Youth in Philanthropy
Melbourne’s Mount Scopus College students have learnt about community needs and making decisions about granting money when there are competing priorities, when they took part in the Youth in Philanthropy program of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation.
Lochie Hayman, Nat Mendel, Timna Katranski, Tamar Gordon, Remi Posner, Adam Schonker and Josh Gordon at Guide Dogs Victoria
The aim of Youth in Philanthropy program is to help young people learn about philanthropy, social awareness and community leadership.
Scopus was one of 21 schools to take part. A team of Year 10 students were trained in aspects of philanthropy and were then given $15,000 by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation to distribute among three charities. Each charity presented to the students and explained what the money would be used for. The students had to decide how to distribute the funds between the three charities according to select criteria they had developed.
The team worked with a mentor and learnt many important skills along the way as they researched and analysed the organisations and the projects for which funding has been applied for. The three charities the students were asked to consider were Guide Dogs Victoria, Kids Own Publishing and the Church of All Nations (an organisation working with migrants in the inner city).
The Scopus students connected their selection criteria to the College’s mission statement and the Jewish values of tzedakah and chesed and wanted to empower people to improve their lives.
The team discussed the merits of each application and deliberated over the amounts to grant. The amounts granted and an explanation of the team’s judgment was presented at the Melbourne Town Hall at an event at the culmination of the program.
Extension and Enrichment Co-ordinator at Mount Scopus College, Tony McCartney said, “Thanks to The Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation for devising such a wonderful program involving real learning, real money, helping real charities make a real difference to real people. To involve 21 schools and 150 students distributing more than $300,000 to more than 60 charities is an amazing achievement.”
The team agreed that after their experience with the different charities, they realised the huge impact that their money can make to the charities and their project, and the need for more philanthropy in our society.
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Photo caption: Lochie Hayman, Nat Mendel, Timna Katranski, Tamar Gordon, Remi Posner, Adam Schonker and Josh Gordon at Guide Dogs Victoria
