Reading, writing and numeracy are more than lessons to be ticked off at school. They’re key to ensuring that kids grow up to be active, engaged members of our society, but not every Australian child has an equal opportunity to develop these essential skills. That’s where The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF) comes in.
Founded in the late 1990s by Kim Kelly and Mary-Ruth Mendel, ALNF assists people in need of literacy support, especially those living in marginalised and underserved communities. It particularly supports literacy for students of refugee background and Indigenous communities and is also working to revive, maintain and revitalise Indigenous languages with its award-winning Living First Language platform.
Officeworks has been a proud partner of ALNF for the past 10 years. In that time, the funds raised through Officeworks have supported 26,500 children at 250 sites across the country and have meant that more than 350,000 books and 50,000 Literacy Packs have been sent to budding bookworms.
This year’s ‘Literacy is Freedom’ appeal encapsulates just what it means to build strong literacy skills from your earliest years. It’s a message actor and ALNF ambassador Luke Carroll is eager to support.
“If you get those basic skills of reading and writing growing up, it can set you in good stead for the rest of your life. It helps you with the educational journey and it opens doors,” he says. “Having those literacy skills early on in their life gives kids the freedom to be whatever they want to be: a doctor, firefighter, an actor; whatever career path they want to choose.”
Luke is passionate about closing the literacy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous kids. According to the 2019 National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy, only 32.6% of Indigenous Year 5 students in very remote areas are at or above national minimum reading standards, compared to 96% of non-Indigenous students in major cities. Here’s why the Wiradjuri man and Play School star wants to encourage you to make a difference.
How Important Was Education for You?
Without my educational journey, I wouldn’t be an actor. It was my school teacher, a relief teacher, in Year 3 who discovered me, in a sense. My problem was I was a bit of a class clown and tested the waters back then. In that first week, she saw something in me, held me back after class, and rang my mum. I thought I was going to be in trouble, but the teacher had other ideas: she was keen to set up a meeting with an acting agency. That’s where my acting journey began, basically, at the age of nine. Attending school and getting an education meant I was able to become an actor.
Why Did You Decide to Get Involved With ALNF?
I’m passionate about kids, I’m passionate about my culture and my people, and I’m passionate about closing the gap in terms of literacy. Then the opportunity came to jump on as an ambassador for the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation.
I’m keen on closing the gap for Aboriginal kids out there in our communities, so they align with the rest of society when it comes to reading, writing and all those things that encompass the organisation. I’m proud to be part of it and get this message out there.
SEE ALSO: Why Literacy Skills Are Important: Mary-Ruth Mendel
As a Kid, Did You Like to Read?
I loved reading. We had [Scholastic] Book Clubs – you could order books from a list every month – and there’d be spaces within the classroom where you could sit on the beanbag or at a table, get comfortable and read. My teachers were a big part of that, then I continued at home with my mother, so I loved it.
What Were Some of Your Favourite Books?
Any book by Roald Dahl. The BFG was my favourite one growing up, plus Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach and The Twits. I just loved the fantasy world he created and being able to be in that world as a kid while reading.
The BFG and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory were my two favourites. I read The BFG to my little fella [Enzo] when he was in kindergarten, and he dressed up as the BFG for his first Book Week. He had the big ears and everything.
Did You Learn Your Family’s Language as a Child?
I didn’t. I’ve only learned it as an adult. I mean, I knew words from Mum and extended family members, but only certain words here and there. There weren’t many resource materials around. Nowadays, my tribe, the Wiradjuri tribe, has an Elder, Uncle Stan Grant Sr, who’s revived the language. There’s a Wiradjuri language app, there’s a book, which is fantastic, and now the Wiradjuri language is being taught at TAFE. It’s been revived.
I want to do the course so badly but I’m just too busy. I’ve got the app downloaded on my phone, and I’ve enriched my own knowledge of it all. But growing up, it definitely wasn’t taught in schools.
SEE ALSO: 7 Ways to Help Your Kids Improve Their Literacy Skills
Why Should All Australians Make This Cultural Connection?
This is the oldest continuing culture in the world, and that’s something that all Australians should be very proud of. It’s the culture of Australia and it’s everybody’s culture if they want to be a part of it. It’s a beautiful culture, and we want everybody to learn more about it.
When we learn about the Indigenous culture of this country, are educated about it and embrace it, that’s when we can be truly united.
How You Can Support ALNF This October
If you want to help make a difference, you can donate to ALNF at Officeworks instore and online throughout October. Funds raised will go towards the organisation’s life-changing literacy programs to make sure all kids thrive at school and beyond.
