The Bush Children’s Education Foundation of NSW Inc. respectfully
acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we work.
Children in rural areas are heavily disadvantaged due to isolation, and face extreme hardships and financial stress.
Film Australia Collections -
Bush Hostel 1968
WHO WE ARE
The Bush Children's Education Foundation was founded nearly 60 years ago, when a gap was seen in rural students not having the access to quality education and being disadvantaged.
Since 1965 we have helped thousands of families living in remote and inaccessible areas of NSW to gain access to educational opportunities for their children and help them to achieve their career goals and undertake tertiary or further vocational education!
WHAT WE DO
The Foundation offers three types of support for young people who are economically disadvantaged and isolated, living in outback areas of New South Wales.
• Secondary Rural Boarding Bursaries
To assist with the costs of student boarding accommodation where there is a gap in State and Federal funding.
• Vocational/TAFE funding
For Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary and further education programs.
• University Scholarships
To assist in funding isolated HSC achievers with accommodation costs at university which may subsequently benefit remote or isolated
communities.
OUR IMPACT
WHY WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT
Boarding Bursary, Vocational and Scholarship funding requirements are expected to require $250,000 per annum.
We do not receive any government support to fund our programs for eligible students. We rely solely on individuals, private and corporate donations to help educate young people in rural and remote outback NSW.
OUR CHALLENGES
These are just some of the issues 258,000 children in rural areas face today:
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Lower HSC completion rate in rural areas
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Financial hardships from climate, market conditions and government issues
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Higher costs of education, such as boarding, transport, technology, and curriculum enrichment
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Limited access to specialist services, such as career guidance, counselling, and disability support
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Travel for long distances to attend a small school with limited facilities
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Lack social contact with other students, and sporting groups and events which has a huge impact on mental health issues.
FROM OUR FAMILIES
"The support from BCEF has been such a huge part of our girls' education experience. Without the support our family would have struggled to keep the girls in boarding and would have decreased their opportunities for education, social skills and their independence."
"After several tough years of drought, bushfires and flood, the BCEF bursary has really helped us, as we get back on our feet, to afford to send our student to boarding school. As an isolated student, distance education is far too solitary and we have found in our family that being able to attend boarding school is absolutely essential for mental health. It is so difficult to meet the costs of boarding and tuition and the BCEF bursary eases the burden."
"Helped financially and always a lovely relief when I saw the BCEF scholarship deducted from the school fee account. It felt good to know that people in the city are interested and care about the education of our country kids."
"As a recipient of a BCEF grant, it eased the financial burden on us by lessening just one of the many great expenses of Boarding school. This has allowed my son to continue his education, uninterrupted and us to breathe a little easier also. I pray we will continue to be able to afford the cost of boarding school fees as we have another child about to commence her boarding school journey in 2023."
