Educating Indigenous Children
1
Yalari Annual Report 2010/2011
Message from the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia
Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, Governor – General of the Commonwealth of Australia with Scotch College Adelaide students, Jacob Nichaloff and Joseph Althouse
1 1
Yalari Annual ual Report 2010
Contents Message from the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia ............................01 Yalari at a Glance ..........................................................04 Chairman of the Board .................................................05 Founding Director .........................................................06 Board Members .............................................................07 Yalari ..............................................................................08 Yalari’s Significant Achievements...............................09 Highlights ......................................................................12 Student Activities ..........................................................14 Fundraising ...................................................................15 Volunteers .....................................................................16 Major Partners ..............................................................17 Student Achievements .................................................18 Financials ......................................................................21 2011 Partner Schools and Student Numbers ..............26 Acknowledgments ........................................................26
Yalari Annual Report 2010/2011
2
Yalari, from the Birra Gubba Indigenous language group, means “child”. Founding Director Waverley Stanley was given permission to use the name by the late Grandfather “Blokey” Wilson, an elder from Waverley’s mother’s family in North Queensland.
3
3
Yalari Annual Report 2010 Ya Y alla arrii A nnu nn ua a all R Re e epo porrtt 2 po 0110 0
Yalari at a Glance Mission To educate and empower Indigenous children from regional, rural and remote communities to bring about generational change.
Vision To provide trusted, quality educational opportunities for Indigenous children so they can achieve positive outcomes for themselves and their families, and can make a valuable contribution as Australians.
Core values Transparency, Trust, Accountability, Compassion, Inclusivity, Commitment, Respect.
Key operations Yalari is a not-for-profit organisation offering secondary educational scholarships to Indigenous children from remote, rural and regional communities.
Staff and volunteers Yalari has 23 staff nationally, including 11 Student Support Officers working in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Sydney, Armidale, Tamworth, Melbourne and Adelaide. We also value the diverse and inspirational contributions of more than 200 volunteers in many locations.
Yalari scholars Yalari currently supports 182 Indigenous children attending 31 of the nation’s leading boarding schools. Our scholars are from 92 different Indigenous communities in all corners of Australia.
Educating Indigenous Children PO Box 1355 Oxenford QLD 4210 p 07 5665 8688 f 07 5665 8611 e info@yalari.org ABN 66 113 794 148 ACN 113 794 14
www.yalari.org Yalari Annual Report 2010/2011
4
Chairman of the Board In November 2010, I was given an opportunity to become the Chairman of the Yalari Board. Being an Augathella boy born and bred, I was fortunate to have the company of Aboriginal people from my earliest memories. As a result I have a genuine interest in the well-being of Indigenous people. Added to this are my personal experiences and understanding of the difficulties associated with education for all children living in remote and regional areas. With this background, it is obvious why I was delighted to be able to assist Yalari by accepting the role as Chairman of the Board. I acknowledge the hard work of my predecessor Mr Tim Oughton who led the Board through a transitional period in 2010, and I am delighted that Tim has agreed to remain on the Board. These are exciting times for Yalari and for Indigenous education in Australia. I look forward to working with the Board and senior management and, most importantly, to offering more educational opportunities for Indigenous children. The 2010 and 2011 financial years saw substantial growth for Yalari in many ways. Forty-two new students were offered scholarships in January 2010 and in the same month Yalari became one of the federal government’s preferred organisations to administer the Indigenous Youth Leadership Program. In December we celebrated as 17 Yalari students completed year 12, including the very first student to be offered a Yalari scholarship – Nellie Bond at The Glennie School in Toowoomba. And then at the start of the 2011 school year, we welcomed a further 50 students to the Yalari experience. Other highlights included improved financial results with a 70 per cent increase in sponsorship and donations, successful fundraising dinners in Sydney and Brisbane, and Powderfinger’s support on their farewell Sunsets tour. Most importantly, I congratulate our Yalari scholars for their dedication in their pursuit of excellence in and out of the classroom. I am truly inspired by what they consistently achieve. Their fine achievements would not have been possible had it not been for the support of the Yalari family. To the many sponsors, donors and volunteers who so freely give of their time and money to help our children – thank you. Nor should we forget the tremendous efforts of our partner schools and the dedicated Yalari staff.
5 5
Yalari Annual Report 2010
Making a difference Yalari is about helping Indigenous children to reach their full potential, and to fulfil their own dreams. We are one of a number of Indigenous scholarship programs in Australia, but our focus is solely on students from regional, rural and remote communities. Yalari’s success and continued growth is based on belief. That belief is that our students, their families and the Indigenous communities in which they live ARE making a difference. And that our partner boarding schools, our donors, sponsors, government departments, philanthropic organisations and the Yalari team ARE making a difference for Indigenous children. We are all making a difference now and we will continue to make a difference in the future, having a positive impact for generations to come.
Founding Director Yalari’s journey The past six years have been the most rewarding of my life – so far. As I bounced a basketball in a large crowd of enthusiastic and highly competitive children from all over Australia on the court during Yalari’s Orientation Camp in January, I stopped for a moment, looked at the excited young faces around me, and thought about how far we have come since the Yalari concept first became a reality back in 2005. And about the experience that lies ahead for our students as they work towards a brighter future through education. My own story has been told many times – but it is at the core of the Yalari journey. The opportunity that I had to attend Toowoomba Grammar School was the catalyst for Yalari – a dream to somehow give Indigenous children the chance to go to a prestigious boarding school. My primary school teacher Mrs Rosemary Bishop is also at the heart of the Yalari story, and I am forever grateful to her. In 1979, it was she who negotiated a scholarship at TGS on my behalf. After completing secondary school and working for a number of years for Education Queensland, my wife Llew and I established Yalari in 2005, giving our dream a foundation, and starting the amazing journey that we are now on. In 2006, our first year of operation, just three children were offered Yalari scholarships at two schools in Queensland – one boy at Toowoomba Grammar School and two girls at The Glennie School, also in Toowoomba. Now in 2011, we have over 180 students attending their schooling at 31 partner schools around the country.
Llew and I started out working from our house in Southport, but soon took on an office in Bundall, which Yalari then rapidly outgrew. Yalari now has a great space at our Head Office in Oxenford, although I sometimes feel like I don’t get my feet under my desk there very often as I regularly visit potential new students in every corner of Australia, work with our partner schools, and take time to learn from and plan with our sponsors and supporters nationally. I am very proud of our team of 23 part-time and full-time employees who support our students across Australia. The selection process for our scholarships is rigorous, and we know this is an important contributor to our strong retention rate of 90 per cent. Potential Yalari scholars and their families complete application forms, and must submit school reports, references and medical questionnaires. We also visit and interview each applicant in their own home, which of course is often in a remote community. The emotional and family impacts of leaving to attend boarding school, often thousands of kilometres away in a different state, must not be underestimated. Yalari puts considerable time and effort into targeted support for children and families, and we are seeing the results. It is not always smooth sailing, but we work hard to address issues which arise and set our students up for success. Scholarship applications have increased each year as a result of Yalari information sessions throughout Australia, and it’s simply fantastic to see the efforts of our partner schools, our families, our sponsors and the Yalari team that have made Yalari’s growth possible.
Looking forward Our long-term success and sustainability will be based on many factors. High student retention rates, the ongoing commitment of our current partner schools and development of new partnerships with high-performing schools, and the continued generosity and involvement of our sponsors, donors and volunteers are all vital. Taking a step back to the beginning of an educational journey though, our aim is to identify and establish relationships with families early on, prior to students starting their first year of boarding school. To that end, we are aiming to set up our primary school student identification program, and I look forward to reporting on its progress in coming years. Through our partnerships with universities, recruitment firms, corporations and individual donors, we are ensuring that future employment choices are achieved in line with our scholars’ individual goals. It is our vision that our children will not just receive an education at their school – they will receive an education in life.
Yalari Annual Report 2010/2011
6
Board Members Mr Mac Drysdale – Chairman Mac Drysdale is a highly respected executive with a strong history as a Director and Chairman. Since 1991, Mac has served on the boards of Country Road Australia Ltd (Chairman), Country Road U.S.A Ltd, Mitre 10 Ltd, International Wool Secretariat (Chairman), Australian Wool Research and Promotion Organisation (Chairman), Wool International and Australian Wool Corporation (Chairman). With a long family history of grazing in Western Queensland, Mr Drysdale continues to operate an organic grazing property in the Augathella region. He is also the current Chairman of Seymour Whyte, a construction firm based in Brisbane. Mr Drysdale was appointed Chairman in November 2010.
Mr Waverley Stanley – Founding Director Waverley Stanley has worked extensively throughout Queensland as an Indigenous Support Officer for Education Queensland. More recently he has presented and facilitated leadership and education workshops and conferences for Indigenous people in many locations nationally. He has a passion for education and the empowerment of Indigenous children. Over the past five years, Waverley’s vision to forge long-term partnerships with corporations and Indigenous communities has become a reality with the support of Yalari’s Board of Directors and many generous donors and volunteers.
Mr Tim Oughton – Director Tim Oughton is a fifth-generation educator and was appointed Principal of Scotch College, Adelaide in 2007 after being Headmaster at Scots College in New Zealand. Tim was involved in national curriculum change in New Zealand and believes students need a well-rounded education in order to achieve their best. He has a special interest in Indigenous education and in particular supporting the needs of disadvantaged students. There are currently 13 Yalari students studying at Scotch College.
