Valuable Eight Year Association With The Lift Off Education Scholarship Program
Since inception, Greater Shepparton Foundation’s Lift Off Education Scholarships have supported 120 local people into higher education.
To provide these scholarships more than $500,000 has been raised via 27 scholarship sponsors and community donations over the past decade. As 2024 marks 10 years of our Lift Off Education Scholarship program our aim is to raise enough funds to support another 120 students!
One scholarship sponsor, The Youth Op Shop in Cobram, is about to enter its eighth year of association with the Lift Off Education Scholarship program.
Rob Morey of The Youth Op Shop said “It has been a very enjoyable and successful partnership which has allowed seven Cobram students to go onto further education with our support. A benefit to us with this program is that it is a transparent process with an independent panel involved in the selection process.”
Each year Greater Shepparton Foundation convenes a committee, whose members bring expertise associated with their roles and are representatives of their wider communities, to develop the framework and manage the scholarship process. This committee is a sub-committee of the Foundation and their recommendation for approval of scholarships and the distribution of funds is approved by the GSF Board.
Rob said, “Lift Off is an important program to continue and we are rewarded with ongoing reports on how grant recipients are going, we also receive visits from time to time. It is great to hear from our earlier students who are now in the work force on how our funding helped them so much.”
Where possible we match scholarship recipients with a sponsor that is from a complementary business or profession to their studies or from the same geographic location in the Goulburn Valley. This in turn offers the possibility for connection and mentorship. Sponsors have the opportunity to meet their scholarship recipient at an awards ceremony and will receive progress reports from the young person they have supported.
“Many students in regional areas are disadvantaged with funding opportunities when they go to further studies, accommodation and study tools cost wise can be a problem and it is fantastic to hear that our support has been very helpful to them”, said Rob.
The Lift Off Education Scholarship Program was established in response to the increasing number of young people not able to afford the transition from secondary education to post-secondary education. Studies show that young people from non-metropolitan regions such as the Goulburn Valley, defer university studies at twice the rate of their metropolitan counterparts. Since 2014, Lift Off has assisted to overcome financial and other barriers to local young people’s education dreams and to in turn achieve their full potential.
Rob said, “I am extremely proud that The Youth Op Shop has contributed in some way to making a difference for the better in a young persons’ journey in life. Any business or individual that feels this program fits into their sponsorship plan will certainly be rewarded by providing that difference, whilst also presenting a great example to our youth.”
With the next round of Lift Off Scholarship applications opening October 9, 2023, we are now seeking sponsors for scholarships to be awarded in 2024. Full sponsorship commences at $5,000 however we are happy to discuss partial sponsorship. Your financial support is 100 percent tax-deductible and will be utilised for the specific purpose of the 2024 round of Lift Off Education Scholarships.
Scholarships are awarded to school leavers aged primarily 17-24 years for approved higher education courses including Diplomas and range from $2,000 to $10,000. Lift Off is targeted at locally based students who attended secondary schooling in the following communities: Kyabram, Nathalia, Numurkah, Cobram, Mooroopna, Shepparton, Euroa and Rushworth.
Sponsorship/donations are held specifically for the purpose of the scholarships. If you are interested in supporting the Lift Off Education Scholarship program and supporting a local young person to achieve their education dreams, please contact me at info@greatershepparton.foundation
Alternatively for more information on Lift Off Education Scholarships, please visit the ‘scholarships’ page here on our website for more information.
Comments