Weld Australia is proud to announce its support for the transformative Buddy Up Program, developed by Future Shapers (Committee for Ballarat's leadership program) and HM Prison Langi Kal Kal. The program is designed to break down barriers to education by improving literacy among people in prison through peer-led learning - and now, Weld Australia is calling on more organisations to get involved.
The Buddy Up Program was born out of an empathy mapping session conducted at HM Prison Langi Kal Kal, a minimum-security men's prison in Victoria's Grampians region. The session revealed that many people in prison can struggle with basic literacy skills. Offering a variety of educational programs in prison is critical to upskilling and leads to potential employment pathways and real job opportunities.
The empathy mapping session was part of the Future Shapers initiative facilitated by the Committee of Ballarat. Future Shapers draws together a cohort of emerging leaders from all sectors across Ballarat and the region, to think, question, build connections, broaden understanding of community leadership and effect positive change.
The Buddy Up Program pairs learners with peer coaches and uses the Toe-by-Toe structured literacy model to provide individualised support in a judgment-free, peer-driven environment. Ten people in prison successfully completed the pilot program in 2024, with more participants enrolled in 2025.
"This is about more than just learning to read. It's about restoring dignity, confidence, and hope," said Ben Mitchell, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Weld Australia.
Mitchell recently visited Langi Kal Kal to meet participants and witness the program in action. "It was incredibly moving to see first-hand the impact Buddy Up is having," said Mitchell. "You can see the change in the way participants carry themselves. It's giving them not just a new skill, but a belief in themselves and their future. By supporting Buddy Up, we're helping to remove a fundamental barrier to rehabilitation. Literacy is a critical enabler of education, employment and reintegration."
Weld Australia provided funding for the learning resources used in the program. Now, the organisation is seeking more partners to help expand Buddy Up and ensure its long-term success. Organisations interested in supporting inmate literacy and rehabilitation - whether through funding, promotion or collaboration - are encouraged to contact Ben Mitchell directly.
"Literacy is the foundation for education, employment and reintegration," said Mitchell. "We're calling on other organisations to get involved. With more support, we can expand Buddy Up to other facilities and give more people in prison the opportunity to turn their lives around."
"Weld Australia has a long history of advocating for training, skills development and opportunity—especially in marginalised communities," said Mitchell. "The prison system must be more than a place of punishment—it must also be a place of growth. Programs like Buddy Up prove that with the right support, change is possible."
Participant feedback from the 2024 cohort has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing increased confidence and a renewed sense of purpose.
One participant noted, "I feel so much more confident in reading and writing. This is not the end of my literacy journey, but has reinforced my pathway to literacy freedom."
Weld Australia's involvement in Buddy Up builds on its broader commitment to social impact. In 2022, the organisation partnered with Corrections Victoria and Federation University to support the Vocational and Educational Training (VET) Centre of Excellence at Langi Kal Kal. This program gives people in prison the opportunity to train to ISO 9606 international welding standards using augmented reality technology and practical workshop projects, linking participants with employers and support services post-release.
Together, Buddy Up and the VET Welding Centre of Excellence program reflect a shared commitment between Federation University, industry and Corrections Victoria to build a future where every individual, regardless of circumstance, has access to meaningful opportunity.
