Country Education Foundation of Australia alumnus, Chelsea Stevenson, says she couldn't have got as far as she has without CEF's support.
Country Education of Australia (CEF) is aiming to help hundreds of rural and regional youth through its Boot Bash campaign and give the cost-of-living crisis the boot, just like it did for alumnus Chelsea Stevenson.
Inflation has proved a major challenge for university students outside of metropolitan areas, with the cost of travel, fuel, rent and everyday living expenses rising significantly since early last year.
CEF's inaugural Boot Bash will be held on Friday 15th March 2024.
Its goal is to build awareness of the post-school education participation gap that exists between regional and metropolitan youth, and raise additional funds for every CEF student in 2024.
COST-OF-LIVING UPDATE JANUARY 2024
The recent statistics outlined below show that the cost of living crisis continues to have an impact on the lives of Australians.
Our rural and regional youth who are aspiring to post-school education are disproportionately affected by this issue.
Almost 60% of students we support report the need to move away from home, and many more must travel, to access some or all of their required study in order to complete their education.
Find out how you can get involved in the CEF Boot Bash this year and help our rural and regional students give the cost of living crisis the boot HERE.
- The cost of living crisis continues to present challenges to regional and rural youth accessing post-school education and employment.
- According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in the 12 months to the December 2023 quarter automotive fuel increased by 5.4% and rents increased by 7.3%.*
- Although the annual increase in the cost of fuel decreased in December, in the 12 months to September 2023, the cost of fuel skyrocketed by 19.7%, and rent increased 7.6%.*
- CPI rose by 4.1 percent in the 12 months to December 2023.*
- According to Monash University's 2023 'Australian Youth Barometer' study, 65% of young Australians think it is likely or extremely likely they will not be able to afford a comfortable place to live in the next 12 months.**
- Food insecurity was also an issue, with 32% of young people from regional and rural Australia reporting this compared with 18% of their metropolitan counterparts.**
- 70% identified affordable housing options for young people as an issue that needed immediate action.**
* Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics
** Source: (CYPEP), Monash Centre for Youth Policy and Education Practice; Walsh et al (2023). The 2023 Australian Youth Barometer. Monash University.
Student Spotlight - Chelsea Stevenson
Chelsea Stevenson
Bachelor of Agriculture
Local CEF Foundation: Country Education Foundation of Gwydir Region
For metropolitan youth, the thought of needing to travel to a library to use the internet would make them think they've been sent in a time warp back to the 1990s.
However, for CEF-supported student Chelsea Stevenson, from the Gwydir region of NSW, this is a reality.
Due to poor internet service in the rural area she lives in, she is forced to travel nearly 50km return to the nearest town library just to access the internet and complete her university assessment items.
With the cost of fuel rising 19.7% between September 2022 and September 2023, it highlights the added challenge country-based students faced compared to their city-based peers.
It is a very costly exercise for Chelsea and said she "wouldn't know where she'd be" without CEF's support.
"With CEF helping me to cover some of the costs I feel as though there is one less weight upon my shoulders, and completing my degree actually feels possible," she said.
Now in her fourth and final year of a Bachelor of Agriculture at the University of New England, she is looking forward to finishing her studies, with significant financial support from CEF key in getting her this far amidst the cost-of-living crisis.
After being awarded a grant from CEF Gwydir Region, her local CEF foundation, in her first year of study in 2021, she received further support as the MH Premium Farms – CEF scholar in 2021, which provided her with extra funding for each year of her studies, capped at four years.
Needing to drive two hours, one way, to get to university, she said the fuel costs associated with getting to and from university were "incredibly daunting", and she could not have done it without the grants and scholarships she received.
In recognition of the rising cost-of-living, funds raised from the Boot Bash campaign will contribute to a top up allocation to all 2024 CEF grant recipients.