Mr Bruce Davidson – Director Bruce Davidson is formerly a partner in a leading commercial law firm and holds a Bachelor of Commerce and LLB from Queensland University. He specialised in international business and conducted business development activities throughout Asia. He is a regional councillor for FINSIA. For the past 15 years, Bruce has been a Partner at Davidson Recruitment, Queensland’s leading recruitment agency with approximately 70 people specialising across 15 different sectors. Davidson Recruitment was recently voted the favourite recruitment company in Australia by candidates and clients at the prestigious Seek Annual Recruitment Awards. Bruce has worked on senior executive roles across a broad range of Queensland businesses in over a decade of recruitment.
Ms Llew Mullins – Director Llew Mullins has worked extensively throughout Australia with Indigenous people, coordinating business workshops and managing a mentoring program between business people and Indigenous small business owners. She is a highly experienced counsellor and is currently the Scholarships Director for Yalari. Llew’s responsibilities include overseeing the student selection process and students’ ongoing pastoral care.
7 7
Yalari Annual Report 2010
Yalari Foundations Yalari’s mission is to educate and empower Indigenous children from regional, rural and remote communities to bring about generational change. Since 2005, Yalari has been working to achieve that mission by providing Indigenous children with full scholarships for their entire secondary school education. Strong and productive partnerships with 31 of Australia’s leading boarding schools are a cornerstone of our success. With more than 180 students on scholarships nationally and more planned for future years, our pastoral care commitments are a major focus for us – and a key factor in our successful operating model. To support our commitments to our scholars, we have 12 dedicated Student Support Officers located in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Sydney, Armidale, Tamworth Melbourne and Adelaide. We also have considerable expertise represented in our board members, our small management and administration team, and many dedicated volunteers who contribute their experience in a range of professions and disciplines. Through placements at high-performing schools, individual students are able to shine in their areas of talent, including academic, sports, arts and music fields. We aim to ensure a degree of accomplishment and success for each individual student in the areas of interest in which they excel, and in conjunction with their schools, give them every chance to explore new experiences. By 2015, Yalari’s goal is to have more than 250 students on scholarships. This undoubtedly represents a significant fundraising challenge, as in excess of $20 million will be needed to make that goal a reality and reduce the great educational divide that currently exists between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.
The Rosemary Bishop Indigenous Education Scholarship The Rosemary Bishop Indigenous Education Scholarship is named in honour of Waverley’s Grade 7 Teacher at Murgon State School in Queensland, who helped Waverley secure his life-changing scholarship at Toowoomba Grammar School. Today, all Yalari secondary students are recipients of the Rosemary Bishop Indigenous Education Scholarship, which is funded by support from individuals, companies, philanthropic foundations and government departments.
Growth In the words of legendary musician’s Kev Carmody and Paul Kelly, “...From little things, big things grow”. Since 2006, when Yalari’s first three students started at Toowoomba Grammar School and The Glennie School, we have experienced rapid yet sustainable growth, thanks to the financial support and commitment of many partners and donors. Some of Yalari’s significant achievements since then are on page 9.
Selecting schools When Yalari selects a school as a partner, our aim is to ensure our scholars are placed in the care of dedicated education professionals. Each of our current partner schools across Australia has been carefully selected, and we know they are caring and culturally sensitive to our students and their families. The support from the broader school communities, including parents, other students, and sporting teams, help us welcome our students into school life and is always a valued addition to our relationship with the school itself.
Positive future change begins with the actions we take today with our children, and the Yalari team is determined to see this change happen for our students.
Yalari Annual Report 2010/2011
8
Yalari’s Significant Achievements
The first Yalari students enrol at Toowoomba Grammar School and The Glennie School in Toowoomba.
>
2007
>
13 new scholarship recipients start at six different boarding schools around Australia. Yalari raises in excess of $1 million through partnerships, private and corporate donations.
2010 Yalari celebrates its fifth birthday. The Federal Government hands part of its Indigenous Youth Leadership Program to Yalari, adding 66 transitioning students and a further nine schools to our program. Powderfinger, Australia’s most successful rock band, supports Yalari throughout their ‘Sunsets’ farewell tour of Australia in late 2010. 17 Yalari students finish year 12. Ten of these students are studying various courses at Universities around Australia. Waverley Stanley is a finalist in the Australian of the Year, Queensland nominees.
>
Yalari offers 50 students scholarships including students at two schools in Western Australia for the first time.
9 9
Yalari Annual Report 2010
>
25 new students receive Yalari scholarships.
