Primary schools across regional Victoria are set to strengthen literacy learning this year, with hundreds of students participating in an expanded Young Regional Writers’ Program designed to connect classrooms with some of Australia’s leading children’s authors.
The program will engage Year 5 and 6 students in a term-long series of writing and reading workshops, combining online sessions with in-person author visits. For participating schools, the initiative offers a rare opportunity to provide students with sustained creative writing experiences that are often harder to access outside metropolitan areas.
Following a successful pilot in northeast Victoria in 2025, which involved more than 300 students and received strong endorsement from teachers, the program is now being rolled out to additional regional communities. More than $250,000 in funding from the Victorian Department of Education, alongside donations to State Library Victoria’s end-of-year appeal, will support delivery to more than 32 schools over the next two years.
The first group of schools will be based in Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and Victoria’s west. In Term 1, 275 students from 10 primary schools will take part, including Anakie Primary School, Balliang East Primary School, Bell Park North Primary School, Lara Lake Primary School, Geelong East Primary School, Bannockburn P-12 College, Hamlyn Banks Primary School, Lethbridge Primary School, Portarlington Primary School and Lara Primary School.
For these schools, the program is designed to complement existing classroom teaching while providing students with direct access to professional authors and illustrators. Co-designed with teachers, the Young Regional Writers’ Program focuses on developing students’ confidence in reading, writing and self-expression through structured storytelling activities.
Celebrated author and illustrator Mr Jess McGeachin will be working with students at Lara Lake Primary School and Geelong East Primary School, supporting them to explore imagination and creativity through their own writing.
“Encouraging children to read and to have confidence in their own self-expression and storytelling is so important,” Mr McGeachin said. “It’s exciting to see kids embrace their imagination and creativity, and I’m really glad to take part in this unique program.”
State Library Victoria Acting CEO Mr John Wicks said the program was designed to address inequity in access to enrichment opportunities for regional schools.
“The Young Regional Writers’ Program provides a real-world classroom experience for students and teachers in rural and regional Victoria, promoting vital writing and literacy skills,” he said. “Thanks to the support of the Victorian Department of Education and our many generous donors, we can now reach even more students across the state, at no cost to parents or primary schools.”
The Term 1 program will also feature authors Huda Hayek, Amie Kaufmann and Alex Miles, giving students exposure to a diverse range of writing styles and creative approaches.
The Young Regional Writers’ Program commenced in Term 1, with further schools set to participate as the initiative expands over the next two years.
For more information, visit slv.vic.gov.au.
