about the infrastructure and support for use.

Likewise, five years in, the Peruvian government's $200 million tablets-to-schoolchildren policy is difficult to justify. Poor teacher training in poorly equipped schools in remote areas has left many doubtful about the effectiveness of the program.

One Peruvian education official admitted:

... what we did was deliver the computers without preparing teachers.

The official even lamented that the digital gap among students may have widened.

Wikimedia Commons/OLPC, CC BY

What next for the digital divide?

Policymakers who dream of digital technologies as the quick fix to their development problem need to think twice before committing financial resources to policies that look good on paper, but fail in practice. Part of this failure is due to the technologically deterministic approach officials take. Another element is the view that a development gap can be closed by a tool or through internet access.

The clear lesson from Thailand, India and Peru is that reducing digital inequality depends on much more than access to products. Instead, it's about developing human capital that will allow society to benefit from technological advancement.

Instead of brandishing cheap tablet policies to woo their constituents, politicians should consider the socioeconomic conditions required for a policy to succeed.

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More technology doesn't mean less inequality

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This article is part of the Democracy Futures series, a joint global initiative with the Sydney Democracy Network. The project aims to stimulate fresh thinking about the many challenges facing democracies in the 21st century. The digital divide in Australia is narrowing as more people become internet users.