The Andrews Labor Government is supporting and empowering young Victorians of African heritage to achieve their potential in school by allocating $3 million to establish a Homework Club Grants Program and employ School Community Liaison Officers.

In Dandenong two initiatives will deliver supports that aim to remove the barriers that African Victorian primary and secondary students experience in education, so they can achieve the best educational outcomes.

Community in Abundance Inc. will work with students and parents in Dandenong, operating from St Mary’s PS, providing homework support, mentoring, career advice and workshops.

At Lyndale Secondary College in Dandenong North, Victorian Youth Support Services Association (VYSSA) Inc. will work operate a Homework Club for up to 60 students, delivered on-site with African tutors.

School Community Liaison Officers will act as culturally responsive advisors to support positive learning outcomes in eight host schools and up to 23 surrounding schools across Melbourne with a high proportion of students with African heritage. This will include students enrolled in Victorian schools across Western, North Eastern and Southern Melbourne including schools in Dandenong.

The officers will respond and build awareness of African Victorian student needs, ensure parents are included in school processes and foster student engagement and wellbeing.

The $3 million investment in these initiatives will support better education outcomes for African Victorian school students, and is part of the Labor Government’s $8.6 million Victorian African Communities Action Plan.

The new initiatives have been designed and delivered in partnership with the Victorian African Communities Action Plan Implementation Committee, which comprises a diverse group of African Victorian community leaders.

Read more about the initiatives at: www.vic.gov.au/empowering-african-communities-victoria