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Sidney Poitier was the first black
Local tertiary students who are required to leave the region to study in a health related field are encouraged to apply for a $2000 grant to support their learning as part of the annual Mount Gambier and District Tertiary Health Education Grant program.
The program will provide up to 12 grants to City of Mount Gambier and District Council of Grant residents to undertake university studies in health skills shortage areas within the local community.
“The grants are available to those students starting or continuing university studies in identified skills shortage areas such as medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, allied health, chiropractic, midwifery, psychology, paramedicine and mental health nursing,” Mount Gambier and District Tertiary Health Education Grants Program chairman Rodney Summers said.
“We recognise that study within the health area is expensive and we want to support students along the way and encourage them to return to our region to use their skills once they are qualified.”
The grants can be used for university fees, medical uniforms, equipment, books, travel and living expenses.
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy student Jennieva Burn moved to Bendigo last year for her first year of the course at La Trobe University with the assistance of a Tertiary Health Education Grant.
“I applied for the grant because to be supported by my home town was an amazing opportunity,” Jennieva said. “Also, my casual job has been my only source of earnings, and with full-time study I was seeking alternative sources of income to help out with my first year of university, in a different city too. As someone who plans to come back to the Limestone Coast I thought it was ideal.
“This grant has helped me pay for petrol, supplies, groceries, oncampus amenities fees and medical appointments. It allowed me to focus more on my university course and I was able to afford the long drives home to visit loved ones.
“I would absolutely encourage others to apply for this grant as it is a great way for fellow regional citizens pursuing education to receive financial assistance. University is no easy feat and any help is motivating, especially from your home town.”
Physiotherapist Anna Telford received a Tertiary Health Education Grant in 2015 and 2016 to assist her to complete a Bachelor of Physiotherapy at the University of South Australia in Adelaide.
“I relocated to Adelaide in 2014 to study full time for four years and there were several associated living costs like higher rent, more fuel, travelling further to and from home, public transport costs to and from university, university textbooks and uniform costs,” Anna said.
“Financially the grant was very useful to me to assist with those costs, but it was also good for my mental health. I had less stress as I didn’t need to work as many hours, my work/study life balance was much better and I could prioritise my studies.”
Anna returned to Mount Gambier after completing her studies in 2017 and started her own practice in 2020. She has since opened an additional clinic in Millicent with another young local returning physiotherapist.
“On reflection I’ve really come to value the sense of community support that the grant provided. I am proud to be from a regional town and appreciate that this program acknowledges that it’s not easy to study away from home and supports the hopes and dreams of people in the allied health area, it’s a really special concept I think,” she said.
The Tertiary Health Education Grant program has awarded 156 grants to students at a total cost of $312,000 since 2007. It is supported by City of Mount Gambier, District Council of Grant, UFS Chemist, Flinders Rural Health SA, Mount Gambier and District Community Bank, Rotary Club of Mount Gambier Lakes, John and Helen Kentish and Ken and Carol Stafford.
View the eligibility criteria and application form at: www. mountgambier.sa.gov.au/THEG
Applications close on Thursday 31 March 2022.
GIVING BACK AFTER HELPING
HAND: (Above) Anna Telford received a Tertiary Health Education Grant in 2015 and 2016 to assist her to complete a Bachelor of Physiotherapy in Adelaide. She has since returned to Mount Gambier and opened her own practice, Anna Telford Physiotherapy.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: (Left) Mount Gambier and District Tertiary Health Education Grants Program Chairman Rodney Summers and 2021 grant recipient and Bachelor of Occupational Therapy student Jennieva Burn.
Bushfire safety awareness in the spotlight
Collaborative project looks to lift the lid on Bushfire Place of Last Resort
A community driven, contemporary style video is the latest tool being used to help generate bushfire safety awareness in the Glenelg Shire.
The Glenelg Shire Emergency Management Planning Committee has released its latest project - the Bushfire Place of Last Resort video which helps explain the purpose of a Bushfire Place of Last Resort, formerly known as a Neighbourhood Safer Place.
The video is produced in a striking animated style, and is a collaboration between the Glenelg Shire Emergency Management Planning Committee, Powerhouse Productions and the students of Heywood Consolidated Primary School.
Glenelg Shire Emergency Management Planning Committee chair Greg Burgoyne said it was fantastic to partner with their local, rural communities to share important safety messages.
“The concept for the Bushfire Place of Last Resort video was to help dispel some of the myths surrounding their purpose, and what’s available,” he said.
“There were misconceptions that a Bushfire Place of Last Resort could offer support services in the instance of an emergency. But that’s not the case – a Bushfire Place of Last Resort is only intended for use when all other plans have failed and there is no guarantee that emergency services will be present to provide assistance. “To help communicate this message at a local level, we partnered with Heywood Consolidated School and video studio Powerhouse Productions. “The voices you hear narrating the video are the voices of Heywood students, and the footage you see is imagery from across the Glenelg Shire. It is incredibly powerful to have the future leaders of our rural communities reinforcing bushfire safety across the broader region.
“We thank Heywood Consolidated School for their willingness to be involved on this important project, and to Powerhouse Productions for bringing to life this video in the modern, animated format, which is incredibly effective.
“We hope that it can help the community understand the purpose of a Bushfire Place of Last Resort, and the role it plays during an emergency in their township.”
The Bushfire Place of Last Resort video was funded by the Victorian Government through Safer Together project funding.
To view the video, visit the Glenelg Shire website or YouTube channel.
To learn more about Bushfire Places of Last Resort, including locations in your township, visit the Glenelg Shire website.
