Young people across the Moree district have just days left to apply for scholarships worth up to $3,000 to help them pursue goals in sport, education, the arts or environment.
PCYC Moree is promoting the 2026 YES! Youth Empowerment Scholarships through its local network, with applications closing on Friday, September 18. The program is open to NSW young people aged 14 to 18 and aims to help vulnerable and socially disadvantaged young people pursue their ambitions.
Eight scholarships are ordinarily awarded each year, with four reserved for young people in regional NSW and four for applicants from metropolitan Sydney. Each scholarship is worth up to $3,000.
Applicants can seek support across four areas. Sport includes activities such as sports and training camps, while education covers areas including STEM and computer studies. The arts category includes theatre, music and visual arts, while the environment category covers areas such as renewable energy and climate change.
Previous recipients show how the funding can provide practical support for young people pursuing a particular goal.
Regional recipients have included a Wagga Wagga teenager who received support to take part in an international junior AFL tour. Other recipients have included a young Grafton golfer and a Taree boxer pursuing their sporting ambitions.
One previous recipient from Lake Illawarra used the scholarship to work towards drone pilot qualifications. His interest in drone technology was linked to an ambition to work in agriculture, providing an example of how the program can support both further learning and a future career goal.
Other recipients have used scholarship funding to help with tertiary and vocational study, equipment, textbooks, tuition and specialist training.
The YES! Youth Empowerment Scholarship program was established in 2021 through a partnership between Sydney Rotary and PCYC NSW. It was launched during the centenary year of Rotary in Australia and has since provided assistance to young people from regional and metropolitan communities across NSW.
For Moree families, the approaching deadline means there is little time left to consider an application. Young people with a clear sporting, educational, artistic or environmental goal may be able to seek support through the program if they meet its eligibility requirements.
Applications for the 2026 YES! Youth Empowerment Scholarships close on Friday, September 18.
More information, eligibility details and the 2026 application form are available through Sydney Rotary:
https://www.sydneyrotary.com/stories/yes-youth-empowerment-scholarships-2026
