School Volunteer Program ACT

Last updated
The School Volunteer Program ACT (SPVACT)
Founded2005
Location
  • Australian Capital Territory ACT
ServicesMentors, Confidants and Communicators
MethodVolunteering
Website https://svpact.org.au/

The School Volunteer program ACT (SVPACT) [1] [2] is a volunteer organization incorporated in the ACT, Australia. Its volunteer members take up roles such as mentors, confidants and communicators to help young students in ACT schools. Volunteers visit schools weekly during each school term. They provide one-on-one time with students in academic related activities such as literacy and numeracy. Mentors also work along with students in other activities such as building with Meccano, woodcraft, Lego, craft, and cooking. Volunteers come from various backgrounds including former teachers, engineers, economists, tradesmen, homemakers, lawyers, bureaucrats and business managers.

Contents

Overview

In 1997, a school volunteer program based on a Western Australian program [3] was introduced in Canberra by the Canberra Weston Creek Rotary Club. [4] Later on, the program was combined with two other existing volunteer programs, the School Volunteer trial program of Charnwood Primary School run at that time by St Barnabas Anglican Church, and the "STYLE" program run at that time by the Activities Probus Club of Weston Creek. In the end, the SVPACT which amalgamated all the programs, was launched in October 2005 [5] at North Ainslie Primary School by the Governor General of Australia, Major General Michael Jeffery. It works in partnership with the ACT Directorate of Education and Training.

SVPACT's stated goals, [6] are to connect volunteers who want to make a difference with young people in school who need extra help. It harnesses the wisdom and skills of older generations to enrich the learning experience of young people who are at risk of falling by the wayside in an often overburdened school system.

SVPACT's mission [6] is to prepare and connect inter-generational volunteers with children who have been identified by a school as likely to benefit from engagement with a mature role model.

As of 2016, up to 150 volunteers were providing mentoring services to 40 public schools in the ACT. [7] [8] [9]

Programs

First Meccano set donated by Carol and Charlie Dearling Meccano Box Donated by Carol Ver3.jpg
First Meccano set donated by Carol and Charlie Dearling

Awards

SVPACT was named the Volunteer Team of the Year 2015, in the Education, Science, and Technology category.[ citation needed ]

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References

  1. "Latham Primary School salutes School Volunteers". ISSUU.com. Public Education Voice Sep 2011. pp. 18–19.
  2. Powell, A. "6". Australia's Smallest Charities 2015 (First ed.). ISBN   9780733437694.
  3. "School Volunteer Program relaunched". Mediastatements.wa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 2019-06-25. Retrieved 2019-06-25.
  4. "The Raven" (PDF). Mediastatements.wa.gov.au. p. 2.
  5. "Launch of the School Volunteer Program in the ACT". Gg.gov.au.
  6. 1 2 "Mentor Information". Svpact.org. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  7. School, North Ainslie Primary (1 January 2003). "Learning is a Partnership". Nthainslieps.act.edu.au. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  8. School, Mount Rogers Primary (1 January 2003). "Special Programs". Mtrogers.act.edu.au. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  9. "Meccano: How it Works" (PDF). Macquarieps.act.edu.au. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  10. Nohra, Danielle (6 November 2018). "Judith wants to read all about it". Citynews.com.au. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  11. "Men who build trust with Meccano". The City News.
  12. "Volunteers use Meccano to reach students' hearts and minds". The Senior. 10 December 2018.