Like all good ideas Second Life Stationery began with a light bulb moment. A new school year was about to start and Natalie Wall was awake worrying about all the required school supplies she had not yet purchased. A quick hunt through desks revealed a treasure trove of barely used pens, pencils, erasers, scissors, glue sticks and notebooks.

Mrs Wall soon discovered hers was not the only family with drawers full of excess stationery and she started a Facebook page calling on people to donate unwanted items for redistribution to not-for-profit organisations. Now, six months later, Mrs Wall and a group of dedicated volunteers have collected and delivered more than 100 backpacks filled with pre-loved stationery, books and other school supplies.

“Our primary purpose is to provide the tools needed for learning,” said Mrs Wall. “Stationery is a particularly costly part of schooling. But a secondary purpose is environmental awareness, there is so much stuff cluttering up drawers that would otherwise get thrown into landfill. We have donated 40 backpacks for SAHSSI (Supported Accommodation & Homelessness Services Shoalhaven Illawarra) and the Homeless Hub and now we have just put together 20 packs for the students in CareSouth’s Homework Hub.”

CareSouth runs a weekly Homework Hub to help improve learning outcomes, boost self-confidence and enhance social skills for students from the organisation’s Out-Of-Home-Care and Brighter Futures early intervention program.

Volunteers including University of Wollongong teaching, social work and psychology students, a medical student, local high school students and a police officer help tutor and mentor 20 children and young people in the Homework Hub. Literacy is a key focus and students read to Matilda, a registered therapy dog, and her handler as part of the Homework Hub’s Paws and Tales program. Second Life Stationery’s packs include books which students can read to Matilda.

If you would like to find out more about CareSouth’s Homework Hub please call 1300 554 260 or visit www.CareSouth.org.au