The Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation, which has helped thousands of Catholic school students complete years 11 and 12, has been named the 2023 Philanthropic Foundation of the Year at the Queensland Community Foundation Philanthropy Awards. Source: The Catholic Leader.
QATSIF secretariat director Michael Nayler said, “It meant the world to be recognised”.
Mr Nayler said they had often struggled to get recognition for the work they had done for more than 15 years.
More than 16,300 young people have come through QATSIF, he said.
“The organisation has made a huge difference in the lives of so many young First Nations people,” he said.
He said it was important to recognise where the foundation came from.
QATSIF was established in 2008 to ensure any interest from unspent Indigenous wage reparation money was made available to help Indigenous young people.
This money was used to help close the gap between learning outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.
Only 65 per cent of First Nations students complete Year 12, compared with 80.6 per cent for all Queensland students.
In 2022, 96 per cent of QATSIF students who finished their program completed year 12.
QATSIF patron Aunty Ruth Hegarty said she was proud of QATSIF students’ many achievements.
“You are the generation who will lead us into a brighter tomorrow,” she told the students.
FULL STORY
Organisation that helped thousands of First Nations Catholic students gets top award (By Joe Higgins, The Catholic Leader)
