A charity program for disadvantaged schoolchildren could expand its vital service that supports Indigenous and other students.
Variety WA has urged the state and federal government consider targeted funding for its EduKids Grants program, which helps at-risk children access and stay in school and break the cycle of poverty.
The long-running and internationally-recognised program has and continues to assist many Indigenous children across Western Australia.
Last year 6,225 vulnerable children in WA alone, many of them Indigenous, were supported through the Variety WA program.
Djidi Djidi Aboriginal School in Glen Iris was a 2024 EduKids recipient, and principal Karen Augustson said the funding helped equip students with essential school items required for attendance.
"It means all students have what they need to access the curriculum from day one," she said.
"We were thrilled to receive an EduKids grant and help families cover the costs of essential school items."
EduKids uses a unique method of collaboration with schools, who allocate funding in on school essentials like schoolbooks, bags, uniforms, shoes, canteen vouchers and other critical items students need.
Variety WA said a Western Australian Government pledge of $1.5 million would let the charity expand EduKids to all 831 government schools across the state.
An added investment of $33,000 would empower the most vulnerable children every year, equating to 10 per cent of the WA school population.
At a national level this would equate to approximately $14 million for targeted support, to approximately 275,000 of Australia's most disadvantaged children in every school.
Variety WA said the program was an overwhelming success, leading to profound benefits for more than 6,000 families.
But the charity's CEO Chris Chatterton said more funding for the program would ensure less students slipped through the cracks.
"There have been several initiatives from both state and federal governments to help people, but too many children living below the poverty line are still missing out," he said.
"Kids without shoes, uniforms, or lunch, for example, are less likely to attend school, leading to poor education that has a lifelong impact."
The program provides direct, tangible and impactful support directly to those most in need.
"We granted $300,000 to 100 primary schools and 58 high schools, a fifth of all WA public schools," Mr Chatterton said.
The charity says supporting kids to stay in school via the supply of essential items helps progress their education journey, often leading to better life outcomes.
"The government has an important window of opportunity to address this need in a meaningful way, by having targeted measures with tangible, reportable results for those most deserving of support," Mr Chatterton said.
More information on the EduKids grant program is available online.
