Literacy is the road to human progress

"With good literacy, numeracy and communication skills, children are better placed to negotiate the challenges of their education at school, and beyond. This, in turn, supports their ability and aspirations to become successful and fulfilled adult contributors in the wider society. Australia's role and destiny in contributing to the wellbeing of our neighbours in the Asia-Pacific area, and beyond, will be strengthened and enriched by all Australians achieving their potential in literacy and numeracy during their early years of education. The vision and commitment of Mary-Ruth Mendel, Kim Kelly and the dedicated team at the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation is truly inspirational."

Kevin Lindgren was a Judge of the Federal Court of Australia from July 1994 until he reached the mandatory retirement age for federal Judges in February 2010. At the time of his appointment to the Court he was practising as Queen’s Counsel at the Sydney Bar, mainly in the area of commercial law. He is a Conjoint Professor of Law at The University of Newcastle and an Adjunct Professor of Law at The University of Sydney and The University of Technology Sydney. "How to read and write! What goal could be more worthy than to teach these skills to marginalised Australians! Please support the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation."

Mary-Ruth Mendel is Co-founder, Co-chair and an Executive Director of the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation, and an experienced speech and language pathologist. Mary-Ruth is passionate about championing strong oral language and literacy in the early years by bringing together a blend of foundational speech pathology strategies and quality education activities. She is committed to honouring her commitments to Elders to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to strengthen First Languages and English language and literacy. Ultimately, Mary-Ruth is dedicated to empowering community members to confidently and effectively support children in oral language and literacy development for their robust education and life opportunities. “Illiteracy is the great divider: literacy is the great multiplier. The ability to read is the key to an education. Education breaks the cycle of poverty and marginalisation. An inability to read, write and comprehend fluently cripples educational prospects. ALNF’s ‘extra lessons’ are specifically designed to overcome this hidden handicap."

Kim Kelly is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF). She is a mother of four with a background in business management, and has worked tirelessly for over 25 years to raise funds for innovative literacy programs with tangible results in some of Australia’s most vulnerable communities. Kim's accolades and appointments include: Consultant on NSW Minister of Aboriginal Affairs Task Force, Worldwide Who’s Who Professional of the Year in Nonprofit Operations Management 2012, Madison Magazine’s “Australia’s Most Inspiring Women” and she received a recommendation for Sydney’s Top 100 Most Influential People. She was also nominated for the 2016 Australia of the Year Award and the 2018 Probono Australia Impact 25 Awards recognising individuals for their positive impact on the community. “I would like to see all Australian children given the same opportunities to grow and thrive, as I truly believe that being able to read, write and count is a basic human right. Without these skills, no one can function competently in the world we live in today. I believe that having strong literacy skills helps grow self-confidence, self-esteem and the opportunity to make choices.”

Co-Chair of ALNF (involved with ALNF since 2009), Chancellor of the University of Canberra, National Coordinator for Tackling Indigenous Smoking and Co-Chair of Reconciliation Australia. Professor Tom Calma is an Aboriginal elder from the Kungarakan tribal group and the Iwaidja tribal group whose traditional lands are south west of Darwin and on the Coburg Peninsula in the Northern Territory. He has been involved in Indigenous affairs at a local, community, state, national and international level, working in the public sector for over 45 years. Professor Calma was the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner from 2004-2010. Professor Calma has recently retired as Chair of the Commonwealth Government's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Advisory Group, and he is an Ambassador with Suicide Prevention Australia. He is also National Chair and Patron of the Poche Indigenous Health Network, Patron of Indigenous Allied Health Australia and Chair of Ninti One Ltd. He was ACT Australian of the Year 2013 and has received many awards. He believes, “There continues to be an overwhelming demand for the kind of work that the Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation is undertaking. It is work like this which assists some of the most marginalised Australians to access programs which develop literacy and numeracy skills for whole communities.” See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Calma

Adam Goodes is a proud Adnyamathanha man and a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Sydney Swans team. He holds an elite place in AFL history as a dual Brownlow Medallist, dual premiership player, four-time All-Australian, member of the Indigenous Team of the Century and representative of Australia in the International Rules Series. In addition, he holds the record for the most AFL games played by an Indigenous player. Adam is actively involved with several Indigenous sport and community programs and was named Australian of the Year in 2014 for his community work through the GO Foundation and advocacy against racism. “I have seen first-hand how the ALNF works and I am looking forward to empowering more community members to help educate their nieces, nephews and children, now and for future generations.”

As someone who grew up in rural Western Australia, I am profoundly aware that distance and isolation can often be a barrier when it comes to education. As a cancer survivor who spent much of their childhood in hospital, I am also aware that growth, learning and connection can often fall second to circumstance. And as an actor and writer, I am awestruck by the power of words through language, song, story-sharing and culture. So it is an honour to join the ALNF as an ambassador. After admiring their work for so many years, to stand alongside the ALNF as they help bring power, knowledge and freedom to those communities that need it most is an honour and a joy.

