Meaningful employment is the best way out of poverty. Sir David Martin Foundation is empowering young people to pursue their dreams through Scholarships. Young people who have taken that first step and completed courses at Triple Care Farm, Creative Youth Initiatives or South West Youth Services are encouraged to apply for a scholarship for the costs involved for further education and employment.
Students have turned their lives around and pursued opportunities that they never thought possible. Young people have enrolled in University to study forensics, education and entered NIDA. Through support of the Youth Scholarship program you too can open doors that transform lives.
Sir David Martin Foundation had previously managed the Holly Legge Scholarship. Holly’s parents, Peter and Helen, have established the Scholarship through the Sir David Martin Foundation as a memorial to Holly, in recognition of her intention to pursue a career in the fields of Art, Graphic Design and Photography.
Read about one of our successful students below.
Not just a Scholarship, but an important turning point in Shelley’s* troubled life.
The ultimate reward for our supporters is the satisfaction of helping a troubled young person to turn their life around. This year, at the Creative Youth Initiatives ARTWORKS! Award, scholarship winner, Shelley*, shared her story!
“Like all the students who come into the Creative Youth Initiatives program, I had personal issues. I was diagnosed with a mental illness and this was a major disruption in my life. I was unable to work and was surviving on Centrelink benefits. Creative Youth Initiatives helped me cope by encouraging me to create art. This took my mind off my personal issues and gave me time to heal myself. Throughout the course of the year, my self esteem and confidence came back. I had more control over my life and, for the first time since being diagnosed, I felt happy. I especially enjoyed coming out of my comfort zone to try the things I had never done before. I completed the tasks I set for myself and I found that this was a major achievement. Last year, when I had my group ARTWORKS! exhibition, I sold a lot of my artwork and it felt great that people appreciated my creativity. I remember my family attending the opening night and they were standing right in front of my artwork. Every time I got a red dot next to my artwork, my Dad would come up to me and say “Shelley, you got another red dot!” To see that my family were really proud of me and could see that I’ve improved as a person felt fantastic! Towards the end of my time at Creative Youth Initiatives, I applied for a TAFE course and, with the tutors’ help, we put my portfolio together. I also applied for a scholarship through Sir David Martin Foundation and I was lucky enough to get both. I got into Design Entertainment at Enmore TAFE which is the best design school in NSW. The scholarship helped me immensely at TAFE, as I have been able to concentrate on study and the vouchers have enabled me to get the materials required. I also got to do some Commission Work including my design being used at the Homebake Music Festival on bags and as a temporary tattoo. It is all very exciting.”
*name changed to protect privacy.