Jim Stynes Scholarship Announced

Photo courtesy The Reach Foundation

The Federal Government has committed $3 million to establish the Jim Stynes achievement scholarships for disadvantaged youth.

Prime Minister Gillard said that the scholarships in Stynes’ memory would be administered by the Reach Foundation and the AFL in partnership with the Government.

The AFL is said to have committed $750,000 to the scholarships over five years.

Gillard said that the scholarships will be given to young Australians to help them achieve their education, community and sporting goals.

“Jim courageously held up his number 37 guernsey at the start of his battle with cancer,” Gillard said. “Today, we’re holding up 37 scholarships a year for young kids who come from indigenous or multicultural backgrounds, or suffer from disadvantage and need a leg up in life.”

“These scholarships will build on the remarkable work that is done at Reach, by helping each recipient achieve their education, community or sporting goals,” Gillard said.

Stynes, a philanthropist and AFL legend, passed away last week after a three year battle with cancer.

He co-founded the Reach Foundation in 1994 which to-date runs programs for more than 60,000 young Australians across the country.

Stynes was also on a number of government advisory boards including the 1997 Victorian Government Suicide Task Force.

“Through these scholarships, Jim will continue to inspire some of our most disadvantaged children to gain confidence and find their place in the world,” Gillard said.

The Victorian Government has announced that a state funeral will be held for Stynes on Tuesday March 27 at 11am at St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne.