Lord’s Taverners Northern NSW established a Grants Program in 2019 for any TAFE NSW student who is doing an apprenticeship or undertaking relevant vocational courses in the Richmond Valley. The grant amount will vary from student to student depending on their needs. In 2024 this program was extended to cover the North Coast Insitute of TAFE area, so campuses between Kingscliff and Port Macquarie.
The Lord’s Taverners Tertiary Education Committee worked with TAFE NSW Team Leaders, to design a program which could financially assist students who urgently need help; in particular, those who are experiencing challenges in their lives such as a disability, are unemployed, are homeless or have transport issues accessing TAFE, have experienced domestic violence, come from a non-English speaking background or a sole parent.
Grants range from $500 to $1500 and have assisted students purchase glasses, cooking utensils, computers, have their car serviced, buy uniforms and assist with the costs involved with undertaking placements. We hope that this funding will assist them with their studies and enable them to complete their chosen courses.
In the last 12 months we have awarded over $18 000 in grants to 17 recipients.
TAFE NSW will advertise the grants twice a year. All applications must be made through TAFE and supported by a teacher.
This program is supported by our many corporate sponsors who are committed to assisting the disadvantaged through education.
Alicia, who is studying a Diploma in Community Service at Port Macquarie states “I will be using the scholarship grant towards my car maintenance and petrol. I hope to one day be a social worker, as I am a compassionate person and love helping people where I can. I have needed services myself in the past, and I know personally just how amazing a social worker can be to someone like me. Thank you, Lord Taverners, for believing in me, this grant means the world for my studies.”
Olivia, who is studying Screen and Media states “I am absolutely loving the screen and media course and are determined to complete the course and squeeze every bit of knowledge out of the course. I have suffered with chronic health conditions and looking to publish work that I can use the skills in my course to start a YouTube channel to create content. I’ve struggled for 19 years with debilitating health issues that have taken me out of full-time work for almost 10 years. This year I wanted to push myself further and be able to look back and be proud of the year I’ve had. With little money due to not working, the Lord Taverner’s scholarship has given me the opportunity to make that happen. Thank you for this opportunity”