Indigenous programs

We believe it’s essential to build on the inherent strengths of Indigenous individuals, their communities, their cultures and their lands. That’s why the Foundation supports Indigenous communities through several programs aimed at providing education opportunities and building essential money management skills. 

 

Education scholarships

Through St Joseph’s College Indigenous Fund and the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation, the Commonwealth Bank Foundation supports scholarships to fund the education of young Indigenous people. For further information, including how to apply for a scholarship, contact either St Joseph’s College or the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation directly.

 

St Joseph’s College Indigenous Scholarship Fund

The Indigenous education program at St Joseph’s College is the largest and most successful of its kind. Since 1998, there have been 78 Indigenous boys enrolled at the College from 39 communities. Thirty-three boys have so far successfully completed Year 12. The St Joseph’s College Indigenous Scholarship Fund has created a perpetual investment fund to generate an ongoing income stream to support around 40 boys each and every year.

 

Australian Indigenous Education Foundation

The Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF) is focussed on empowering Indigenous children in financial need to build a future through boarding school scholarships to some of the leading schools in our country. This $40 million program is a unique collaboration between government, corporate and philanthropic supporters to invest in the education of Indigenous children AIEF has grown from funding 43 scholarships in 2009 to 205 scholarships in 2010 with plans to provide 2,000 scholarships over the next 20 years.

 

Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience

Commonwealth Bank have recently formed our newest partnership with AIME - Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience. AIME is a unique program that partners university student volunteers in a one-on-one mentoring relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students. Through our partnership, we are able to support AIME in their goal of improving Year 10 and Year 12 completion rates and university admission rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

 

Financial literacy programs

We work with Djarragun College, an independent school in Cairns, Queensland, to deliver StartSmart Enterprise – teaching secondary students how to manage money in relation to running a small business. We also work with Dare to Lead on a targeted money management curriculum for remote schools in Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory.

We partner with the Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network to deliver the Indigenous Financial Counselling Mentorship Program, which supports Indigenous Australians to study for a Diploma in Community Services, Financial Counselling.

 

Broader community support

We also support Indigenous Australians by more broadly supporting enterprise in Indigenous communities, offering a range of employment and training opportunities, engaging our people in cultural activities and providing a range of tailored financial services for Indigenous customers.