We recently received a very moving letter from a young carer who was a recipient of the Susan Fincham Young Carer Bursary. This bursary supports students, past and present, who care for an immediate family member. Here is an excerpt from the letter.

Dear Susan, 

There were many times when I felt as though I was alone on my journey. It was very alienating when I saw everyone carrying on with life as though nothing had happened, even though my world had been rocked to its core. More than anything, the bursary’s greatest value was in how it reminded me that there were people who believed in me. Along with the outstanding pastoral care of my school’s wellbeing team, your support meant that I was never alone. I was extremely determined to make it through the end of the year to complete my VCE. Under no circumstances was I going to withdraw, as it would be the last thing that my dad would have wanted me to do. I want to thank you for giving me that motivational push that helped me make my dad proud.

The monetary aid of the Scholarship significantly improved my educational journey throughout the year. Having access to a computer drastically increased my productivity and cut back on my study time. This allowed me to spend more time with my family and complete the menial tasks required for upkeep of our household in lieu of my mum, given her medical problem. To this day, I still cherish this gift at university, for it continues to remind me of my privileged access to an educational amenity that many take for granted. Towards the end of the year, another obstacle that the Scholarship helped me overcome was transport costs of travelling to and from medical interviews. One thing I believe in is equality of opportunity, and the scholarship certainly provided me with that; it gave me the same opportunities as my financially-privileged peers to pursue a place in my dream course.

We would also like to recognise the hard work of the School’s Wellbeing Team, who work tirelessly to support students who need support to realise their full potential.

You can read more about the  the Susan Fincham Young Carer Bursary here

To help us support more students in need make a donation to the Scholarship Trust here