Last Tuesday we hosted two guest speakers, Bob Breen, President of the Podmore Foundation and Brad of the Solid Sista’s and Brotha’s Aboriginal Program.
The Podmore Foundation raises funds and mentors specially-selected Indigenous boys and girls from rural and remote communities and towns, who have received scholarships on merit to some of Australia’s finest independent boarding schools. Podmore assists implementing partner Yalari, which, since its establishment in 2005, now supports over 200 Indigenous children currently enrolled in 34 partnership schools.
Inspired by the motto Returning Opportunity, the Podmore Foundation was established in July 2007 by a few Duntroon classmates as a charitable foundation to strengthen enduring and treasured friendships through philanthropy.
Bob presented an overview of the bridges that the Podmore Foundation is building between institutions in the ACT and Indigenous Australian communities in remote and rural Australia. Here in the ACT the Foundation’s scholarship program helps educate members of the next generation of Indigenous Australian leaders as well as influential private school communities about Indigenous culture and achievement.
The Solids Program aims to build strong leaders among the Aboriginal community in the Canberra region by inspiring Aboriginal youth to grow in confidence, self-respect and capability.
Brad Moggridge, Chair of the Solids Indigenous Community Group then followed with a presentation of a video that provided an overview of the work of Solids:
All members of the Podmore Foundation Board are unpaid volunteers. Podmore has no commercial, religious or ideological connections or agendas.
The Foundation are now in strong position to invite other like-minded people to join or donate in the knowlege that donated funds are in good hands and going to well-selected young people to make a difference in their lives. Generous benefactors and organisations donate $5,500 per annum for each Podmore scholarship. Most scholarships are named in recognition of these benefactors and organisations.
