News

COMMUNITY CELEBRATES STARS FOUNDATION LAUNCH IN TUMUT

13/03/2024

A community open day has been held at Tumut High School to celebrate the official launch of the inaugural Stars Foundation Tumut Program, sponsored by Snowy Hydro.

Students, parents, community members and local Indigenous Elders attended the Tuesday 12 March event, along with representatives from the Stars Foundation, Tumut High School, Department of Regional NSW, Snowy Valleys Council and Snowy Hydro.

The partnership will provide long-term improved health, education and employment outcomes for Indigenous girls and young women from Tumut and the surrounding region.

Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said the company’s three-year sponsorship for the Stars Foundation Tumut Program continued Snowy’s commitment to initiatives that supported young people’s education and wellbeing.

“There are 39 students involved in the first year of the Stars Foundation Tumut Program and we look forward to engaging with these inspiring young women in a variety of ways, including encouraging their studies in science, technology engineering and maths (STEM) fields.

“We’re keen to highlight the many career pathways with Snowy through work experience, apprenticeships and traineeships.

“Snowy Hydro is a major local employer in the Snowy Mountains region and we are committed to supporting and investing in the success of local people.”
Founder and CEO of Stars Foundation, Andrea Goddard, said: “Stars is delighted to be working with the Tumut community and we welcome the opportunity to support and empower the First Nations Tumut students to identify their goals and reach their full potential.
“We are very grateful for the commitment from Snowy Hydro to enable us to establish this new Stars program for the Tumut community.”
Established in 2015, the Stars Foundation provides a holistic, intensive, full-time mentoring program that supports and empowers more than 3,020 female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls and young women in primary and secondary schools across six states and territories.

News

SNOWY HYDRO PARTNERS WITH STARS FOUNDATION IN TUMUT

11/08/2023
Photo credit, Stars Foundation

Snowy Hydro is proud to announce a significant partnership with the Stars Foundation to support its new Tumut High School-based program that will deliver improved health, education and employment outcomes for local Indigenous girls and young women.

The three-year sponsorship for the inaugural Stars Foundation Tumut Program continues Snowy Hydro’s commitment to initiatives that support our local communities to develop and thrive.

Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said the opportunity to assist the development of local Indigenous girls through the foundation’s intensive school-based mentoring was extremely important.

“This new sponsorship for the Stars Foundation will help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls in the Tumut region to realise their potential in all aspects of their development and wellbeing,” Dennis said. “We want to see these students shine.

“Snowy already has a successful partnership with the Clontarf Foundation in Tumut, which supports Indigenous boys to continue their schooling. 

“Enabling the Stars Foundation to deliver their mentoring and engagement programs to Indigenous young women in the same area is exciting for us.

“It’s not only about funding the Stars Foundation’s work – Snowy Hydro also has the chance to encourage students’ studies in science, technology engineering and maths (STEM) fields and highlight career pathways with Snowy through work experience, apprenticeships and traineeships.

“Snowy Hydro is a major employer and community supporter in the Snowy Mountains region, delivering many training and education opportunities, and we want to invest in the success of local people.

“We believe that by empowering these young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, Snowy Hydro is not only supporting students; but their families, communities and future generations.”

Established in 2015, the Stars Foundation provides a holistic mentoring program that supports more than 2,800 female First Nations students in primary and secondary schools across six states and territories. 

The Foundation’s key indicators have shown that through this program, there is an increase in school attendance (82% attendance) 13% higher than the Indigenous student average, resulting in over 90% of senior students completing Year 12 every year since Stars programs began. 85% of graduates successfully transition into further study or employment within six months of school completion.