On Sixth Sponsorships
In 2023, our Director and Principal Psychologist, Bec Mahony, initiated a philanthropic partnership with the Young Australia League – YAL. The YAL is a not-for-profit organisation with a mission to meet the changing needs of young people with disadvantage in Australia to grow and reach their potential.
More specifically, On Sixth is now a proud sponsor of an Upper Secondary Scholarship offered to disadvantaged, young people in need of financial assistance, to support them in continuing their education. Education is defined in a way that makes sense for the individual – traditional schooling, apprenticeships, hands on learning or traineeships – whatever allows them to reach their full potential.
The Upper Secondary Scholarship is offered on an annual basis and is unique, in that it offers a ‘hand up, not a hand out’. It’s not just about a financial contribution, but scholarship recipients are assigned a youth worker who supports, mentors and guides them on their journey. The YAL Team also have extensive professional networks that can be accessed to provide ‘wrap around’ support across a range of life’s challenges.
2023 On Sixth Upper Secondary Scholarship Recipient – Rachel, 17 years
Our first scholarship recipient was 17 year old Rachel. Rachel was passionate about hair and makeup and was commencing a hairdressing apprenticeship as part of her final year of school in 2023. She also hoped to go on to beauty school and complete a course in professional makeup artistry. Rachel’s ultimate goal was to become a celebrity hair and makeup artist and have her own beauty line and salon. Alternatively Rachel would like to pursue a career involving psychology as she was always wanted to work in the industry to help teach and guide others.
Rachel’s mum passed away when Rachel was only five years old and this caused some significant mental health troubles. When Rachel was 15 years old, her father became abusive and struggled with alcoholism. Rachel endured some difficult events before her father was eventually arrested for domestic violence. This left Rachel with no parental care. Rachel was able to reach out to her aunt after a few months of not speaking. Her aunt took her in and gave her a safe and secure place to live. Unfortunately, this caused significant financial stress, as her aunt had five children to care for and is a single parent. Having access to the On Sixth scholarship helped to alleviate some financial stress on the family and gave Rachel the opportunity she needed to stay in school and set herself up for a better life.
Rachel is proud of her resilience despite everything, she has faced she’s picked herself up, improved her grades reconnected with her extended family after her father damaged their relationships. She generally maintains a positive outlook on life she’s extremely glad of the position she is now in and the role model she has now become.
2024 On Sixth Upper Secondary Scholarship Recipient – Erica, 16 years
Following the success of our initial scholarship, On Sixth has proudly sponsored a new recipient for 2024 – Erica.
Erica is striving for a career that combines scientific and logical reasoning with human interaction, all while tackling the real-life challenges individuals encounter. Therefore, a healthcare profession aligns naturally with her aspirations. Erica will be in Year 11 in 2024, residing in the Armadale region. She is committed to achieving her dreams by focusing on her ATAR studies. Additionally, she has a strong desire to travel the world, discovering its offerings and leaving her mark.
Erica is a diligent student with a strong work ethic, aiming to excel in her ATAR studies. Unfortunately, she currently faces obstacles in accessing a laptop and necessary school materials like ATAR textbooks. With the assistance of the YAL scholarship, she can overcome these hurdles and maintain her progress towards fulfilling her goals.
One achievement that fills Erica with pride is consistently being placed in the top extension classes throughout her high school years. She takes great satisfaction in her ability to excel academically, stating she is proud of being “smart enough to do the work and pass the classes to a high grade.”
We look forward to following along with Erica’s progress and are proud to support her in 2024.