About the Mick Young Scholarship Trust

MYST is a national fundraising initiative which gives financially disadvantaged students the chance to further their education at Universities, TAFE and colleges right across Australia.

Mick Young was a shearer, union official and Federal Cabinet Minister, driven by the core belief that education creates opportunity and access to it should not be limited just to those who could instantly afford it.

"Education", he believed, "is a right, not a privilege." He knew that it was vital "to break the cycle of unemployment and disadvantage that can restrict a person's potential."
"Break that cycle", Mick would say, "and an individuals' place in the community will almost be transformed."

What began as a compassionate idea to provide, from his own pocket, scholarships to assist people doing it tough in his electorate of Port Adelaide, now stands as testimony to the egalitarian beliefs of one man.

He was a man of his time, but also a man ahead of his time. The sentiments that forged Mick's scholarship idea more than two decades ago are still resonating today. The issue of Australia in desperate need of skilled and experienced workers remains a talking point that embraces the nation's politicians, academics, teachers, employers, parents, social policy makers and students themselves.
In fact, just about anyone who cares for Australia's future.

MYST provides funds to educational institutions who themselves choose the recipients. The desire and commitment of participants to further their education and improve their life circumstances is the only motivation the Mick Young Scholarship Trust seeks. That is the over-riding criteria applied to this special financial hardship scholarship. Needs-based is the golden rule for the distribution of the annual scholarships which are available for students in the fields of skills acquisition, vocational training, education, science, literature, the arts and music.

After Mick’s death in 1996 his friends and family set up the Trust to celebrate and continue his work in making access to education more accessible for all Australians.

Monies are raised from a wide range of sources and recipients are chosen by colleges in a completely non-partisan manner.