Alcoa Foundation contributes $1.8m to Teach For All

Alcoa Foundation will be contributing $1.8m across three years to Teach For All to expand mental health support and wellbeing initiatives in classrooms, communities and organisations.

This funding will support the launch of new teacher wellbeing initiatives across three continents through support for Teach For Australia, Ensina Brasil and Teach For America.

Through programming and research, Teach For All and its partners have found that teacher wellbeing is essential for attracting and retaining educators as well as enhancing their effectiveness.

A 2021 study involving the University of York in England showed that burnout is one of the strongest predictors of teachers’ intention to leave the profession.

Funding from Alcoa Foundation will enable Teach For Australia, Ensina Brasil and Teach For America to support more than 500 teachers the upcoming academic year.

Globally, the funding will allow Teach For All to implement a trauma-informed workshop series to support teacher wellbeing, share best practices through Teach For All’s global mental health and wellbeing community and launch a teacher wellbeing accelerator for network partners to exchange strategies.

Alcoa Foundation president Caroline Rossignol says the company is proud to provide funding to this organisation.

“Adding a mental health and wellbeing component aligns well with our new focus on resiliency and our aim to be a catalyst for positive impact,” she said.

“Educators play a key role in shaping the future of students.

“We need to support them while continuing to provide quality learning experiences for students.”

The three-year project will also support other activities that focus on enhancing the mental health and wellbeing of students and teachers.

Activities include developing leadership capacities to foster wellbeing among teachers and students, promoting ‘grow and build’ initiatives focused on community mental health and expanding Teach For All’s global mental health and wellbeing community.

Teach For All global head of corporate partnerships Mariana Franco commented on the funding.

“The renewed partnership with Alcoa Foundation is a testament to our joint commitment to fostering teacher wellbeing and ensuring children have the education, support and opportunities they need to fulfill their potential,” she said.

“We’re delighted that this renewal will also include Teach For Australia for the first time, ensuring more people can benefit from Alcoa Foundation’s support globally.”