The Mick Young Scholarship Trust (MYST) began 23 years ago when Mick Young himself decided, “education was a right, not a privilege”.

Thus was born the trust designed to help Australians who, due to financial disadvantage, could not follow their dream of further education.

Mick Young started life as a shearer and went on to become a union organiser then senior cabinet minister for the Bob Hawke Government.

Believing it was vital to break the cycle of unemployment and disadvantage, that could restrict a person’s potential, Mr Young began providing scholarships at his own expense, to people ‘doing it tough’ in his electorate of Port Adelaide.

Today, MYST scholarships to the value of $330,000 are dispersed annually to 35 education institutions across the country.

Since 2006, Macksville TAFE had received $26,000 in scholarships awarded to 51 students. This year 12 students were recipients of scholarships which would enable them to pursue further studies which they may otherwise had been unable to do.

Macksville TAFE Campus Manager Phyllis Mann said she was very proud of the students who won scholarships.

“Filling out an application and going through the interview process is very daunting,” she said.

Scholarship recipient Barbara O’Gower said that she would purchase a digital camera and hard drive and enroll in another TAFE course.

Delivering a speech at the award ceremony, 2009 scholarship recipient Ray Hanes said that receiving the award changed his life.

“Before I started TAFE, I could not read or write,” Mr Hanes said. “I had no confidence in myself.

“Thanks to the kindness and understanding of Macksville TAFE teacher Jill Ashley, I am a different person.

“The scholarship allowed me to buy a computer and learn new methods of communication.”