Shaw and Partners is proud to support First Nations healthcare professionals through a $50,000 donation via the Shaw and Partners Foundation to fund scholarships for Indigenous nurses pursuing a Graduate Diploma of Paramedicine at The University of Notre Dame Australia in partnership with St John WA.

Read more about this initiative in this Cath News article 

Partnership offers scholarships to Indigenous nurses

The University of Notre Dame Australia, in partnership with St John Western Australia, is offering its first scholarship to First Nations registered nurses to undertake a Graduate Diploma of Paramedicine Program. Source: The eRecord.

The scholarships were made possible by financial services group Shaw and Partners, who donated $50,000 via the Shaw and Partners Foundation to St John WA for further education and first aid training to boost community resilience and improve capacity to manage medical emergencies for First Nations people.

The Shaw and Partners Foundation sets out to “instil and perpetuate real change in the fabric of Australian Society”.

The scholarships, valued at $10,000 each, will provide financial support and encouragement to First Nations students commencing the graduate diploma at Notre Dame’s Fremantle campus.

The program is for registered nurses doing additional education to become a paramedic and the scholarship will cover full fees for the year for students funded through Commonwealth Supported Places.

Notre Dame national director of partnerships and community engagement Clive Walley said the scholarships will be available this year, with the ambition that it is ongoing.

“This is great news and very important for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students working towards a career in paramedicine,” Associate Professor Walley said.

“Notre Dame is pleased to partner with St John WA and Shaw and Partners on such an important initiative, which will make a real difference in the lives of our students.”

SJWA Paramedic and First Nations Relationship Specialist Jeremy Maitland-Smith said the scholarships will support SJWA’s expanding culturally responsive programs in First Nations communities.

“This is an incredible win-win situation which will accelerate SJWA’s regional programs with highly skilled culturally competent clinicians with thorough knowledge of hospital and prehospital skills,” Mr Maitland-Smith said.

Source: https://cathnews.com/2025/01/30/partnership-offers-scholarships-to-indigenous-nurses/