The Readings Foundation

61 applications for funding were received, which is an increase on the 44 applications received for the last grant round. The Foundation will support projects that specifically target literacy outcomes for children and adults through a variety of educational methods, and will support writers in a professional context via a number of fellowships and programs.

Readings Managing Director, Mark Rubbo OAM, who established The Readings Foundation in 2009, said on behalf of the Foundation Trustees, ‘Increasing education and literacy is crucial to enabling people to participate in our community. We see that there is a great need to support community engagement and help improve the general wellbeing of individuals by providing resources and funding programs that will improve literacy and provide education to those who might not otherwise have the opportunity. Thank you to our customers whose generous support and donations make it possible for The Readings Foundation to help those in need.’

Eleven organisations will receive funding for their projects in 2013. The successful grant recipients are:

The Wheeler Centre - $20,000
To support the Hot Desk Fellowships which will provide a $1,000 stipend to 20 writers, and a place to write at The Wheeler Centre.

Save the Children Australia - $20,000
To support the delivery of an after-school literacy and homework support program for refugee children aged 4-12 years who live in high-rise housing commission areas in Fitzroy, Collingwood, Carlton North and Richmond.

Melbourne Citymission- $20,000
To establish and trial a new education initiative to develop literacy skills of marginalised young people in Melbourne’s West.

100 Story Building - $17,650.00
To resource 100 Story Building with essential equipment to deliver their programming in their first year of operation in 2013.

Ardoch Youth Foundation - $15,000
To support the ‘Reading Buddies’ project which will recruit and train volunteers to work with disadvantaged children in partner with early childhood centres and primary schools in Victoria.

Asylum Seeker Resource Centre - $14,553.00
To continue supporting an educational resources program to foster attitudinal change by providing students and their teachers with facts about asylum seekers, and to assist the roll out of the resources into schools in 2013.

Roomers Magazine- $12,000.00
To support weekly writing workshops for St Kilda’s most marginalised residents who are homeless or living in rooming houses. The workshops will be led by some of Melbourne’s best writers and the high calibre workshops will be provided free of charge.

Ilbijerri Theatre Company - $10,000
To support the Black Writer’s Lab, a professional writing program for new and emerging Indigenous writers.

Children’s Literature Australia Network (CLAN) - $3,000
To support a literary festival at Carlton Primary School, in partnership with two other needy local schools, which will give the schools and students an opportunity to gather and share the educational benefits of learning and literacy.

Wingate Ave Community Centre - $2,800
To provide adult students with low-level English and literacy skills access to adult-appropriate short stories to introduce the concept of reading for pleasure and knowledge. The books will be available in the community centre and also for borrowing.

Preston Reservoir Adult Community Education (PRACE) - $1,316
To purchase reading material for students which is suitable for adults learning to read and write as well as adults learning English as a Second Language. The resources will be available to borrow via the PRACE community library.

Readings prides itself on a long history of supporting local causes. The Readings Foundation will continue to support Sacred Heart Mission with a donation of $6,000 and The Brotherhood of St Laurence’s HIPPY (Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters) program with a donation of a further $6,000 in the coming year. The Foundation will also continue to fund a writer’s fellowship at Glenfern, administrated by Writers Victoria for mid-career writers with a donation of $3,000.

10% of Readings profits are now donated to The Readings Foundation each year in addition to funds contributed from individual donations. Readings customers also make gold coin donations in return for gift wrapping, putting notices in the accommodation window and attending in-store events which raised $31,996 of the total funds last financial year.

The grant committee of The Readings Foundation includes Mark Rubbo, author Helen Garner, Peter Donoghue (ex-managing director of Publishers John Wiley Australia), Gerald Smith (Phase III Accounting) and Readings’ current and former staff members.