The St.George Foundation is funding the expansion of Life Education’s Mobile Learning Centre, as it aims to deliver it’s services to more schools in Perth’s low socio-economic areas.
The increase in funding means an extra 8000 primary school students will be reached in the Perth area, with the ever-popular giraffe Healthy Harold remaining an integral part of the mobile education van.
Life Education WA partner with primary schools to deliver vital health and safety messages through 14 curriculum-based programs covering health, safety, cyber safety, issues around smoking, alcohol and illegal/legal drugs.
Many schools from Perth’s low socio-economic areas cannot afford the cost of delivery fee for the Mobile Learning Centre.
Now, thanks to $50,000 in funding from St.George Foundation, Life Education can reduce, and in some cases waiver, the fee for those schools most in need.
WA State general manager of St.George broker distribution Tony Monaco said he was pleased they were able to deliver the program to more students.
“We are pleased to deliver one of Australia’s most recognised youth education programs to an extra 8000 students across metropolitan Perth,” he said.
“St.George is proud to support an organisation helping our young people make considered decisions about their own health and well being.”
Life Education WA chief executive Bernie Foley said their program was developed around the current national school curriculum.
“Our programs are developed with outcomes schools are looking for in their health and welfare programs,” he said.
“We have four Mobile Learning Centres operating in the Perth metro area, covering from Two Rocks in the north, down through to Mandurah in the south, and out into the Hills Area as far as Wooraloo.”
Mr Foley said there were a large number of Perth’s primary schools located in low socio-economic areas that cannot afford the cost of the Life Education Program.
“The fee we charge helps towards the towing of our Mobile Learning Centre, educators wages, books for students, and a small amount for administration,” he said.
“This support from St.George means we are able to reduce our fee and through our programs, empower more children to make safer and healthier choices.”
The St.George Foundation was established by St George Bank.
It has partnered with more than 800 community organisations across Australia over the years to invest more than $30 million to improve the lives of Australian children who are physically, socially or economically disadvantaged.
