Member feature written by Meg Baresic


If you’ve ever been lucky enough to open a book and experience the joy of being transported to another world, you will no doubt appreciate the importance of childhood reading. To bear witness to the lives of other people, to understand how different human beings see the world, is to be exposed to the breadth of humanity. Books, I have often thought, are some of our greatest teachers.  

An organisation that undoubtedly understands the importance of reading and childhood education is The Pyjama Foundation. Based in Brisbane’s north-eastern suburb of Albion, the organisation is dedicated to providing children and young people in foster care with the opportunity to expand their network, connect with others, and explore the power of education.  

First established in 2004 by CEO and founder Bronwyn Sheehan, The Pyjama Foundation was lovingly born out of a chance encounter with a foster carer. As Bronwyn (a mother of three and former nurse) tells me, “I met a foster carer one day who was just the most incredible lady. She was amazing. I realised one of her kids was being left out at school, so I asked my daughter to try to include her.” 

When Bronwyn began to understand the enormous load the foster carer was carrying, she started to hatch a plan. “So many kids who have been in and out of foster care have not had anyone who can consistently sit down and read with them. Reading aloud is incredibly helpful for a young child’s brain development.” It was with this in mind that Bronwyn established The Pyjama Foundation, with the aim of partnering children in care with a volunteer who could help to educate them. 

In Australia, there are currently 49,700 children living in foster care. These children have often endured trauma that no child should ever be exposed to, a factor which can significantly hamper their ability to learn and develop. Statistics show that 75% of children in foster care will not finish high school, while 50% of children from a care background will become homeless. This is where The Pyjama Foundation steps in.  

Liz Calligeros, The Pyjama Foundation’s Content Marketing and Fundraising Coordinator, tells me, “The kids that we help tend to have been moved around a lot, and there is a lot of instability, but the one thing you can’t take away from them is their education”.  

Liz has been working for and volunteering with The Pyjama Foundation for six years now, and her passion and kindness are palpable. “When you hear stories from volunteers, and you begin to understand what these children have been through, it’s almost impossible to not want to help.” Liz explains to me that each volunteer is paired with a child who they visit for one hour each week.

“Children in foster care often have people coming and going, but we want to ensure that we pair them with someone that the child can consistently count on. We want to show the kids that they are worth turning up for.” 

The Pyjama Foundation’s volunteers are aptly known as Pyjama Angels, a name that encapsulates their capacity for kindness and knack for spreading joy. While volunteers are tasked with helping students with literacy, numeracy, and life skills, one of the most important aspects of their role is relationship-building. “We want the kids to know that they have someone they can count on, someone who is in their corner,” Liz tells me.  

As we continue chatting, Liz recalls a few of her favourite memories from her time to date with The Pyjama Foundation. “We have one volunteer who has been working with a young boy for a while now. She was a judge in the Magistrates Court, and after the boy found out what she did for work, he asked if they could play cops and robbers. He insisted that she be the robber.” 

Liz also recalls a more personal memory, a memory that makes her smile. “I’ve been working with the same girl for six years now, since she was ten. Not long ago, we were walking in the city when we spotted two older women walking past us. ‘That will be us in fifty years!’ my girl said to me.” 

Since its inception twenty years ago, The Pyjama Foundation has trained over 12,000 Pyjama Angels and touched the lives of 19,000 children. 90% of children who have received help from a Pyjama Angel say that their Angel encouraged them to try their best, while 88% of children say that their Pyjama Angel helped increase their confidence. With numbers like these, it is unsurprising that the organisation is changing lives.  

As our conversation draws to a close, I ask Bronwyn whether she anticipated that The Pyjama Foundation would become what it has. “Honestly, yes. I did.” Such a statement speaks to the unwavering belief and passion that Bronwyn harbours within her, as well as the endless need for organisations like The Pyjama Foundation.  

“What continues to surprise me, though, is how easy it has been to attract and retain volunteers. For many of our volunteers, it is the highlight of their week because they get so much from the experience,” Bronwyn says with a smile. “Our volunteering model really works.” 


The Pyjama Foundation is always looking for more volunteers who are passionate about making a difference to the lives of children in foster care. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age, hold a valid Working with Children Check (or be willing to obtain one), have their own transport/access to reliable public transport, be able and willing to spend 1 hour most weeks with a child in care over a 12-month period, and have a basic understanding of the English language, literacy and numeracy.  

Head to their website and Instagram to find out more about the organisation and how you can get involved.  


About Meg

Meg Baresic is currently studying a Bachelor of Laws and Journalism at QUT. When she’s not drinking coffee or catching up with friends, Meg loves chatting to and learning from inspiring and interesting people.


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