Literacy is more than the ability to read, write, speak and listen. It boosts creativity and imagination in a way that helps us to navigate and shape our lives with confidence. We believe this is every child's right. We are so honoured to partner with the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation to address the needs of vulnerable individuals and communities in Australia.

I am honoured to be an Ambassador for the ALNF, an organisation that really understands the importance of first languages and strives to educate within them.

We all have a story. I know that’s a bit corny, but it’s so true. And our stories are what connect us to one another. We all want and deserve to be understood and heard. I love that ALNF merges the written word with art and creativity- it’s the ultimate combination for self expression and connection. To ourselves, to one another, and to our greater communities. I’m so honoured to be an ambassador for ALNF. Without language, literacy and communication, the most marginalised members of our communities become more vulnerable. Equal opportunities to create vital human connections, get an education and gain employment, should be something we all have access to.

Being an Indigenous man I am proud to support a foundation that values and supports rural communities and Indigenous people through literacy and numeracy programs. I believe education is the most powerful tool to create change.

I am honoured to be working with ALNF. I am a big supporter of the incredible work they do and the difference they are making in the lives of so many people.

Reading and writing was such an amazing part of my childhood and it continues to be something I love doing now. I'm proud to be aligned with ALNF because they're helping others enjoy those same privileges that I was afforded.

I believe it is a fundamental human right to have access to good quality, foundational education and am incredibly proud to be able to support the wonderful work that ALNF do, empowering the next generation to build the future they dream of.

Literacy really is freedom and encompasses much more than being able to communicate in English. The work ALNF is doing to preserve and teach First Nations language and culture is critical to Australia’s truth-telling process. So humbled to become an Ambassador to help promote literacy is all its glorious forms

I'm very excited to be an ambassador with ALNF. I have been so inspired by the many ways ALNF empower the next generation with access to literacy and numeracy. The work they do is incredible and I'm grateful for the opportunity to support such an amazing foundation.

Although I've forged a career in storytelling, writing and communication, something few people know about me is I’m the grandson of an illiterate war refugee. My family knows firsthand the power of education in changing people’s lives, and the value of the work ALNF does.

I am so honoured to be an ambassador for ALNF. The extra help, training and resources they provide to children in literacy and numeracy education, across all regions of our community is so vitally important and offers our future generations the best possible chances in life, self-worth and confidence.

I believe everyone has the human right to be able to communicate and find their own unique voice and ALNF is exceptional in providing the tools and access to those who need it most. It doesn't matter if you're 9 or 90 years old, everybody deserves the respect and freedom that eventuates through education, connection and storytelling.

To have accessible education for all, encouraging diverse viewpoints, and a glorious variety of stories - and to also feel comfortable and powerful in reading and writing, are some of the great pleasures of life, but they're also some of the most effective ways out of poverty (and to casually change the world). I love ALNF and all that they do.

As a First Nations woman and co-founder of @blackfulla_bookclub, my love of storytelling grew from a young age listening to the yarns of my old people around the campfire. I am proud to be an ambassador for ALNF and I believe accessibility to literacy and numeracy for all is a fundamental pillar of our society. I think it is important to understand that First Nations people are rich in wisdom that often reveals the limitations of western notions of literacy and numeracy.

I am so thrilled to be an ambassador for ALNF. As a parent I’m passionate about children using their imaginations, creating stories, sharing them and inspiring more to do the same. Literacy plays a huge role in having that confidence and freedom.

The opportunity to be an ambassador for ALNF is something I hold with great honour. I know through my own challenges with literacy the importance of being able to read and write. Join me, and be part of the generation that ends Indigenous disparity.

Literacy is a great provider. It has given me enormous pleasure as a reader and a fulfilling career as a writer. And in a more profound and fundamental way it’s simply intrinsic to how I engage with the world every day. It is also a huge privilege I have taken for granted my entire life. I am in awe of the work that the ALNF do and honoured to be an ambassador.

Why do I support the ALNF? In recent years, I’ve done a lot of work to understand privilege, both as a concept, but also my own privilege. Of all the ways to think about it, there’s one version of privilege that isn’t often talked about and that’s the fundamentals of literacy. Yes, there’s the idea of ‘education’ but that’s usually spoken about in terms of wealth and class (which are linked of course), but not necessarily the fundamentals of reading, writing, and numeracy. That’s where ALNF comes in. It seems to me that our society is built on the underlying assumption that to participate in it in a meaningful way – ‘meaningful’ being in a way that benefits the community (by way of contributing to ‘the commons’ in various ways) as well as the individual (by way of agency) – one must be able to read, write, and count. There’s plenty of research to show that not everyone has equal (or sometimes any) access to what’s needed for them to learn those skills. So, if we don’t do anything about it, the marginalised become further marginalised and illiteracy becomes systemic. Not only do individuals suffer but so too does the community – all of us do. So, by partnering with the ALNF who provide access, training and support to those who struggle to get those things because of historical discrimination, we start to shift the system from the bottom up. It’s not fast work, but important work often isn’t. In a world that is mostly about quick returns and hockey-stick growth curves, it’s not something that anything but patient capital can solve. And, being privileged to have patient capital, the ALNF seems an obvious choice. The problem with addressing the root cause of anything is that it can be difficult to measure effectiveness. How can you possibly put a number on unlocking the ability to read, write, and count in a single person let alone a whole community? It’s easy for an organisation to just leave it there; to trust in its donors to have faith that the world will right itself if you just keep donating ‘for the cause’. But, from my first interaction with the organisation, the ALNF showed that tracking efficacy (as best we can) was a top priority – both qualitatively and quantitatively. It’s wonderful to be a small part of a community using the exact thing we’re trying to provide access to to make the change we seek to make – a more equal, fair, and educated bunch of humans in this generation, and the ones to come.

