Ballarat police are on a mission to improve literacy and inspire Delacombe Primary School grade six pupils in the art of letter writing – and they have some interesting stories to share.

They joined forces this week in the literacy buddies program, run by children’s education charity Ardoch, which links disadvantaged schools with community organisations for pen pals.

This is the first time Victoria Police in Ballarat have signed up to get involved and they have pieced together a buddy team across ranks – including Superintendent Wilson and Inspector Dan Davison – and in diverse rolls, from highway patrol to proactive policing units.

Leading Senior Constable Des Hudson said Delacombe primary’s community buddies had been unable to continue this year and this opened the chance for Victoria Police to get involved.

“This allows us a way to break down barriers for these kids, so when they see us they will know they can trust us in the community, in and outside of the uniform,” Leading Senior Constable Hudson said.

Victoria Police is partnering with two grade six classes at Delacombe and Federation University will partner with another two classes at the school.

Police made a big first impression. In small teams with buddies, they worked on acting out arresting stories and sharing their tales in video and text also featuring bios to get to know each other better. Others police proved a little bit naughty, whipping up a double-batch instead of a single batch of pancakes to share.

Police and pupils will continue to exchange handwritten letters this year and pupils are particularly looking forward to a police station tour in a few months’ time.

Leading Senior Constable Hudson said the program also benefited police in working with members from different units on such a positive project.

Ardoch encourages big buddies to send letters of support for their little buddies’ academic achievement in a bid to motivate learning and boost self-esteem. Pupils who struggle with reading and writing are more likely to disengage from education and leave school early, according to Ardoch.

Delacombe pupils could hardly wait for the next chapters in this budding partnership with police.

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