THE Mount Gambier and District Tertiary Health Education Grant Program was launched at City Hall yesterday and will provide 12 subsidies to local health students this year.
The annual program supports city or district residents who need to leave the region to undertake university studies in identified health skill shortage areas required in the community.
Now in its 12th year, the program provides local students with $2000 grants to help them complete their tertiary studies in the health field.
“It’s important that we have enough trained health specialists in all areas and we hope that grant recipients will return to the region following their graduation to boost the number of health professionals in the South East,” grant committee chairperson Ken Stafford said.
Former grant recipient Sam Sinclair is currently completing the honours program in psychology through the University of New England in Armidale, New South Wales.
“As part of my study, I have to attend mandatory intensives at the campus in Armidale,” Mr Sinclair told The Border Watch.
“There’s quite a cost involved in attending week-long intensives, and there are three of them over two years.”
The 28-year-old used his tertiary health education grant to assist with travel costs for study.
“I would have had to have chosen between travelling to Mackay to go to my sister’s wedding last year, or go to intensive school, so the grant meant that I could do both,” he said.
Mr Sinclair is currently employed as accommodation services manager at Disability Services where he oversees all aspects of care provided to clients living in supported accommodation.
“My studies help me to manage staff from an organisational perspective, manage the change process and help me to guide my team of supervisors to work effectively with clients.”
Once he has completed his study Mr Sinclair plans to practice in the local community and encouraged other students to consider applying for a tertiary health education grant.
“The study this grant has helped me to complete is life changing and it has really helped with my work and my personal development,” he said.
Grants can be applied to a broad range of student needs including university fees, medical uniforms and equipment, books, IT equipment, travel and living expenses.
The program is supported by Mount Gambier City Council, Grant District Council, Ken and Carol Stafford, UFS Chemist, Flinders Rural Health SA, Mount Gambier and District Community Bank, Rotary Club of Mount Gambier Lakes and private benefactors John and Helen Kentish.
“Over the past 11 years, the program has provided 121 grants to students at a total cost of $242,000,” Mr Stafford said.
“We are always looking for additional financial contributors to the program so that we can try and keep the number of grants up between 12 and 15 each year.”
Applications close March 30.
Visit www.mountgambier.sa.gov.au to view the eligibility criteria and application form.
