School voucher program expanded

NEXT year’s Back to School voucher program is set to get a leg up in the region thanks to a partnership between three Ballarat organisations.

An additional 300 vouchers are set to be sent to children within Cafs’ out of home care or family support programs with $7500 each provided by UFS Dispensaries and the Ballarat Foundation for the scheme.

Ballarat Foundation CEO Andrew Eales said the initiative is an example of groups banding together for the community.

“To be able to bring together these three Ballarat institutions to support these children in need, we’re particularly proud of that,” he said.

“It shows we can come together with an aligned cause to make a difference.”

The vouchers can be used at Kmart and Target to help buy school supplies and clothing.

The Ballarat Foundation has been involved with Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal’s voucher program for nearly a decade.

The 2023 initiative saw 545 vouchers worth more than $27,000 distributed throughout the region with 45 of those vouchers going to Cafs.

Cafs has more than 50 active carers and CEO Wendy Sturgess said the partnership will ensure they can support them in doing what they do.

“This is instrumental for us being able to say to carers here’s some support and acknowledgement,” she said.

“These vouchers will be help them fill their budgetary gap and it also helps people in the community know that they’re valued.”

Wendy Brooks, a carer for about a decade, has been with Cafs for five years and said the vouchers will be a huge help.

“For the kids, they’re living out of home and all of them have a pretty bad story somewhere along the line,” she said.

“[They outgrow uniforms] and it’s expensive and repetitive and as a carer, you don’t budget. I had a budget for a single woman and now we’re a family of three.

“This makes it a little easier and the kids don’t see me being stressed and if I’m calm and happy, they feed off that.”