Mind Australia is now accepting expressions of interest for the 2025 Stratford Scholarship.
The annual Stratford Scholarship is a $10,000 scholarship for an emerging peer leader or small group of peers to complete a 12-month project that contributes to innovation and transformational change that supports the mental health and wellbeing of people in their own and the broader community.
Mind initiated the Stratford Scholarship in 2024 to honour the late Anthony Stratford’s leadership legacy and his immense contributions to the Peer Workforce.
The inaugural winner of the Stratford Scholarship was Mush McLoughlan – a psych survivor who developed an independent peer support group to talk about suicide in ways that aren’t welcome or safe elsewhere. Mush has been able to use the Stratford Scholarship to explore alternative peer responses to suicide and how they can be practiced through peer community building and knowledge sharing.
Mind Australia CEO Gill Callister says the Stratford Scholarship gives energy to new and important lived experience-led ideas, and provides a platform for the next wave of peer leaders, like Mush, to inform the discussion.
“The Stratford Scholarship and Stratford Lecture are significant initiatives for Mind, as they honour and celebrate Anthony Stratford’s legacy with the continued development of lived experience knowledge and excellence that was so core to his life and contribution,” Ms Callister said.
“We are proud to offer this opportunity to emerging peer leaders to contribute to activities such as visits to lived experience programs and initiatives, coaching and mentoring or leadership development.”
Expressions of interest for the 2025 Stratford Scholarship are open to an emerging peer leader or small group of peers from diverse and intersectional backgrounds who want to be part of transformational change within their communities – click here to learn more.
Applications for the Stratford Scholarship will close on Friday 21 February 2025. Shortlisted applicants will be notified of next steps shortly after applications close.
The 2025 Stratford Scholarship recipient will be announced at the 2025 Stratford Lecture in May 2025.
For more information about the Stratford Scholarship please click here, or email [email protected].
If you would like more information about Mind services near you, contact us via Mind Connect or by phone: 1300 286 463.