There is a quiet kind of comfort that comes from being seen, understood and supported. In schools across Shepparton and beyond, that comfort is being built every day through the work of EdConnect and the funding that makes it possible.
At its core, EdConnect is about connection. Janelle Barnard, Northern Area Manager of EdConnect, describes the model clearly: “EdConnect recruits, trains and supports volunteers who work alongside schools to help young people feel more connected, confident and engaged in their learning.” These volunteers are not there to replace teachers, but to stand beside them, offering practical help and something equally important: human connection.
That support takes many forms. In classrooms, volunteers assist with literacy, maths, science, art, library programs, gardening and breakfast clubs. But it is the mentoring program that often leaves the deepest mark. Volunteers are matched one-on-one with a student and become a consistent, positive presence in their life. As Janelle explains, simply having someone who shows up regularly, listens and believes in a young person can make a huge difference.
That idea of showing up, consistently and with care, runs through every part of this story.
Finding familiar ground
For Mohammad, a volunteer with EdConnect, that connection has shaped not only the lives of students but his own. Originally from Afghanistan, he arrived in Australia in 2023 and began learning English. Before long, he found EdConnect and an opportunity to return to something deeply familiar.
“I worked as a high school principal in Afghanistan for about ten years,” he says. “EdConnect gave me the opportunity to demonstrate my skills and rebuild my career here in Australia. That matters a great deal to me.”
Through EdConnect, Mohammad began volunteering at Wilmot Road Primary School before moving into paid work as both an education support staff member and a family liaison officer. His days are varied: moving between classrooms, supporting students with reading and writing, and helping teachers make lessons more accessible. He follows the teacher’s lead, works alongside students as they read, and helps correct and reinforce what they are learning.
Bridging more than language
His role extends well beyond the classroom. For many newly arrived families, the education system can feel overwhelming. Language is often the most immediate barrier, making it difficult to communicate with schools, access services or understand how the education system works. There are frequently additional pressures too, from housing and finances to the emotional weight of starting over in a new country.
This is where Mohammad’s work as a family liaison officer becomes essential.
“Families come to me when they are unsure what to do or what a form means,” he says. “I connect them to the school and help them feel welcome.”
Helping someone understand an excursion notice or a school process is also helping them feel that they belong.
That sense of belonging matters deeply, not just for families but for students. Small moments build into something larger. When he helps a student with their reading and writing and they say thank you, Mohammad says, it makes him happy. He can see the impact.
Support that reaches further
The impact of this work extends well beyond individual classrooms. In regional communities like Shepparton, where access to services can be more limited, programs like EdConnect are often a lifeline.
Janelle explains, that the William Buckland Foundation funding has helped EdConnect to continue delivering these programs in regional communities. The goal is not just access to education, but access to care, consistency and encouragement.
“We talk a lot about access to education, but not enough about access to support. EdConnect is doing something about that.”
From volunteer to employee
For Mohammad, the impact is personal as well as professional. One of his proudest moments was the transition from volunteer to employee. “When I moved from volunteering into employment, I was really proud of myself because I had shown what I could do,” he says.
That journey reflects something at the heart of EdConnect’s work. The program does not just support students; it creates pathways. It recognises the skills, experience and potential that people bring with them, and helps them find a place to use those skills.
The power of showing up
Comfort, in this context, is not passive. It is built through relationships. Through someone sitting beside a child as they sound out words. Through a familiar face explaining a school form to a parent. Through a volunteer who keeps showing up, week after week.
As Janelle puts it, building trust and connection takes time, but with the right support, families are able to feel more confident, included and empowered within their new communities.