Grow a Star is an innovative, youth mentoring and scholarship program that helps young people from disadvantaged backgrounds overcome the financial or generational obstacles that are preventing them from following their academic, sporting or artistic dreams.

The program was created by Compass Housing Services and is the first of its kind to be designed and operated by a community housing provider.

By enabling young people to pursue their passions, the program aims to build the self-confidence in young people to achieve their highest ambitions and foster habits and behaviours that can set them up for life.

Activities such as learning, sport and the arts connect young people to their peers and to their communities. A young person engaged in this way will be more likely to engage in positive learning, positive health and eventually positive employment experiences. However, for many disadvantaged and vulnerable young people there are many barriers that get in the way of them participating in their interests and enthusiasms. Too often an opportunity to excel is closed off because of financial and family circumstances that prevent participation.

This is where Grow a Star comes in.

Background

Since its launch in 2012, Grow a Star has assisted hundreds of young people from the Hunter, Central Coast, Mid North Coast and remote Central West regions to pursue their academic, artistic or sporting goals at grassroots and representative levels. Grow a Star expanded its geographic reach to Queensland in 2016 and the first New Zealand recipient was a awarded a scholarship in 2018.