Burdekin is proud to announce that our patron, Professor Brian Burdekin AO, has generously donated $20,000 today to Burdekin to fund 20 young people’s further education scholarships. These are for young people in our care.
Professor Burdekin has made a firm commitment to contribute $200,000 over the next 10 years for these scholarships.
Today being Youth Homelessness Matters Day, is the day Professor Burdekin chose to announce his donation.
The scholarships will be tailored to meet the needs of young people pursuing further education, and can be used to purchase books, pay for tuition fees, or subject-related educational tutoring.
“Education improves access to opportunities such as employment, healthcare, housing, family, community, travel, and playing a full part in society with dignity.
I anticipate that the 20 scholarships created from my donation will have a positive and lasting impact on the lives of the young people, and I hope that my donation may encourage others to make a similar gesture.”
Professor Brian Burdekin, AO Patron of Burdekin
Many of the young people who come to Burdekin did not attend sufficient schooling in their formative years. As a result, they are likely to have low literacy and poor self esteem, while needing to recover from the trauma of the challenges that caused their situation in the first place, such as family conflict.
Scholarships like this, assist a young person who is keen to commence or continue with their higher education to receive that opportunity, realise their potential and reach their goals.
To find out more about the positive difference that education makes to young people’s lives, click here.
About Professor Brian Burdekin AO
Professor Brian Burdekin, AO has left a lasting legacy to two of Australia’s most disadvantaged groups – homeless children and people with mental illness. During his term as Federal Human Rights Commissioner, he presented two landmark reports: a National Inquiry into Youth Homelessness in 1989 and National Inquiry into the Human Rights of People with Mental Illness in 1983.
Read more about Professor Burdekin here. And, read Professor Burdekin’s article, ‘Government is failing our most vulnerable children’ here.
About Youth Homelessness Matters Day
Homelessness Matters Day is a national day that aims to raise awareness and public discussion about child and youth homelessness. It’s been held every year since 1990 and has grown into a national commemoration of young people’s resilience. It’s also a day for Yfoundations and other services like Burdekin to seek innovative solutions to support the needs of children and young people at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness. It’s a day that’s showcased online and in communities around Australia. Read more here.
Over 38,000 young people aged 15–24 years presented alone to a homelessness service in 2022–23. Of these young people, almost half experienced mental ill-health and over one third experienced domestic and family violence.
The majority of these young people were in need of short-or long-term accommodation and most were turned away due to a lack of capacity.
To read more about Youth Homelessness Matters Day, click here.
