First Foundation named NZ Trust of the Year

An educational trust which links business with promising senior students in low-decile schools has been named as NZ Trust of the Year by the NZ Trustees Association.

The First Foundation was one of nine trusts nationwide nominated for the annual award which recognises outstanding achievement and acknowledges the roles trustees play in the governance of trusts.

The foundation, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2008, has to date provided 189 scholarships for students from low-decile schools who have the talent to succeed at university, but are held back by financial circumstances.

The innovative programme partners students in the final year of secondary school with companies who provide paid holiday employment.

Each student has to save $1200 a year from their earnings, which their partnering company tops up by $6,000 to help meet their tertiary fees.

The First Foundation provides mentors and practical help to each student, including goal setting and careers advice. It has a success rate of more than 80 per cent with students in the programme.

The foundation offers scholarships in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

The foundation’s chair, Hilary Poole, said that being named NZ Trust of the Year was very welcome recognition of both the programme and the trustees who devoted many hours to its success.

“We have tremendously committed trustees who have a real passion for our work and it is wonderful to have that acknowledged.

“At times the job can seem  overwhelming. There are more than 45,000 students in low-decile schools and they are five times more likely than their high decile peers to leave without the literacy or numeracy skills needed to succeed in the work place.

“Yet against these odds, we’ve got tremendously talented students coming through, and by giving them a hand up, we’re ensuring that talent isn’t lost. We are inspired daily by the determination of our students and their ability to succeed against considerable odds.”