Vincent Fairfax Foundation becomes Yalari’s first major partner.
>
Yalari’s Inaugural fundraising dinner in Sydney raises in excess of $300,000.
2011
2008
>
2006
2009
Yalari offers a further 34 students scholarships through our partnership schools.
Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, accepts the patronage of Yalari and speaks at our annual Brisbane Fundraising Dinner. Waverley is named as Ernst & Young’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year (Nth Region).
Generational change for Indigenous communities.
Yalari Scholarships Each year Yalari offers a limited number of full boarding school scholarships. A scholarship is for a child’s entire secondary school education and covers the financial difference between the school discount, the ABSTUDY designated allowance and the scheduled boarding and tuition fees. Our scholarships are available to Indigenous children from regional, rural and remote communities throughout Australia who are entering their first year of secondary education. The selection of our students is carefully and strategically planned to ensure a good fit between students and schools. Our aim is that the successful applicants are the best candidates to complete their secondary school education. We believe the effort both Yalari and our scholars put into the selection process is a big factor in our retention rate of nearly 90 per cent.
Yalari Support and Personal Development Program In addition to providing pastoral care though our Student Support Officers, Yalari has an Annual Support and Personal Development Program for our students, their parents and the schools. Our work in this important area is increasing every year, with new ideas and new ways of connecting with the Yalari family as our community grows. Our current program includes: •
Orientation camp: Held prior to the start of each school year, this camp is compulsory for first and second year students and optional for other students. It is held at one of our partner schools, and prepares new students for boarding school life. Many of our volunteers and supporters participate as group leaders and facilitators.
•
Parents’ workshops: Connecting with parents and building great relationships is the aim of this two-day event. The workshops help parents to understand the support that Yalari offers, to explain their role as parents in supporting their child at a school so far away, and to discuss any concerns they may have.
•
Central Australian camps: Winter in the outback is the best time for the great outdoors. Held over five days in the mid-year school holidays, these camps focus on team work, relationship building, and leadership skills – with a taste of adventure and a chance to further connect with Indigenous cultures as added bonuses for our students.
•
Schools workshops: Key players from each partner school get together with Yalari staff and their peers to hear about Yalari’s progress and future strategy, to discuss ideas and provide feedback to Yalari, and to work together on solutions for any issues which may have arisen during the year.
•
Tertiary programs: Our first tertiary camp was held at the University of Queensland in July 2011. Yalari students in years 11 and 12 from across Australia had a ‘University experience’, with the aim of assisting them to make an informed choice if they choose tertiary education as their post-school path.
When it comes to gender, our objective is always to offer equal opportunity, and we are pleased to currently have a 50/50 ratio of boys and girls. Once application forms are submitted, a shortlist of potential candidates is prepared and carefully considered. The final selection of scholarships is based on: •
Academic achievement and school references at primary school
•
Attendance rates at primary school
•
Participation in leadership, sport and extracurricular activities at primary school and in the community
•
Family support to attend boarding school
•
Performance in interviews with Yalari staff and school staff.
We are serious about bringing generational change, so growing opportunities for our scholars to move beyond school into tertiary education or real jobs is also critical.
Yalari Annual Report 2010/2011
10
“We are honoured to have Yalari along on this, our final tour. Organisations like this, that are able to directly address Indigenous disadvantage, are a powerful tool for helping to bring equality and prosperity to the Indigenous community in the future. In Powderfinger we all feel that education is the key to giving Indigenous people choices about their futures, and that is what Yalari focus on.” –Bernard Fanning, Powderfinger
Robbie Reckenburg, one of Yalari’s first graduates, receives his scholarship certificate for King’s College
11 11
Yalari Annual Report 2010
Directors Llew Mullins and Waverley Stanley with sponsors at the Sydney Gala Dinner 2011
Highlights Powderfinger
•
In May 2010, much-loved Australian band Powderfinger, announced that their Sunsets tour later in the year would be the group’s last. And in an exciting moment in the history of Yalari, Powderfinger also announced at that momentous press conference that they would be partnering with us on the Sunsets tour to raise funds and awareness for Indigenous education.
Jordie Ellis, Marist College, Brisbane – traineeship and work experience at Telstra and is currently studying primary school teaching at Australian Catholic University,Brisbane
•
Robbie Reckenberg, St Augustine’s College, Cairns – Bachelor of Applied Science (food and nutrition) at the University of Queensland
•
Sadiar Foster, St Patrick’s College, Townsville – Bachelor of Social Science at the University of Queensland.
