The Rotary Club of Armidale’s fundraising campaign to upgrade the BackTrack classroom/gallery received $10,000 through a blitz of votes on Regional Australia Bank's Heart of Our Community website.
It was the first Armidale project to score more than 200 votes, double the number required to meet the Heart of our Community introductory challenge.
The BackTrack Youth Program was developed in 2006 in Armidale, New South Wales, to address the problems of at risk youth engaging in anti-social behaviour and failing within the education system. The BackTrack principles have particular relevance to regional communities, where skills shortages and unemployment are prevalent. Their mission is to offer young people who have lost their way the opportunity to re-connect with their education and training, to become work ready, find jobs, lead happy and productive lives, and participate fully in the community.
Regional Australia Bank has been part of BackTrack since its inception in 2006 and has contributed consistently over the years. This project was to help establish a classroom and gallery to enable young people to catch up on the literacy and numeracy skills they have missed out on at school.
Further details of the BackTrack program is available from their website at www.backtrack.org.au.
