Geelong not-for-profit organisation Kids+ has announced a new scholarship program to support and encourage young people living with disability to pursue allied health-related tertiary qualifications.
Kids+, which provides allied health services for families and young people living with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, announced scholarships will be open to its current and former clients seeking to attain bachelor, diploma or certificate qualifications.
Successful scholarship applicants will receive up to $2,500 per year for up to four years and be paired with a Kids+ mentor.
Kids+ CEO Shaun Cannon said workers in the support services industry who had lived with disability brought important experiences and perspectives to the job.
“Allied health and disability support services are best delivered when they are being directed by participants and their families,” Mr Cannon said.
“An extension of this is to have a far greater number of allied health professionals in the field with lived experience of disability.”
Mr Cannon said promoting work opportunities for young people was an important new service Kids+ could now provide, and he thanked the scholarship program’s financial supporters, including major contributor Burke Britton Financial Partners.
“Kids+ is committed to creating opportunities for the young people we work with,” he said.
“Our hope is that the scholarship program may act as a small incentive, and be a source of encouragement, for Kids+ participants to consider a career in the wonderful world of allied health.
“We are very appreciative of the community support we have received to make this scholarship program available.”
For more information on the Kids+ scholarship program go to kidsplus.org.au/scholarship.
