Noongar teacher Simon Hayward's journey as an educator began with MADALAH, a not-for-profit organisation providing scholarships for Indigenous secondary and tertiary students, in more ways than one.

"They helped me with my cultural identity. Taught me a lot about my culture that I didn't know," he told National Indigenous Times.

"They became one of the main sources of my networking because they set up events and things where I've met lifelong friends… And provided a lot of opportunities, which I was given throughout school, which was pretty awesome."

Graduating from high school in 2018, Mr Hayward started working as a mentor for MADALAH while pursuing further education, including a Masters.

"I went to high school with a MADALAH scholarship, and then from there, I was studying a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Exercise and Health. They continued to fund me through my Masters of Teaching to help me out," he said.

"The best thing about being a mentor was being that role model the kids can look up to and say 'they're doing well in life, so I can as well'," he said.

MADALAH has been helping students since 2009 and is currently supporting 500 scholars across high schools and universities around Australia.

Mr Hayward, now 24, is loving life as a teacher.

"It's awesome. I'm all about opportunities… I try to give as many opportunities to kids as I possibly can. That's kind of my philosophy in life, because growing up, I come through a struggling background in a broken home. So, opportunities were limited, but when they came, I really had to take them, and I like being in that position to provide students with that opportunity," he said.

He said MADALAH had a lasting positive influence on him and his approach to educating the next generation.

"People view MADALAH as a home away from home, like the people in the program, they become your brothers and sisters. Everyone in the head office, all the staff members, you become close with them," he said.

"Everything they taught me there, I'm able to take out, because they're all about relationships and building connections, and providing opportunities. I've taken all that from MADALAH and put it into my own teaching philosophy."