Our programs support young people to develop vital literacy skills and grow their confidence, ensuring they have the opportunity to thrive creatively, personally and academically at school and beyond. We have developed robust evaluation systems with consultancy Clear Horizon, which continue to prove the positive impact we have on young people nationwide.
Our program design and delivery is informed by the lived experience of our team, which includes First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse staff, as well as staff who grew up in the communities we serve.
We believe firmly in championing and amplifying the voices of the diverse young people we are privileged to work with. We work closely with our students to foster their creativity, publish and showcase their original work, and ultimately integrate their perspectives into the wider Australian literary landscape.
In 2025:
79% of students enjoyed writing with us
82% of students improved their literacy skills
83% of students are more confident writers
and
96% of teachers reported changing their teaching practice — ensuring our programs continue to have impact long after we have left the classroom
Through this program I have found a passion that I never thought was mine to own.
Student, Year of the Novella 2025
A snapshot of our impact
Reaching those who need our support the most
- We have worked with 65,000+ young people from under-resourced communities, including 15% First Nations and 49% culturally and linguistically diverse young people;
- We have worked with 200+ arts organisations, community groups and schools across Australia.
Amplifying diverse young voices
- We have published 130+ original titles by young writers, enriching the story of our nation with diverse new perspectives;
- Our young writers’ stories reach 10,000+ readers each month, finding new audiences for underrepresented voices.
Proven impact
- Our work has been recognised nationally with multiple awards, including a Secretary’s Award for Excellence at the Public Education Foundation Awards in 2018, and Co-founder and Executive Director Dr Catherine Keenan AM being named Australian of the Year Local Hero in 2016;
- External evaluations of our work consistently find that we are successfully building young people’s literacy, creativity and confidence. A recent year-long evaluation has also proven the wellbeing benefits of our most intensive creative writing programs, backed by a research paper.
Unleashing potential
- Alumni of our programs have gone on to become celebrated members of their communities and pursue vibrant careers – including publishing award-winning novels, securing roles at publishing houses and being awarded writing fellowships. Their achievements are a testament to the success of our programs and the transformative power of creative writing.