Government funded financial support for families Saver Plus

Camps are an amazing opportunity for your students. But they can be stressful for some parents to afford.

Saver Plus encourages parents to save $50 a month (for 10 months). Savings are then matched - a free $500 for education costs, making $1,000 potentially available for the school camp.

Families that start saving in August, will have their savings ready to pay their school camp fees in June 2025.

If there are families that don’t have students attending camp they may also still apply for the program and allocate the funds to other education costs.

Saver Plus will chat with your families about eligibility:

Health Care or Pensioner Concession Card
Payment from Centrelink and
Earning an income (employment, carer’s payment, or child support).

If families would like to check their eligibility and receive a call back please click on the below enquiry link - https://www.bsl.org.au/services/saving-and-managing-money/saver-plus/ or call the national number 1300 610 355 and a local coordinator will contact you directly.

Support your Child's Education with 12 months free Internet at home

The Australian Government has established the School Student Broadband Initiative to provide free home internet for one year for up to 30,000 eligible families with school-aged students.

The initiative aims to boost education opportunities. NBN Co is leading the rollout of this initiative across the country.

How the School Student Broadband Initiative can help your child

Children who can access online learning at home as part of their education are more likely to engage in classroom activities.

Access to fast internet at home can also support children to build their digital skills, learn how to safely use the internet and take part in a world that is more reliant on digital technology.

Eligibility

To be eligible, families must:

* have a child living at home enrolled in an Australian school in 2024

* not have an active National Broadband Network internet service at their home (having a mobile internet service does not affect eligibility)

* live in a premises that can access the National Broadband Network through a standard connection. NBN Co will check this for you after you apply

* register interest with your school and complete a consent form to be assessed for eligibility.

How the School Student Broadband Initiative works

If you are eligible, your home internet service will be provided at no cost for one year with a participating internet provider over the National Broadband Network. Each internet provider has its own step-by-step process to get you connected, which may involve you providing identification.

Once you sign up, the internet provider will help you set up your connection. The initiative does not include devices such as a computer or tablet. Other members of your household can use the internet service provided through this initiative.

The one-year period will start from the day your service is activated with your chosen provider. At the end of the one-year period, you will not be placed onto a paid service by your internet provider without your consent. The Australian Government is considering options beyond the one-year free period.

How to apply

* Ask your school for a copy of the School Student Broadband Initiative consent form.

* Complete the consent form and return to the school.

* NBN Co will use student address details on the consent form to confirm eligibility.

* If you are eligible, NBN Co will issue a voucher for your family to use to sign up with a participating internet provider. This will be provided to you by your school.

Please note: NBN Co will review the home address for eligibility. No personal information other than your main home address will be shared with NBN Co. Please see the consent form for details about how personal information will be used.

Find out more

For more information about the School Student Broadband Initiative, visit

CSEF (Camps, Sports and Excursion Fund (CSEF)

The Department of Education administers the CSEF to help eligible families with the costs of camps, sporting activities and excursions. Payments are made directly to an eligible student’s school.

To be eligible* for the fund, a mature minor of sixteen years of age or over, a parent or legal guardian of a student attending a registered Government or non-government Victorian primary or secondary school must:

• on the first day of Term one or on the first day of Term two,

Be an eligible beneficiary within the meaning of the State Concessions Act 2004, that is, be a holder of Veterans Affairs Gold Card or be an eligible Centrelink Health Care Card (HCC) or Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) holder, OR
Be a temporary foster parent, and;
Submit an application to the school by the due date.

* A special consideration eligibility category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families.

The CSEF amount per student (2025) is $256. The application process closes at the end of the term two.

Please contact the school office for an application form. The completed form can be returned to the office in person or by email, together with a copy of your card, as soon as possible so that we can begin accessing the funds on your behalf.

Existing families who received CSEF last year and still qualify for this year have had their applications automatically renewed. However, if you have a child starting Year 7 in 2025 who wasn’t included in last year’s application, please notify the school office. Please note that your application from your child(ren)’s primary school will not roll over to Viewbank College. A new application is required to be submitted.

If you’re unsure whether this applies to you, please contact the school office or email accounts@viewbank.vic.edu.au

Community News