Adapting to a changing world

Over the past months, it feels like nothing in our new Covid-19 environment remains the same. Rapid change seems to be the only constant, but Ardoch is rising to the challenge. We are adapting our programs to ensure our school and early years partners can continue to benefit from Ardoch volunteers, and Broadening Horizons experiences, in new and engaging ways.

Many early years centres have requested virtual clips regarding how to best use the Early Language and Literacy, and Curious Young Minds resources. We are currently filming some videos of our wonderful volunteers demonstrating how to use the materials, and these clips will also be used in the future to support Ardoch volunteer training.

Our education volunteers and schools are missing each other. To help them to stay connected, 35 volunteers will be writing letters to classes they are matched with. The letters will be screened by Ardoch staff and delivered electronically to school teachers. Ardoch will also be piloting three newlydeveloped Literacy Buddies® programs, which will be delivered by about 50 education volunteers, in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. This is a fantastic way to use the skills which education volunteers bring to Ardoch, particularly at a time when they cannot resume classroom work just yet.

Thanks to some fabulous speakers who are sharing their expertise and pathway to employment with us, we are enhancing our Speed Careers programs with a pilot series of short clips. Soon we will be able to deliver the virtual Speed Careers programs online, while we look forward to an enhanced face-to-face Speed Careers program in the future. In addition, Ardoch is delighted and proud to be partnering with Dymocks Children’s Charities to deliver over 800 books to grade 2 children in our partner schools in Geelong.

So yes, times have changed for all of us. However, we are working hard to ensure our partner schools and students continue to receive the benefit of Ardoch programs, which are needed now more than ever before.