Pictured above L-R: Sam Sodhi (CEO, Futurity Investment Group), Wendy Mason (CEO, Country Education Foundation) and Craig Dunstan (Chair, Futurity Investment Group)
Country Education Foundation of Australia's (CEF) commitment to breaking down barriers, establishing education pathways and ensuring young people from regional and rural Australia have access to further education has been strengthened, with a three-year, $225,000 grant from Futurity Education Foundation.
The grant will allow CEF to support regional students facing extenuating financial pressures who hold a strong desire to succeed in their tertiary teaching and education studies.
Futurity Investment Group's impact stretches back decades and is supported through the work of Futurity Education Foundation, which was established in 2021.
Futurity Investment Group CEO, Sam Sondhi said the partnership with CEF will allow Futurity Education Foundation to positively impact more families, increase its reach and impact and enable education pathways for regional and rural students to access tertiary education.
"Futurity Education Foundation and Country Education Foundation are united in the belief that education changes lives," Mr Sondhi said.
"In our 50th year it's humbling Futurity Education Foundation can champion philanthropic endeavours that break down barriers and create educational pathways for students who experience barriers to education.
"It's critical for Australia's long-term success that quality education is affordable, accessible and inclusive across all parts of society. Futurity Education Foundation will help make this vision a reality.
"Futurity Education Foundation's partnership with Country Education Foundation will see select university students awarded scholarships to help pay for textbooks, laptops, accommodation and other education expenses."
CEF CEO, Wendy Mason said the grant from Futurity Education Foundation will help support even more regional students.
"Futurity Education Foundation's generous support will help rural and regional youth to access the services and resources they need to fulfil their personal potential, and to contribute fully to the communities in which they live," Ms Mason said.
"Last year we supported more than 650 young Australians living in rural and regional areas, who are as bright and ambitious as those living in Australia's major metropolitan centres.
"However, the reality is that to shape a career or undertake further education, young rural Australians must often leave home, travel and live in or move closer to metropolitan centres.
"For many of these rural and regional students, the financial, emotional and social obstacles are great. With Futurity Education Foundation's support, we are addressing the inequity in accessing tertiary education that exists between them and their metropolitan peers."
