More bursaries to help young carers

The Commonwealth Government will provide an additional 150 bursaries to help young carers further their education.

The Young Carer Bursary Programme allows carers up to 25 years old to continue study or vocational training.

These are exceptional Australians. The Abbott Government is delivering on its pre-election commitment to further help them.

Too often, carers sacrifice their education.

Carers Australia received 800 applications for bursaries this year. In response to this high demand, the Government will provide a further 150 bursaries worth a total of $450,000 – on top of the 150 bursaries already announced.

The Commonwealth will also provide $50,000 to Carers Australia to support the delivery of the bursaries.

The first 150 recipients were notified in February and have received their first bursary payments to support them as they began the 2015 academic year.

An independent advisory panel reviewed Carers Australia’s recommendations before selecting the successful applicants.

There are more than 300,000 young carers aged under 25 years in Australia who look after people with disability, people with physical or mental health issues, or older people in need of help.

These young people are likely to live in single parent, low-resource households.

Many young carers come from Indigenous and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The establishment of the Young Carer Bursary Programme was an election commitment that was delivered in the 2014-15 Budget.

The initial programme was established to help 150 young carers each year with the cost of their tuition.