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In 2008 the IBA Board decided to establish a scholarship fund to encourage economic development in Indigenous communities.The intention of the Scholarship Fund is to provide opportunities for Indigenous people to access educational opportunities that advance business, financial and leadership skills development with a focus on commercial and economic management. This could include gaining a qualification through a TAFE Course or an Undergraduate degree.

In the initial stage of the Scholarships program, Partnerships Branch is seeking to offer a small number of Scholarships for 2009. The initial focus for the scholarship fund is on the mature age working person who is considering upgrading their skills through study. This type of person is more likely to be in a position to return to their community after the conclusion of study, and immediately be able to apply their new knowledge and skills for the benefit of their community or organisation, however, we will also consider other potential scholarship recipients.

The IBA Scholarship Fund will also consider providing support to eligible applicants who wish to undertake a capability training short course.  Short courses are non-accredited courses which provide practical skills of immediate benefit to the applicant, their organisation or community in business, commercial skills or governance.  Such courses may include corporate governance training, financial literacy courses and the like. The Scholarship fund provides a broad range of financial assistance to assist Indigenous students to successfully complete their qualification.  Assistance would be tailored to the individual circumstance, including living away from home allowances, and could include:

• Course costs
• Accommodation costs
• Living expenses
• Transport costs
• Child Care
• Study resources/ancillary course costs
• Communication costs (telephone, broadband)
• Tutoring
• Relocation costs
• IT equipment (lap top, printer)
• Travel costs for family visits

If you know somebody who might benefit from this Scholarship fund opportunity, Partnerships Branch would be pleased to consider expressions of interest in applying for 2009.  Names and contact numbers of potential applicants can be forwarded to Priscilla McCotter via email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ).Partnerships Branch is also looking for the names of Indigenous Career Development Officers or Mentors, people who provide assistance in developing career skills and opportunities for clients.  These contacts would be useful as they may be able to refer potential Scholarship applicants to us.  Could you also please forward any names and contact details of Indigenous Career Development Officers or Mentors to Priscilla McCotter. If you have any queries you can contact Priscilla McCotter on (02) 6121 2690.