Country Education Foundation of Australia (CEF) is excited to announce its local foundation Matched Giving Campaign for 2024, with donations made to any local CEF foundation during September and October matched dollar for dollar, capped at $5000.
Funds raised will go directly towards supporting local youth and help them break the barriers rural and regional youth face when accessing their post-school aspirations, such as distance and isolation.
CEF is a community-driven national charity made up of 46 local CEF foundations based in rural and regional locations across Australia that help local youth access post-school education, training and jobs through grants, scholarships, resources and social support.
"We know that 79% of CEF-supported students in 2023 had to move away from home to pursue further studies or employment which adds to their financial burden. Donations will help us provide more grants to local youth to help them deal with barriers like this," said CEF CEO Wendy Mason.
CEF student Georgia Bennetts from Coolah, NSW.
CEF student Georgia Bennetts is studying in her fourth year of a Bachelor of Secondary Science and Cert IV Veterinary Nursing at the University of New England.
She needed to support herself financially for the first three years of her degree before receiving a grant from CEF Coolah this year, which she said had made a huge difference.
I am extremely thankful for this grant, which has come from the heart of our community. It has helped me get through the end of my university journey. I am excited to be able to give back to the community once I have finished my teaching degree.
– CEF student Georgia Bennetts.
This year CEF is hoping for big results from the Campaign, with regional students and their families continuing to face challenges amidst the current cost of living crisis.
"The gap in further education participation between regional students and their metropolitan counterparts continues to be an issue. This Matched Giving Campaign is one way rural and regional communities can play their part in bridging that gap, by empowering their local CEF foundation to offer more support to local youth," said Ms Mason.
