Helping out in the bush ...

The Bush Children’s Education Foundation (BCEF) provides financial assistance to school-aged children living in outback New South Wales. In 2007, the Foundation extended its support to include tertiary students.

The purpose of the Foundation is to enable students who live in remote areas to attend school. Assistance is available to subsidise the boarding expenses of primary and secondary aged children from families with restricted financial resources. Boarding places may be at country boarding schools or community operated hostels.

The Foundation was established in 1965 when many children from remote areas of New South Wales were not able to attend school because of family circumstances and distance from schools. While excellent distance education facilities now exist, such schooling cannot offer the daily face-to-face teaching and social, recreational and sporting contact which city children take for granted.

The Bush Children’s Education Foundation relies on donations from the public to fund annual bursaries for eligible students. Since its inception, the Foundation has supported over 2,500 children in outback New South Wales.