Telstra Foundation and Big hART: teaming up to build digital skills for young people
Empowering youth with digital art
For more than 20 years the Telstra Foundation has been supporting young people to build the skills they need to thrive. We’ve always had a tech focus and right now for young people that means investing in building their digital skills along with supporting their mental health, wellbeing and success.
Nowhere is this more important than in rural and remote areas around Australia. That’s why we’re so pleased to continue our partnership and funding of Big hART with a significant investment to support their NEO-Learning education platform.
NEO-Learning has been co-developed with First Nations young people in Roebourne, WA, this additional investment aims to double the impact they have in schools across Australia.
Big hART has deep connections to young people in Roeburne, where they have been working with the community for over ten years. Their groundbreaking NEO-Learning platform has enabled over 80 First Nations young creators in Roebourne to bring their digital art to over 5,000 students in primary schools Australia-wide.
We believe organisations that work directly with young people are at the forefront of making positive change a reality. We prioritise our grants and partnership to those non-profit, social enterprise, or community organisations who have the potential to create a really significant impact through their projects, like Big hART.
About NEO-Learning
NEO-Learning’s initial development was supported by Telstra Foundation’s Tech4good Challenge program.
Big hART collaborate with Community Elders and young people from Roebourne in the Pilbara to create a unique platform and content, enabling young creators to become emerging experts in digital art.
NEO-Learning uses an engaging and dynamic approach to teach school children about the rich history and culture of First Nations people and has enabled teachers to feel confident in delivering First Nations content supported by fun classroom lessons and workshops.
NEO-Learning is future focussed digital learning, grounded in community. NEO-Learning acknowledges Ngarluma, Yindjibarndi, Banjima, Marduthunera, Guruma, Nyiyaparli, Kariyarra and all custodians nationally past, present and future.
Telstra Foundation
The Telstra Foundation supports education, wellbeing, and environmental initiatives that focus on young people so they can pursue the future they want, regardless of their location, socio-economic status, cultural background, gender or ability.