So began a unique and memorable journey for Yalari – our students and supporters were fortunate to attend a number of the sold-out concerts throughout Australia, and to meet and spend time with the band members backstage. The high point (literally!) of our rock-star ride with Powderfinger was Australia’s first-ever in-flight rock concert in October 2010, which raised in excess of $100,000 for Yalari. Eager fans bid up to $10,000 each to be on board Jetstar’s Powderfinger-branded plane (complete with Yalari logo too) for the once-in-a-lifetime event, held en route from Sydney to the Gold Coast. Thank you Powderfinger – inviting us to be a part of your farewell tour and your generosity in fundraising was simply inspiring.
First graduates Yalari was extremely proud to announce at the end of 2010 that 17 of our students completed Year 12 – our first round of high school graduates. Preparing students for life beyond school is also an important part of Yalari’s mission. Here is a snapshot of what some of our 2010 graduates are taking on in 2011: •
Haryne Uta, St. Augustine’s College, Cairns – Bachelor of Teaching at James Cook University in 2012 and is currently a teacher’s aide on Saibi Island in the Torres Strait
•
Zillah Larry, The Cathedral School, Townsville – Diploma of Nursing at Mater Hospital, Brisbane
•
Samara Whaleboat, The Cathedral School, Townsville – Bachelor of Sports Management at Bond University
•
Tom Le Brocq, Farrar Memorial College, Tamworth – Bachelor of Psychology at the University of New England
•
Anzack Newmann, Scotch College, Melbourne – Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Victorian College of Fine Arts
•
•
University partnerships Yalari has been working to develop partnerships with universities and colleges, opening up choices for continuing tertiary education for our students. In late 2010, Yalari students, Robbie Reckenberg and Sadiar Foster were offered full scholarships at King’s College and Women’s College covering accommodation, tutoring and meals within The University of Queensland for the 2011 year. Discussions with other universities are ongoing with the aim of increasing the number of educational opportunities for future Year 12 graduates at leading universities.
Sponsors and donors Since our establishment in 2005, the goodwill and financial contributions of our sponsors and donors has been an outstanding part of the Yalari story, and we are grateful for the role this has played in our growth. In 2010 there was a 70 per cent increase on the previous year in the total amount received through sponsorship and donors. Currently, we have 64 national sponsors ranging from event sponsors for our dinners and leadership camps, to tertiary education sponsorship and to scholarship funding at respective schools. We work closely with our corporate sponsors to design sponsorship opportunities that reflect their corporate social responsibility goals, and wherever possible aim to communicate with their employees about Yalari. Yalari also has over 300 regular donors including a number who donate through their workplace giving programs. Our donation options include the provision of pocket money for students, laptop hire, text books and school uniforms. In 2010, we welcomed a number of key new sponsors including: •
Matt Allwood, Farrar Memorial College, Tamworth – Electrical apprenticeship and is playing for the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League
Telstra – sponsorship of Girls Leadership Challenge and tertiary camp for 2011
•
Nicholas Rutley, Farrar Memorial College, New South Wales – Diploma in Teaching (Early Education) at Macquarie University, Sydney
Medibank Community Fund – funding for students studying at tertiary level in healthy eating and physical activity in 2011
•
Coca – Cola Australia Foundation – funding of text books for all new students in 2011. Yalari Annual Report 2010/2011
12
First and second year Yalari students and staff at the 2011 Orientation Camp held at St Hilda’s School on the Gold Coast
13
Student Activities Orientation Camp “Winanggaay Nguurrang” – the camp of thinking and understanding. Yalari’s annual Orientation Camp is held prior to the start of the school year at one of our partner schools. New students get a glimpse into boarding school life as they experience set meal times, sleeping in dormitories, and keeping to a schedule. Serious issues are raised and discussed – including topics like bullying and homesickness – to better equip our students for life away from home and senior-level study.
Boys’ camp: In early July, 13 of Yalari’s young men braved the winter rains and record low temperatures to camp from Uluru to Kings Creek Station, Ormiston Gorge and back to the dry comfort of cabins in Alice Springs. With Yalari support staff, the boys stopped for a muddy game of footy with the locals of Papunya, ate bush tucker with the Ulpanyali Community and explored Watarrka.
Telstra Wholesale Girls’ Leadership Challenge
Orientation camp is compulsory for first and second year students and optional for others. Many of our volunteers and supporters give up holiday time each year to join us as group leaders and facilitators at camp, and lasting friendships are formed over the course of the week.
In October 2010, Telstra Wholesale sponsored the Yalari Girls’ Leadership Challenge weekend. Students heard motivational presentations from two Indigenous Telstra employees who shared their work journey and highlighted the rich diversity of jobs available within the Telstra organisation.
