- Cook Labor Government providing $500,000 to WA-based charity Dandelions
- Funding to help provide backpacks with school supplies to Western Australian students who don't have all they need for school
- Complements the WA Student Assistance Payment, Secondary Assistance Scheme and KidSport voucher increases in delivering cost of living support to families
The Cook Government will provide $500,000 to WA-based charity Dandelions to support its work distributing school supplies to children in need.
Dandelions WA provides brand-new school backpacks filled with essential items like stationery, lunch boxes, water bottles, hats, and toiletries. The Dandelions WA Back to School campaign supports schools and students by promoting equity and inclusion, helping young people to feel a sense of belonging and reducing social barriers.
The one-off donation will provide important assistance to WA students and families struggling with cost-of-living pressures, and make sure remaining funds from the WA Student Assistance Payment go towards measures aimed at taking pressure off families.
The donation builds on the WA Student Assistance Payment, which made available $250 for all Western Australian secondary students, and $150 for all primary and kindergarten students.
The payment supported almost 400,000 students and their families with school costs.
To provide additional assistance to families on low incomes, the State Government has also enhanced its Secondary Assistance Scheme for eligible families with children in secondary schooling, who will receive an increased $300 School Clothing Allowance to assist with the purchase of school uniforms in both 2024 and 2025.
Assistance available to eligible families through the Government's successful KidSport voucher program has also been significantly increased to $500 for 2025.
Another WA-based charity Give Write also received a $500,000 one-off donation to support its work distributing new and recycled stationery to school children in need right across the State.
As stated by Education Minister Dr Tony Buti:
"Our WA Student Assistance Payment has helped hundreds of thousands of Western Australians with meeting the costs of sending their children to school but we know there are some families out there who need more help.
"We want to make sure the remaining funds from the WA Student Assistance Payment go towards measures that provide meaningful assistance to families.
"Dandelions WA are doing great work, and this one-off donation will ensure that can continue and be enhanced."
