We take the safety and wellbeing of our participants and people at Reach to be paramount. In light of the global pandemic of COVID-19 and its impact on schools and the broader community, we are reviewing all of our program delivery for the foreseeable future.

Whilst we absolutely appreciate the severity and growing concern of the situation, we are mindful of the impact this is having on the wellbeing of young people. After a tumultuous start to the year following the bushfires, and now this pandemic, research shows that anxiety in young people will spike.

We therefore want to ensure we can support our schools and communities to create safe spaces for students to understand the current environment and connect with each other. The core programs Reach deliver in primary and secondary schools will continue to be made available until there is a government mandate to close schools.

We have tried to collate some information which may answer any questions you have about ongoing programming. Please note that this will likely evolve as we follow directives from government and health authorities.

Will Reach continue to deliver school workshops if schools remain open?

Yes. Our program managers may need to discuss changes to program bookings i.e. not exceeding maximum numbers as directed by health authorities. However until the government mandates school closures, we will continue to make our workshops available in Victoria and New South Wales.

What if my school needs to reschedule or postpone a workshop?

We appreciate that this is an evolving situation and your school may need to reschedule a booked workshop in the event your school temporarily shuts down. Our program managers will be contacting schools who have bookings scheduled up until May 2020 to consider rescheduled dates.

What are the cost implications of cancelling / rescheduling a program?

Reach requires all changes to scheduled bookings to be agreed 72 hours prior to the workshop booking. Changes made more than 72 hours before the scheduled date will be rescheduled / cancelled at no cost. Cancellation / rescheduling within 72 hours of the scheduled booking will incur a 50% cancellation fee.

What is Reach doing to ensure its people are safe and not infected with the virus?

• Effective immediately, we are encouraging our staff and crew to self-isolate and work from home, especially if they are unwell.
• All Reach Crew will be required to sign a declaration to confirm they will be compliant with directives from health authorities in relation to COVID-19, and will disclose to Reach’s HR manager if they have contracted the virus. Reach Crew who do not sign this declaration will not be allowed to deliver programs.
• In the event a Reach staff or crew member catches the virus, we will notify anyone they have come into contact with.
• We are following directions from government authorities. Any staff or crew who travel to affected countries or come into contact with someone who has the virus, will need to be isolated for 14 days before returning to work.
• Reach will be promoting and supporting all staff and crew to receive the flu vaccination ahead of peak winter months.
• You can read Reach’s Health Protection Policy here.

Will Reach still be running programs delivered outside of school?

• For the foreseeable future, we will be postponing our large scale programs and events.
• We will review each program as the situation unfolds, as we want to do our best to support young people in the coming months.
• Weekends Away and programs where serving of food is required will most likely be postponed.

Who do I contact if I have questions about programs?

Please contact our National Programs Manager, Mercedes Reed.

Where to access support: 

• Kids Helpline – call 1800 55 1800 or visit kidshelpline.com.au for support via online chat 
• Lifeline – call 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au for support via online chat 
• BeyondBlue – 1300 22 4636