Yalari held two successful camps in 2010 and 2011 at the Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie) in Brisbane and at St Hilda’s School at Southport respectively. In 2010, 91 Yalari students attended, including the 44 new scholarship recipients. In 2011, 50 new scholars joined last year’s intake. Yalari acknowledges the financial support of the major funders of the camp – The Leroy and Joy Brauer Perpetual Trust and the majors sponsors: Wilson HTM Foundation, Clayton Utz, Citimark Properties, Freehills and the many volunteers and guest speakers who helped make this camp such a success.
The event included a number of activities designed to challenge the girls on their leadership capabilities, including a low and high ropes course. Davidson Recruitment ran a workshop on resume writing and interview techniques, and we even squeezed in a cooking class and other group challenges at Thunderbird Park. A tour of the Bond University campus capped off the weekend, giving the girls a glimpse into the world of tertiary education.
Central Australian Camps 2010 Despite some rather challenging weather conditions, our Central Australian camps in mid-2010 were highly rewarding trips. Two groups made the journey to the bush, with the camp activities focusing on team work, relationship building, and leadership skills. The chance to further connect with and be surrounded by Indigenous culture is also a wonderful aspect of the camp experience. Girls’ camp: Over a week in June 2010, 17 of Yalari’s young women camped from Ormiston Gorge to ‘the side of the road somewhere’, Kings Creek Station and Uluru. Along the way they stopped in Papunya for a game of softball and basketball with the locals and a feed at lunch time. They also climbed Kings Canyon, watched the sunset over Uluru, ate kangaroo tail, visited Ulpanyali Community and were treated to a drum workshop with Indigenous children from the town camps on their last night in Alice.
Boys’ Leadership Challenge October 2010 was a busy time for leadership challenges, with our boys’ event taking place at the Gold Coast early in the month. Being roused from their beds at 4am may not have been popular at the time, but the physical challenge of climbing Mount Warning in northern New South Wales gave the boys a great start to the weekend. With a target of four hours to complete the challenge, they were back at the departure point in less than half the time! Over the course of the weekend, Bruce Davidson, Yalari Director and Joint Managing Director of Davidson Recruitment, ran a thorough resume writing skills and interview techniques session, Griffith University staff gave some career advice, and there was a short session on financial planning. A trip to Brisbane on Saturday night to watch the Brisbane Lions play at the ‘Gabba was a highlight.
Yalari Annual Report 2010/2011
14
Volunteers at Sydney Gala Dinner 2011
Tyus Arndt performs “I Still Call Australia Home”
Fundraising As a not-for-profit organisation, Yalari’s fundraising each year is extremely important for the organisation’s sustainability. With help and ideas from our sponsors, donors and volunteers, Yalari puts a great deal of effort into a range of events that showcase the spirit of the organisation and the achievements of our scholars.
Annual Gala Dinners Yalari’s fundraising dinners have established a fine reputation as inspiring and enjoyable events, and the Sydney and Brisbane events during 2010 and Sydney 2011 were no exception.
Sydney 2010 and 2011 In May 2010, ‘Carriageworks‘ in Redfern was the venue for our third Sydney Gala Dinner, with Australian retail clothing giant Industrie the major sponsor. Over 500
15 15
Yalari Annual Report 2010
guests were entertained in true Yalari style, including an outstanding speech by The Scots College Student Kyol Blakeney, and a stunning performance by didgeridoo player Will Barton and talented dancer Paul White. The City of Sydney’s Centennial Hall was the venue for Yalari’s fourth Sydney Gala Dinner in 2011. Yalari boys from St Ignatius College Riverview welcomed our 400 guests with a traditional smoking ceremony on the Town Hall entrance steps, and Tyus Arndt gave his beautiful rendition of ‘I Still Call Australia Home’. Local media identity Sally Loane was our MC and the youngest-ever winner of Australian Idol Casey Donovan also performed. Mahlia Peachey, a Year 8 Abbotsleigh student, gave a moving scholar’s speech – one could have heard the proverbial pin drop. International property firm Lend Lease was the major partner for this event.
Brisbane
Parents’ fundraising
Remembrance Day was the date for our fourth annual Brisbane dinner in 2010 – the theme ‘Celebrating five great years’. A record of more than 720 guests joined us in the Plaza Ballroom at the Convention & Exhibition Centre. Entertainment included Yalari’s own Tyus Arndt, who is well-known as the lead voice in the Qantas advertisement’s version of “I Still Call Australia Home” and even appeared in that role on Oprah Winfrey’s Australian show at the Opera House. Tyus, who attends St Augustine’s College in Cairns, performed a duet with Will Barton, whose amazing digde-skills captivated our Brisbane guests as they had in Sydney.
All parents/guardians of Yalari scholars contribute financially to their child’s education and many also donate artworks, cultural tours, Indigenous artefacts and other prizes for our fundraising dinners.
