Fogarty Foundation Assist EdConnect to Reach New Training Heights
EdConnect welcome the support of the Fogarty Foundation in a new funding project which will concentrate on three main areas of development and training for our volunteers.
EdConnect CEO Gerri Clay speaks passionately about the project.
“We can’t thank the Fogarty Foundation enough for understanding the importance of training for volunteers and making the training possible. Without their support and contribution to the training project, we simply would not be able to achieve these amazing outcomes for our volunteers”.
“We are committed to providing volunteers with additional opportunities to participate in professional learning, which can be done online and in person. Each year EdConnect conducts an evaluation survey which seeks to understand what volunteers and member schools identify as necessary additional training. The 2020 survey indicated strong results and the new funding arrangement will concentrate on three main areas of training,” she explains.
- Creating an online Reading module
- Delivering Cyber safety education, and
- Training to support Children with Additional Needs
“Firstly, an online training module will be developed and will cover the areas of, understanding reading development and supporting strategies to build reading skills. The online module will significantly improve accessibility to training for volunteers.”
Children and young people are online now more than at any other time in history. They are heavily influenced by social media and their online experiences.
“Next, EdConnect is committed to empowering children and young people to have safe and positive experiences in the digital environment along with equipping our volunteers with the tools needed to respond to the issues that students may be facing online. A Cyber safety education workshop facilitated by the WA Child Safety Services will provide up-to-date information, guidance and strategies to support children and young people to navigate the digital world safely,” she continued.
“Finally, many students have additional needs. By providing volunteers with a professional development workshop facilitated the Dyslexia Speld Foundation – Literacy and Clinical Services volunteers will be better equipped to understand and support these students.”
These workshops will cover a range of topics including understanding and supporting children with additional needs and provide practical solutions that volunteers can apply.
In total, the Fogarty Foundation have funded over $8,000 in order to assist EdConnect to implement the three training initiatives.
