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YALARI - Indigenous Education Scholarship Program

Mr Waverley Stanley is an Australian indigenous aboriginal man who grew up in Murgon and Cherbourg, situated 300 kilometers north-west of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia.

In 1979, Rosemary Bishop his year 7 teacher, recognized great potential in Waverley and she assisted him in securing a life changing secondary school scholarship at Toowoomba Grammar School in Queensland.

Waverley received a full boarding scholarship at the Toowoomba Grammar School (an all boys’ private boarding school) from 1980 to 1984. He is still the only indigenous student to have ever completed year 12 in the school’s 130 year history (since 1875). He was also appointed a school prefect in his final year.

This opportunity came about through Mrs Bishop recognizing something special in Waverley when he was 12 years old. She was instrumental in organizing this opportunity for Waverley by approaching the Headmaster at the time of Toowoomba Grammar School, Mr William Dent.

“The sporting disciplines, teamwork and leadership opportunities presented to me at Toowoomba Grammar School prepared me to undertake many leading roles in my community. This scholarship was the catalyst for me to change the course of my life. I was the only indigenous student at Toowoomba Grammar School and I feel this laid the foundation of the character, resilience and attitude that has served me well throughout my adult life. Through Yalari I am now offering the same opportunities that I was given as a student to other Indigenous children”, Waverley said in a keynote speech to Australian Rotarians in Toowoomba, Queensland.

After graduating from secondary school Waverley worked as an Aboriginal Liaison Officer with the Australian Taxation Office. He was then employed as a Welfare officer for the Aboriginal and Islander Child Care Agency, before spending ten years working as a Community Education Counselor for Education Queensland throughout the state. Recently, Waverley established New Wave Enterprises, a leadership training organization.

“This one act of kindness and commitment to my future provided me with the motivation to establish the Rosemary Bishop Indigenous Education Scholarship Program. The purpose of the program is to establish scholarships for other Indigenous children throughout Australia”, Waverley Stanley told the Rotarians.

The long term goal of the Rosemary Bishop Indigenous Education Scholarship Program is to reshape the educational standards and statistics of indigenous students in Australia by giving educational opportunities to 250 indigenous children Australia wide by the conclusion of the 2015 school year, hence having a positive effect on generations of Indigenous people.

How will the Rosemary Bishop Indigenous Education Scholarship Program make a difference

The program will increase the effectiveness of Indigenous scholarships and help create future Indigenous leaders by:

• Creating long term genuine partnerships and long term shared goals with boarding schools, Indigenous communities, parents and students.

• Developing and coordinating a support network of Indigenous personnel to provide educational, moral and cultural support to students, parents and the school community.

• Assisting schools manage the unique cultural needs of Indigenous students and their families and to foster long term cultural partnerships.

• Sharing knowledge, resources and best practice models between schools and communities that will assist in the achievement of Indigenous students starting and completing their senior schooling at boarding schools.

• Generating broad based long term sustainable community, corporate and philanthropic financial support.

Outcomes for Indigenous Children

Indigenous children given the opportunity to be a scholarship recipient will receive the following benefits from attending a private boarding school;

• A first class education at a leading private school in Australia

• New life experiences outside of their communities

• Educational opportunities that are unavailable in their own communities

• Individual self empowerment

• Independence

• Growth in the self belief, confidence and determination of an individual

• Role model for other Indigenous children within their respective communities

• An opportunity to be exposed to new ideas, learning experiences and personal development

• Sustainable long-term personal skills benefiting other family members and Indigenous communities