Community
26 October, 2022
School Savvy launch on anti-poverty week
CENTACARE FNQ has launched the 2023 Cairns School Savvy appeal during Anti-Poverty Week.
The School Savvy pop-up shop located at Savvy Community Hub, Ground Level Centacare FNQ Aplin Street, provides new and second-hand uniforms and school supplies for a gold coin donation.
Centacare FNQ will have five Skilling Queenslanders for Work trainees working within the School Savvy program this year. These trainees come from diverse, multicultural backgrounds and offer great skills and experiences from different parts of the world: Ukraine, Papua New Guinea, Egypt, Japan, and Indonesia.
One of the trainees, Yana Nikolenko, who has a degree in Energy Engineering, is a recent arrival from Ukraine.
“I previously worked in fashion design and have two small children. I started my traineeship as I am interested in helping people,” Ms Nikolenko said.
Enoch Austin, whose family is from Papua New Guinea, started his traineeship to help his community.
“There are always people coming in from PNG, and they have a real need, and I have few friends with struggles,” Mr Austin said.
Nada, who arrived in Australia from Egypt two years ago, said she aimed to improve her skills through the traineeship.
“I loved getting this traineeship as I was a pharmacy assistant, and I want to develop my business administration skills. I am very grateful as it is a golden opportunity to work at Centacare,” she said.
In addition to providing information and resources for parents, School Savvy offers an opportunity for learning and skill development in the retail trade for the team of Skilling Queenslanders for Work School Savvy Trainees.
“Australia is still reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Centacare FNQ & Catholic Early Learning Care Executive Director Anita Veivers said.
“The full effects of which are now being seen; however, we do know that many people in our community continue to suffer with the increased cost of living and rising interest rates.”
The annual initiative, first developed in Cairns in 2016, would not be possible without The St Vincent De Paul Society’s backing and support, that once again, partnered with Centacare.
The program has expanded to ten locations across Queensland, helping thousands of families get affordable school equipment to cover all of Queensland.
Centacare FNQ is calling on families and year 12 students to dig out the uniforms that their children have grown out of or have no further need for to put them to good use by donating to the School Savvy FNQ Appeal.
Pre-loved and new uniforms and school supplies in good condition can be dropped off at Centacare FNQ in Aplin St, during business hours or at any local St Vincent De Paul outlets.
There will also be a location map on the Centacare FNQ Facebook page with all drop-off locations, including schools within the region.
Centacare FNQ is also calling on local businesses to get on board either by donating funds towards School Savvy or unwanted quality stationery supplies such as pens, calculators, rulers etc., with all last year’s supporters already committed to this year’s appeal.
