Thousands of dollars’ worth of school vouchers donated to locals

1,000 back to school vouchers will be given to Ballarat residents in need this year.

The Ballarat Foundation is partnering with Cafs and UFS to distribute 700 vouchers to 28 local primary schools, with an extra 300 going to Cafs clients in 2024.

UFS contributed $7,500 for the Cafs vouchers, with the funding matched by the Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal.

The $50 vouchers can be used to purchase items including shoes, uniforms, and stationary, with the new $100 technology vouchers helping locals buy headphones, chargers and computer mice.

In a statement, Community Impact Manager for the Ballarat Foundation, Nina Fitzsimons, said their impact survey found 91 per cent of students felt more confident going to school after receiving vouchers.