Students living at NRL Cowboys House next year will now have access to an Accelerated Learning Program, thanks to a $25,000 funding boost from the Coca-Cola Australia Foundation (CCAF).
The Cowboys Community Foundation’s NRL Cowboys House is set to benefit from the CCAF grant, which will go towards equipment to support the Accelerated Learning Program that will enable expert assessment and intensive tutoring for young Indigenous people from across rural and remote North Queensland.
Coca-Cola Amatil Regional Manager Queensland Paul Woodhouse nominated the Cowboys Community Foundation as part of the organisation’s ‘Employee Connected Grants’ program following his personal connection with the work of the Foundation.
“Students at NRL Cowboys House will come from remote communities to Townsville for the opportunity to access the local high school that best suits their talents and aspirations," Mr Woodhouse said.
“I believe in the importance of access to educational opportunities for young people and know the funding, which will enable additional personalised support for each student, will go a long way towards helping them reach their full potential.”
Coca-Cola Australia Foundation Chair Malcolm Hudson said he was delighted that the CCAF could support such a diverse range of causes, important to their employees.
“Our ‘Employee Connected Grants’ are a great way for both Coca-Cola South Pacific and Coca-Cola Amatil staff to connect with charities that have a personal connection with our employees,” Mr Hudson said.
Cowboys Community Foundation Director Greg Tonner believes the important work of the Foundation strongly benefits from partnerships with corporate organisations and their own commitments to social equity.
“Generous support from our partners is vital to being able to give these students the best chance of success in completing their high school studies and achieving their career goals,” Mr Tonner said.
NRL Cowboys House will provide supported accommodation for up to 50 young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from remote areas in Northern Queensland, enabling them to access secondary education in Townsville.
Now in its final stages of construction, NRL Cowboys House will begin accommodating students at the start of the 2017 school year, providing life changing opportunities for some of the most disadvantaged students in the country.
Managed by the Cowboys Community Foundation, the charity arm of the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys, NRL Cowboys House is a joint initiative between the National Rugby League, North Queensland Toyota Cowboys, the Queensland Government and the Australian Government.
For more information:
• Coca-Cola Australia Foundation
• Cowboys Community Foundation
Main image: Jeff Reibel (Cowboys General Manager - Commercial Business), Paul Woodhouse (Coca-Cola Amatil Regional Manager Queensland), Gayle de la Cruz (Project Manager, NRL Cowboys House)
