Where is your donation going?

The Pauline E. McLeod Foundation is proud to be directing these Avery donations to the Westerman Jilya Institute for Indigenous Mental Health. These funds are being used to provide financial support to one eligible psychology student to help address the significant crisis in First Nations mental health.

Dr Tracy Westerman launched the Westerman Jilya Institute for Indigenous Mental Health in 2019 to address the significant gap between the needs of Indigenous communities and access to clinical and culturally skilled psychologists. This innovative scholarship program provides eligible psychology students with $10,000 to help with study, living and transport costs, affording vital financial assistance at any stage of their undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

By eliminating the very real financial barrier for Indigenous students to study, Dr Westerman’s scholarship program aims to facilitate the training of more Indigenous psychologists skilled in Indigenous-specific mental health, suicide prevention and intervention programs, ultimately taking their experience back to the most disadvantaged, high-risk communities to facilitate real change.

“According to Government statistics, First Nations Australians die by suicide at a rate twice higher than the non-First Nations Australians. It breaks our hearts that First Nations children are the highest risk group. 75% of child suicides between 2007 and 2011 were First Nations children. Our own Pauline, who inspires us every day, was also taken this way.” says Roderick McLeod, Chairman, Mandura.