In a bid to enhance the educational achievements of First Nations students, the Albanese Government has announced substantial funding for two key Indigenous organizations, the GO Foundation and the Aurora Education Foundation.
The GO Foundation will receive $4 million to expand its scholarship program, which has already helped over 1,700 Indigenous students since its founding in 2009. This new investment will enable the foundation to offer more than just financial support, including cultural workshops, internships, and broader educational opportunities.
Additionally, the Aurora Education Foundation is set to receive $4.5 million to enhance its Redefining Indigenous Success in Education (RISE) initiative. Aurora’s programs, which include tutoring, camps, and mentoring, supported 541 students across 49 schools in 2024. The new funding aims to nearly double this reach, potentially benefiting up to 800 students.
Minister for Education Jason Clare emphasized the importance of these scholarships in helping more students pursue higher education opportunities.
“I want more kids to finish school and have the opportunity to attend university. These scholarships are part of this. The work that Aurora and GO Foundation are doing is increasing attendance rates and helping more Indigenous students to finish school and go on to TAFE or university,” Clare said.
“We know that education is the key to empowering young people to dream big and build great careers. GO Foundation provides support for young Indigenous Australians to be strong in their culture and succeed at school, training, and work. The Aurora Education Foundation is doing important work to help improve the system so that all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students can thrive,” Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney said.