The GOORI STARS Project.

….. on THE GOORI STARS PROJECT.

RATIONALE.

An exclusive joint project designed to assist the achievements of indigenous youth.

1. The focus of this project is supporting achievement of Indigenous (GOORI) students across their entire journey – from the latter years of secondary school, through University, then after they graduate.
2. The project will use the power of real stories of achievement to encourage young Indigenous Australians to consider education and see the path as being obtainable to them. This will be enhanced by a structured engagement plan using indigenous tutors, counsellors and confidantes as well as our Gilchrist Foundation Engagement team (see 5, 6 and 7 below). 
3. Both the University and Gilchrist Foundation will invest significant resources (including some through specific Commonwealth support schemes) to provide scholarships for the duration of their tertiary study, which could include accommodation support to stay on campus.
4. The University will work in partnership with Gilchrist Foundation to use its investment to secure matched funds from donors nationally who align with our mission to support as many as possible Indigenous Students to successfully complete university and enter a profession. (We are talking about a target of $1 million, of which the University will contribute at least half).
5. Through the project we will devise a support structure and community around the students, and this will include a mix of university services and activities delivered by volunteers through Gilchrist Foundation. We can flexibly create this “program” to ensure that it is within capacity for both Southern Cross University and Gilchrist Foundation using university Alumni wherever possible.
6. A key part of the program will be the advocacy by existing young Indigenous students to others that may be interested in taking up the opportunity. We would want to connect these advocates to, and ensure they have a presence in, key feeder schools.
7. We will build a set of well-known personalities  who are happy to act as Patrons/Advocates for the mission of the program and help us to make connections to potential like-minded donors.
8. The success of the program will be measured by the attainment levels of students (e.g., attrition rates, completion rates, etc) with the ultimate goal being how many of the students who join the program and take up the tertiary scholarship successfully graduate.

THE GOORI STARS ACTION PLAN.

The Goori Stars Project will be delivered in three Stages:

• Stage 1:
  • Students-
  • • will be selected from nominations made by Northern NSW Secondary Schools, and
    • will be entering Year 10 in the first year of their awards;
    • who achieve satisfactory progress will continue into Years 11 and 12, and then be offered undergraduate scholarships at Southern Cross University.
  • The Gilchrist Foundation Goori Stars team (including appropriate Indigenous volunteers) will engage from the start with-
    • their families, and
    • their communities.

• Stage 2:
  1. Southern Cross University and Gilchrist Foundation will provide four-year undergraduate scholarships to indigenous students.
  2. Gilchrist Foundation Goori Stars team (including appropriate alumni and indigenous mentors) as well as the Gilchrist Foundation Engagement Team will engage from the start with-
     1. the scholarship awardees in order to-
        1. assist in the students’ progress as necessary,
        2. establish relationships between students and donors (including arranging appropriate work experience)
     2. donors and other stakeholders in order to-
        1. develop relationships between students and donors (including appropriate work experience), and
        2. ensure appropriate recognition is given for donations and other assistance.
• Stage 3: Our objective is to facilitate, for the graduating students, either-
  1. employment opportunities with donors or other stakeholders, or
  2. post-graduate studies.

This Stage will be dependent on-

our ability to connect students with potential employers within our donors/stakeholders,

their willingness to offer employment, and

the aspirations of the students.

For the SPECIAL CONDITIONS that apply to this project, view HERE.

And to make a donation to this special project, click HERE.