Growing up in a low socio-economic area, Jess knew early on that determination alone wouldn’t remove the financial barriers standing in the way of her goals.
“Money was really tight at home but I had plans for my future,” she says. “One of my teachers told me that I should look at applying for scholarships. I did a Google search and came across Youth Off The Streets, and I’m really glad I did.”
Jess received a scholarship when she was in Year 11 as part of the Youth Off The Streets National Scholarship Program, support she says was critical in helping her finish high school.
“I used it to pay for my school fees, which took a big load off my mum,” says Jess. “I also used it to pay for things that I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to have, like my Year 12 jersey.”
The scholarship also helped cover costs such as a Blue Card, which is required to work with children in Queensland, and supported her transition into university.
“Without the scholarship, getting through school would’ve been a lot harder.”
Read more: How a scholarship empowered Sunrise to follow her dreams
At the time, finishing school often felt far from certain.
“I wasn’t sure whether school was the best place for me because I had so much else going on,” says Jess. “With financial support, I could relax a little and focus on my schoolwork, which I loved.”
This stability also gave Jess the space to focus on one of her biggest passions: writing. During high school, she wrote and published two novels, using storytelling as a way to make sense of her experiences.
“I feel like the books I wrote in high school were very much about how I was coping at the time,” says Jess. “My first book was about a girl who escapes being kidnapped and becomes a vigilante, saving abused kids.”
For Jess, the desire to protect and support others became more than a theme in her writing – it also shaped her future.
Choosing a path of impact
Jess is now in her second year of a social work degree.
“I care deeply about supporting young people and making sure they feel seen,” she says.
She’s already putting that passion into practice, working as a youth worker supporting children and young people in foster care.
Looking ahead, Jess hopes to work in child protection or youth mental health.
“I want to keep advocating for young people and creating safer, more supportive environments for kids who need it most,” she says. “I want to be that safe person who believes in them when they might not believe in themselves, just like the scholarship did for me.
“At the end of the day,” Jess adds. “I want to be the person that I needed as a kid.”
Finding independence and stability
“Finishing high school was one of the things I was most proud of,” says Jess. “After that, I moved out of home and onto my university campus.”
Jess says moving into a residential college at her university is one of the best decisions she has ever made. She’s now her college’s social coordinator, organising events and building community.
“It gave me independence and stability,” she says. “I met so many like-minded people who now feel like family. I’ve been able to focus on being a student and really take part in uni life.”
“Without the scholarship, I wouldn’t have even had the confidence to move out of home.”
With the financial and emotional support from the scholarship, Jess has now found her path.
Jess also credits the Youth Off The Streets Scholarships team, for giving her the confidence to pursue her goals.
“They constantly checked in with me and really believed in me,” she says. “I felt like I had all this stuff that was coming at me and they were a bit of a barrier between me and everything else.”
Reflecting on the impact of the scholarship, Jess says the belief behind the support mattered just as much as the financial help.
“It showed me that I wasn’t fighting alone and that there were people who genuinely wanted to see me succeed,” says Jess. “Sometimes just knowing someone believes in you can completely change how you see yourself and your future.”
“That belief had a real ripple effect – and it’s something I now try to pass on in everything I do.”
National Scholarship Program applications are now open
The Youth Off The Streets National Scholarship Program supports young people who are determined to continue their education or training and would benefit from additional support to reach their full potential.
Applications for the 2026 program are open now and close on Friday 15 May.
