A life-long dedication to the power of education to change lives has led Emeritus Professor Colleen Hayward AM to an important role with MADALAH, a non-profit organisation that offers scholarships for Indigenous students.
Professor Hayward has an extensive background in a range of areas including health, education, training and employment.
Now she has joined MADALAH, which provides secondary and tertiary scholarships for Indigenous students who are from remote and regional communities to leading boarding schools and Australian universities, as a patron.
Professor Hayward will work alongside patrons, football legends Bill Dempsey and Syd Jackson, and chair of the board Jeanice Krakouer, to advance the work of MADALAH in providing support to students and their families.
Professor Hayward said MADALAH recognises - and acts on - the need for a holistic approach to education.
"Education and care of Aboriginal students, of any students, is so much more than just go to school, do what your teacher tells you, do your assignments… People nowadays get that there is a whole range of other support that everyone needs in their lives," she said.
"And MADALAH for me is exciting because not only do they recognise that but they deliver on it and it makes a difference."
MADALAH's philosophy identifies education as the key to generational change and opportunity, and the organisation is committed to making a difference in the lives of their participants, families and communities.
For Professor Hayward education has always been a very important part of life, her father was the first Aboriginal teacher, then principal, in Western Australia, and her mother and siblings also worked in education.
"Getting up and going to school every day is what everyone in our household did, including mum and dad, so you didn't even think about 'well this is different'," she said.
"In our household it was normal and I'm really thankful for that because that was a whole range of challenges we didn't even have to think about."
While Professor Hayward grew up in an environment conducive to making the most of educational opportunities, she understands that many Indigenous kids do struggle in the education system.
"I think over time there have been too many situations where Aboriginal students haven't enjoyed the experience of going to school, because their teachers, the school curriculum, and everything else that happens in the school, didn't know enough about Aboriginal issues and the Aboriginal context," she said.
Since 2009, MADALAH Ltd has provided Indigenous young people from remote and regional communities the opportunity for a quality education. MADALAH has supported hundreds of Indigenous young people from around Australia during their education journey, and they continue to support them after they graduate.