Powderfinger were on hand to give the night some rock star glamour, and a special presentation was made to thank them for putting Yalari in the spotlight with them during their momentous final tour and for their financial support. Gold Sponsors of the Brisbane dinner were Wilson HTM, Citimark Properties and Industrea, all of whom have been great contributors to Yalari over a number of years. Our Gala Dinners continue to be an important part of our overall fundraising strategy, and in 2010 and 2011 raised in excess of $500,000.
Student fundraising Yalari scholars actively participate in fundraising to support their education and those of their fellow students. Student-organised events have included sausage sizzles at Bunning’s Warehouse in Southport and Nerang, raising over $1000 in 2010. Wherever possible depending on school commitments, Yalari scholars are invited to attend and join in Yalari fundraisers. This involvement allows them to meet with many of the people who contribute financially to their education, to gain confidence in public speaking through attendance at large events like our Gala Dinners, and to help out with some of the hard work of organising silent auctions and selling raffle tickets.
Yalari River Ride 2010 Keen cyclists – including some Yalari scholars – donned their lycra and took to the tarmac for the inaugural Yalari River Ride in Brisbane in April. Choosing to ride between 40km and 60km, the 110 riders raised over $20,000 to go directly towards the education of our students. The generous support of our Platinum Sponsor Ord Minnett and Gold Sponsors Freehills, Seymour Whyte and Davidson Recruitment made the day a huge success.
Stanwell Bowls Classic Merthyr Bowls Club on the Brisbane River was the scene for the Stanwell Bowls Classic in November 2010, which raised more than $40,000 for Yalari. Not even a gigantic thunderstorm could dampen the spirit of the occasion, which is an annual event organised by Queensland energy giant Stanwell Corporation Ltd. Stanwell’s trading partners travel from as far as Sydney to join the fun, with proceeds going to a different charity each year. Yalari was fortunate to be the chosen charity in 2010 – our thanks to the team at Stanwell.
ICAP Charity Day The ICAP Charity Day is an international charity day organised by global markets giant ICAP. In 2010, Yalari was one of the selected charities to benefit from this annual event, which has raised more than $138 million globally for charity since its inception in 1993. An amount of $40,000 was donated to Yalari from Sydney’s ICAP Charity Day.
Volunteers Yalari’s growth and family spirit owes a huge amount to our volunteers. When we began six years ago, a small team of dedicated people helped us run the organisation. Today, our volunteer team stands at more than 200 across Australia. People from all walks of life represent various interests and professions, and give a huge amount of time and their expertise to further Yalari’s work and support our scholars.
Here are just some of the ways in which our volunteers assist: fundraising dinners; student camps; administration; clothes donations; event organisation; local transportation; media and public relations; pro bono services; extracurricular activities for students; art, drama and writing workshops; newsletter mailouts; tutoring for students; and social events.
Yalari Annual Report 2010/2011
16
Major Partners Yalari acknowledges that while this list includes those who have funded the education of our students, sponsored our events or provided pro bono services, we are thankful to all who have contributed any financial support, and most importantly, those who devote their time and resources in any way: Airnorth, ACN Australia, Blackmores Ltd, Bob & Carol Cuffe, Caroline McDonald Memorial Scholarship, Citimark, Coca-Cola Australia Foundation, Colin & Leree Roden, Commercial Eyes Pty Ltd, David Merson, Deloitte, Department of Employment & Workplace Relations, Epic Private Journeys, Fiona & Richard East, Freehills, Freehills Foundation, Go Vita, Goodman Property Services (Aust) Pty Ltd, Greyhound Australia, Grosvenor Foundation, ICAP Australia Pty Ltd, Industrie, Industrea, Jack Brockhoff Foundation, Janie & Aldous Hicks, J & B Hay Philanthropic Foundation, Kerry & Trish Pidcock, Koala Medical Pty Ltd, Langports – Brisbane, Langports – Gold Coast, Lend Lease, McCullough Robertson Foundation, MeadWestVaco, Medibank Community Fund, Melbourne Community Foundation, Mia Foundation Trustees, Newsboys Foundation, Paul & Judy Williams, Podmore Foundation, Powderfinger, Qld Playground Association, RSL QLD Branch, Santos, Stan & Maureen Duke Foundation, Steve & Di McCready, Steve & Sally Bizzell, Strathburn Cattle Station, Sue & Ian Mackie, Telstra, The Bryan Foundation, The Leroy & Joy Brauer Charitable Perpetual Trust, Thyne Reid Foundation, Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, Trevor & Jan Olsen, University of Queensland Business School, Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation, Wilson HTM Foundation, Wilson HTM Investment Group, Win Schubert Diversity Fund, Wyatt Benevolent Institution, Yulgilbar Foundation
17 17
Yalari Annual Report 2010
Student Achievements While all Yalari scholars have achieved in one way or another and we acknowledge all their efforts, there are some who have shone in certain areas. We congratulate the following Yalari scholars: •
Jacob Nichaloff – selected by the South Australian Sports Institute to trial for the Talent Search Cycling Program; chosen from over 5000 potential athletes profiled in 2010.