As an actor, my creative passion is about sharing and understanding the human experience through story. I believe that we are better human beings when we share stories and are open to understanding experiences that are different to our own. The work of ALNF means that so many more children can be empowered and included in this rich exchange. Without basic literary and numeracy tools, a child is locked out of their full material and creative potential. ALNF changes lives for the better. I am honoured to be an ALNF Ambassador.

As an artist and a Gumbaynggirr man, literacy plays a major part throughout my expression. It has allowed me to tell my story, a story that is relatable to many more. I believe everybody should be given the opportunity to equip themselves with the skill and knowledge on how to share theirs, not only for the betterment of themselves but for everyone else listening. If communication is key to finding common ground then literacy is one of the many hands that hold it.

I have had the incredible privilege of working as a storyteller in the theatre which makes me keenly aware of how important reading, writing and a great education are. I am proud to be supporting the ALNF who are empowering people to overcome numerous challenges to take control of their future.

I am so grateful for the role that my literacy and numeracy has played in my life; providing me with freedom as well as improving the quality and enjoyment of my life immeasurably. Everyone deserves the joy and freedom that these skills provide and I love being a tiny part of ALNF, who are working towards this being everyone's reality, with such drive and heart.

Fluency in literacy and numeracy form the foundations for surviving and thriving in our modern lives. How do we become fluent in these fundamental skills? Through accessibility, engagement and enthusiasm. As a First Nations illustrator and storyteller, I also believe in the power of visual literacy and its ability to communicate stories and ideas through art. Picture books contain these elements on every page, and every child deserves the opportunity to access books, engage in their content, and nurture their enthusiasm for learning more. It fills my heart to be invited to be an ALNF Ambassador, and to contribute to the incredible work that ALNF do, fostering learning opportunities for every child in Australia.

The work ALNF does on the ground supporting communities right around Australia to gain vital language, literacy and communication skills is so incredibly important. As a storyteller and Mother, I believe every child should have the opportunity to learn to read, write and express themselves. I’m incredibly proud to become an ALNF ambassador.

I am so excited to be working alongside ALNF to support the already amazing work they do. As a First Nations woman, it is important for me to help spread awareness around how we can support First Nations education as literacy and numeracy is key for young mob.

I’m absolutely stoked to be coming on board as an Ambassador for the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation. Educating kids with a particular focus on Aboriginal history and culture is something so close to my heart and to be involved with this wonderful organisation, and to help them with the incredible work that they are doing, is really a dream for me. I just can’t wait to jump in and do what I can with the team!

'Music-Story-Culture-Sharing-Connecting’ is something I always tell the young ones when working in schools across Australia. Developing competent literacy & numeracy skills is so important for our children and the generations to come. The opportunity to represent ALNF as an ambassador is something I’ll hold in high regard.

I decided to come on board as an ambassador to ALNF because the ability to read and write confidently, opens up a life time of opportunity, self expression and the possibility of advocating for yourself and others. Through words we can grow worlds, share ideas, inspire each other and help give voice to those who need our help.

Science equals hope. Education is freedom. We must strive to make this accessible for all.

I am honoured to be an ambassador for ALNF. I know through my own personal experience how debilitating it can be when you are struggling with literacy issues. Everyone should have access to quality educational programs, no matter what their economic or geographical situations may be. I have seen first-hand the incredible work undertaken by ALNF, the achievements they are making right across the country and the life changing impact they are having on many, many lives.

As a proud Aboriginal woman, I am honoured to be an ambassador for the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation. The work that the ALNF do within our communities is vital in ensuring every child has access to education - in my mind, a basic human right. I can not wait to see what value I can add to the foundation as education is something I am extremely passionate about.

I am honoured to be an ambassador for ALNF. I am committed to empowerment through Literacy. As a writer, I understand the power of words to hold and carry memory, communicate ideas and bring about change.

Our stories are what make us unique. They are our biggest advocates. They are fundamental to the human experience. Stories tell us where we come from, who we are and where we want to go. Stories give us connection, a voice, a history. Stories help shape and define our worlds. Stories validate our needs, explore our possibilities, and help us to dream and strive to be heard. I am thrilled to be invited to become an ALNF Ambassador and support the extraordinary, unwavering work ALNF do, advocating for every child to have access to education to thrive and create their own stories of productive, connected, fulfilling lives. #ALNF