Young women changing the world
As we enter the last month of our exhibition Give to Gain, we take a look at the Sisters of Charity Foundation’s work, with a particular focus on their work supporting young women.
The Foundation awards university and TAFE scholarships to young people from out-of-home care backgrounds. Due to the challenges of their upbringing these students tend to display great empathy and compassion and often choose career paths that will see them caring or advocating for others. From health care to community services, the following young women are all committed to changing Australia for the better.
Read on for some inspiration! Our congratulations to these young women whose sacred story they have generously shared with us.
Left to right: Brianna, Teresa, Tenayah, Lillian, Ruby, Tyrah [All images courtesy of The Sisters of Charity Foundation]
Brianna, Doctor of Medicine and Surgery | Australian National University
“The prospect of restoring function and appearance to patients who have suffered from injuries, defects, or illnesses – to improve their self-esteem and quality of life – stands out to me significantly. Everyone deserves to have the best quality of life possible, and I believe reconstructive surgeons can play a significant role in helping patients in need.
By combining medical expertise with compassion, I hope to make a tangible difference in people’s lives and contribute to improving their physical and emotional wellbeing.”
Teresa, Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) and Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice | University of New South Wales
“When I was in care there was such a sense of injustice and how unfair everything was, and how I wish I was in a different situation, around different people and living in a different place. There were so many times that I wished I had someone to come and rescue me, someone who would swoop in and say, ‘I’ll take you away from this’.
What helped me continue through all of that was my desire to be that for someone else. I want to be in a position where I can develop that relationship with a young person and give them that sense of reassurance.”
Tenayah, Diploma of Community Services | TAFE Wollongong
“I’ve always wanted to make a difference and support people to improve their quality of life. I am very passionate about the community services industry because it is full of people who helped me navigate through some very tough times growing up, and even now. My ideal job would be in child protection as I have experienced what it’s like to be a child in the system. I would like to make a positive impact on the lives of children and young people experiencing abuse and neglect.”
Lillian, Bachelor of Midwifery | University of Technology Sydney
“I love supporting, advocating for, and empowering women during their childbearing journey as it is a time full of hormones, emotions and vulnerability. I would love to contribute to a positive change in the world, such as decreasing the intervention rates during birth and the rate of birth trauma.”
Ruby, Bachelor of Communication | Deakin University
“Young people with a care experience have so much potential, they have dreams just like anyone else. Young people need to be given that space to be able to thrive. All it takes is one person to believe in them and they can achieve what they want.
I help hundreds of young people to be able to amplify their voices, even in Parliament. I have been told by young people that I have given them the confidence to advocate for themselves, and also see a future for themselves after care.”
Tyrah, Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) | University of New South Wales
“My dream career involves supporting and assisting young people. I’m not sure yet in what capacity I’d like to do this, however, the wellbeing of First Nations people in the out-of-home care sector is a passion and focus point of mine. This is because of personal experiences in care, and the sickening overrepresentation of Aboriginal Australians in the out-of-home care system.”
About the Sisters of Charity Foundation’s Tertiary Scholarship Program
The Sisters of Charity Foundation awards tertiary scholarships to young people with a care experience: foster care, kinship care, residential care etc.
Financial support helps recipients afford university or TAFE study expenses (course fees; textbooks; technology; and attending workshops, networking events and internships) as well as the cost of living on their own with no parental support. The scholarship lets them focus on their studies, rather than having to hold down multiple jobs or work full-time hours.
For more information about The Sisters of Charity Foundation: https://sistersofcharityfoundation.org.au/