Social Ventures Australia focusses on education as one of the keys to overcoming disadvantage. We know that students in schools in disadvantaged communities simply don’t have the same access to education opportunities as students in more affluent areas. We know that these students can be three years behind by the time they are 15 years old. That’s a deficit that’s deeply unacceptable in a stable, economically and socially successful country like Australia.

SVA is working with some outstanding individuals, schools and organisations around Australia. Recently, we were thrilled to welcome Vicki Phillips, Director of Education at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to take part in the SVA Education Dialogue, a unique and powerful cross sector gathering of stakeholders focussed on helping create a better, more equitable and innovative education system.

The Gates Foundation have released this video celebrating the role of teachers in education – something we at SVA believe in passionately. After all, as the video says “without teachers, a classroom is just a room. It comes to life every time a teacher connects with a student’.