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One idea,
five cities and 300 lives transformed. That's the simple story
behind First Foundation, a unique educational trust founded to give
young New Zealanders, with plenty of talent but few financial
resources, a hand up to tertiary education.
The one idea was Steven Carden's. At 24 years
of age, with degrees in law and arts and a wealth of family
support, he had the education and upbringing to do almost anything
in life. However, he also recognised the same opportunities
weren't available to everyone, especially students in low-decile
schools. Steven's response was to develop a scholarship model
that would help remove the barriers that many talented but
financially disadvantaged students face in reaching and achieving
their goals and aspirations.
In 1998, the three inaugural scholarships were awarded in
Auckland. Today, First Foundation awards scholarships in Auckland,
Wellington, Christchurch and more recently, Whangarei and Dunedin.
300 Scholars have participated in the programme. There are 130
current Scholars involving 67 businesses.
Each scholarship is changing a life.
First Foundation Vision and Key Activities
First Foundation brings together a diverse group of people to
achieve a single objective - the building of a better future for
New Zealand's most talented, but financially disadvantaged
youth.
Our vision is to award 'more scholarships than students' -
anything less than this implies an acceptance that deserving and
able students in New Zealand will not be able to reach their
potential through lack of opportunity or support.
We focus on tertiary education because we view higher education
as a powerful means of liberating disadvantaged young people from
poverty. We target low-decile schools because we know that
significant disparities in tertiary participation and achievement
exist between young people from high versus low-decile schools and
communities.
First Foundation brings together NZ businesses, individuals,
schools and students
First Foundation has a strong belief in the potential of
partnership and simplicity of a hand up to make an amazing
difference to someone's impact on their society.
First Foundation brings together NZ businesses,
individuals, schools and
students in order to remove the barriers that NZ's
most talented but financially disadvantaged students face.
We achieve this through a proven and unique 4 year
programme that includes;
- paid work experience, networks and financial
support Scholars receive from their Scholarship
Partner (sponsoring organisation);
- the advice and guidance Scholars receive from their
personal Mentor; and
- the support and development provided by First Foundation
assists the Scholars to make successful transitions from
school to university, through university and then into the
workforce.
Scholars receive their First Foundation scholarships at the end
of Year 12. This recognises the importance of both their final
year at school and the transition from secondary school to tertiary
education.