{"id":49615,"date":"2021-03-24T17:40:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-18T17:40:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=49615"},"modified":"2022-10-26T05:11:58","modified_gmt":"2022-10-26T12:11:58","slug":"deepening-our-commitment-to-schools-plus-careertrackers-and-equality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/au\/blog\/deepening-our-commitment-to-schools-plus-careertrackers-and-equality\/","title":{"rendered":"Deepening Our Commitment to Schools Plus, CareerTrackers and Equality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A big focus of Salesforce is education and furthering the workforce for underserved communities. Which is why we\u2019ve announced more than $1 million in grants to Schools Plus<\/a>, an organisation which supports teachers to deliver programs that will help children facing disadvantaged success at school, and CareerTrackers<\/a>, a national non-profit which creates pathways for Indigenous young adults to attend and graduate university and gain industry experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Australia, there are approximately 4,600 schools that qualify as disadvantaged. That\u2019s a huge number of students being and feeling left behind. Which is where Schools Plus comes in, helping to close the education gap. According to Schools Plus, children who face disadvantage are, on average, three years behind their peers at age 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supporting Schools Plus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A big focus of Schools Plus<\/a> is supporting core skills, including literacy, numeracy and STEM. The recent funding from Salesforce will support 54 teachers at 18 schools to deliver STEM learning opportunities to 3,600 students. Opportunities they may not have received otherwise. This includes programs for the professional development of teachers to deliver blended online and classroom teaching. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all saw how COVID-19 made every organisation pivot online. This was a massive undertaking for schools across the country, many of which were simply not prepared for how quickly it had to happen. The result, though, is that schools are now able to provide online learning, when required, and even combine this with face-to-face education. The hope is that with further professional development, teachers will be able to create a fluid educational system that can adapt for flexible learning or any future education disruptions that may be thrown their way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The funding provided will also go towards the Schools Plus Collaboration Forum, which is a joint venture with Salesforce connecting principals, teachers and experts to explore, expand and engage with each other to bring STEM skills and mindsets into the classroom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it came to deciding how to use the money donated in this latest funding round, it came down to listening to the schools and figuring out what they need most to ensure they are providing the best care and education to their students.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Our vision is that all Australian children have access to great education opportunities, no matter their postcode or background.<\/p>Rosemary Conn | CEO of Schools Plus<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n