•
Rory Vocale – elected by his peers and staff as Vice-Captain of Manifold House, one of the Senior Boys boarding houses at Geelong Grammar School.
•
Liam Longbottom – training with the Queensland Indigenous Cricket squad for Under 15s and is the Rugby Captain for the Under 13s A team.
•
Logan Taylor – included in the Dean’s list at The Southport School for achieving consecutive A grades in his final school report.
•
Mitchell Whiteley – selected as the Captain of the Australian Junior Polo Crosse team that competed at the World Championships in South Africa.
•
Juanita Whaleboat – recipient of a Distinction Achievement Award for maintaining an ‘A’ average over the entire year at The Cathedral School, Townsville.
•
Stacey Conrad – appointed Boarding Captain for 2011 at The Cathedral School, Townsville.
•
Nadia Martich – appointed Cultural Captain of her House for 2011 at Calrossy Anglican School, Tamworth.
•
Kyol Blakeney – Pipe Major of The Scots College Drum and Pipes Band and also House Prefect.
•
Will Turk – 2011 Boarding Prefect at Farrar Memorial Agricultural School.
Mitch Whiteley
•
Jarrad Penfold – 2011 Boarding Prefect at Farrar Memorial Agricultural School.
•
K’Tahni Pridham – voted the 2011 Middle School House Captain for Gordon at Scotch College, Adelaide.
•
Shannon Ponter and Peter Ah Sam – Won a laptop each for the Walpaara Anpa Award for achievement towards Education at Scotch College, Adelaide.
•
Tegan Whitfield – Captain of the Abbotsleigh Under 15s A soccer team.
•
Jedd Vocale – selected to dive for Geelong Grammar at the Associated Public Schools major diving event, achieving first place in the 14B division with a score of 71.05.
•
Rickelle Parfitt – selected to play for the South Australia Under 17s side at the National School Girls Basketball Championships.
•
Larissa Woosup – selected as the Year 7 Boarding Representative at Canberra Girls Grammar School.
•
Marley Holloway-Clarke – represented Scotch Oakburn College in the Round Square International Committee and attended the International Conference in Thailand; she then travelled to Cambodia to help build homes in rural villages.
•
Lizzie Laughton – awarded a scholarship with the internationally recognised Australian Voices choral group; performed her composition in April 2010 at the Queensland Conservatorium in Brisbane.
•
Tyus Arndt – performing to a world-wide audience at Oprah Winfrey’s farewell tour show from the Sydney Opera House.
Juanita Whaleboat (left) with volunteer Jaclyn Knight and Emma Pope at the 2011 Yalari /UQ ‘Horizons’ Tertiary Camp
Yalari Annual Report 2010/2011
18
19 19
Yalari Annual Report 2010
Yalari Annual Report 2010/2011
20
Financials
21 21
Yalari Annual Report 2010
Yalari Annual Report 2010/2011
22
23 23
Yalari Annual Report 2010
Yalari Annual Report 2010/2011
24
25 25
Yalari Annual Report 2010
2011 Partner Schools and Student Numbers Townsville Grammar School (3) The Cathedral School (3) Rockhampton Grammar School (4) The Glennie School (15)
Toowoomba Grammar School (6)
St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School (6)
Total Yalari students 182
St Hilda’s School (6) Anglican Church Grammar School (6) Marist College Ashgrove (5)
Scotch College, Perth (1)
The Southport School (5) Presbyterian Ladies College Armidale (11) Calrossy Anglican School (7)
The Armidale School (8)
Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School (9) Scotch College, Adelaide (13) St Peter’s College (2) Great Southern Grammar School (1)
Abbotsleigh (9)
St Ignatius’ College Riverview (9)
St Gregory’s College Campbelltown (6) Kinross Wolaroi School (4)
The Scots College (5)
Canberra Girls Grammar School (3) Methodist Ladies’ College (4) Geelong Grammar School (17)
Scotch College, Melbourne (4) The Peninsula School (2)
Scotch Oakburn College (2)
Numbers in brackets indicate number of students attending each school.
2011 Partner University Colleges • King’s College within the University of Queensland • Women’s College within the University of Queensland
Acknowledgements Design sponsored by ARTSHAK – www.artshak.com.au
Yalari acknowledges the hard work of Annie Sen and Janet Houen in assisting with layout, text and proof reading of this report.
Yalari Annual Report 2010/2011
26