The Coonamble Times has been a great supporter of Literacy for Life Foundation’s work, sharing regular updates about the impact of the town’s Aboriginal Adult Literacy Campaign. The paper’s latest article covering our graduation, in December 2024, is shared below, with permission.
Literacy for Life graduates celebrate
Ten Literacy For Life students celebrated their graduation with a celebratory lunch at the Bowling Club on 11 December after back-to-back intakes this year.
The graduates for this year include: Robyn Johnson, BJ Jones, Lance Jones, Mark Jones, Racheal Jones, Samantha Jones, Zerlia Jones, Lakeisha Thurston, Leiannah Thurston and Jan Wood. June Lawrence received a certificate of participation.
Four of the graduates returned to the course after completing a previous intake.
The classes helped students gain literacy skills while incorporating other activities about digital literacy, dietary requirements, and Aboriginal culture.
“I was hesitant to join this class because I already knew how to read and write but I’ve realized that it was so much more. I realised I couldn’t spell as well as I used to. It’s been a long time since school,” Literacy for Life student Mark Jones said.
“There’s the computer side of things and learning things about Aboriginal culture that I hadn’t learned before. “I’m really glad that I came to the class.”
CEO of the Literacy For Life Foundation Professor Jack Beetson was there to congratulate the graduates on their progress. He said he was proud but not surprised to see the Coonamble Literacy For Life Foundation make it this far. The first Literacy For Life group opened in Bourke in 2013.
Literacy for Life has been delivered in 15 other locations, including Brewarrina, Walgett, Collarenebri, and Wilcannia. Coonamble had its first intake last year. “People said it won’t work here but it does.”
The program emphasises having local teachers and staff leading the campaign.
“Participants feel culturally safe because they’re with their own families. In many places, everybody around them is their family.”
The Literacy For Life campaign started off with a survey of residents in Coonamble to find out what their needs are and what they want to learn. “A part of the survey was asking, ‘Is this something you want in your community?’ and every community said, ‘You’re the first to actually ask if we want something.’,” Mr Beetson said. Originally from Brewarrina, he says the educational system is not geared to support the cultural, spiritual, and learning needs of Aboriginal people. “When we have people who are 40 or 50 coming through, sometimes you can understand. But when you have people that are 15 coming in, then you know the system is still failing many of our own.”
The youngest Literacy For Life participant this year in Coonamble was 16 and the oldest 74. “Learning is the only way we’ll ever be able to close the gap,” Mr Beetson. Literacy For Life is hoping to soon secure enough funding to keep the campaign going for another two years.
This article was published 18/12/24 and is also available on The Coonamble Times website.
