Since it was established in 1996, SWAN has assisted countless women to pursue their own social justice journeys. One avenue for doing so was via generous donations made by members to fund bursaries to help young women to complete their education. Initially, small ‘Community Participation Encouragement’ Awards were given to encourage local school students to take up training in public speaking, public presentation and media management. The inaugural recipient of this youth award in 2005 was Bonnie Einseidel, who remains an active SWAN member to this day.
Between 2011-2023, more substantive bursaries were given through Graduate Women Victoria, to support low-income students to undertake tertiary studies leading to careers in human rights, equity and social justice. Several of these Award recipients came from First Nations communities.
New SWAN Bursary builds on the long-term generosity of our members
In November 2024 SWAN launched a new bursary for senior students at local State secondary colleges. Entitled the ‘Val McKenna Young Women’s Advocacy Award’, this bursary recognises one of the pioneering women who founded SWAN three decades ago. Initially these Awards are being given to students at Rosebud Secondary College and Western Port Secondary College who show leadership potential and interest in social justice, human rights and equity. As well as helping with education costs this recognition aims to nurture the student’s potential to contribute to positive societal change.
In the coming years and depending on the funds available, we intend to extend this bursary to students at additional Secondary Schools located in low social-economic areas on the Mornington Peninsula and in the Frankston catchment. Thereby helping to strengthen youth leadership at the local level and the potential contribution this can make towards building a more just and equitable world.
SWAN thanks the Mornington Peninsula Foundation (MPF) for its generous support in linking us with these two Schools and in supporting us to administer these Awards. This ensures that donations to the SWAN Bursary are tax deductible.
The SWAN bursary was implemented 20 years ago to acknowledge and mentor exceptional young women in our local community. Passionate and committed SWAN women were once passionate and committed teenagers who sought to raise awareness of social justice issues and worked to make our society, our world, and our Peninsula, a better place. Susan Blackburn, SWAN Bursary Team Member
We know that the financial support provided through SWAN bursaries is helpful. More importantly, we know that the personal recognition students receive through these Awards helps them to pursue their own social justice journeys. It’s impossible to quantify the benefit of this impact and its ripple effect more broadly. SWAN Facilitator, Diane McDonald.
I am honoured to have this bursary named after me. I hope it will inspire a new generation of young women to fight for social justice and become a community leader. SWAN Founding member, Val McKenna.
I consider the students who have received the inaugural ‘Val McKenna Young Women’s Advocacy Award’ in 2025 as “a beacon of hope for the future in a world environment which can lead to cynicism about the future”. Lyn Jones, SWAN Bursary Team Member
CLICK HERE to make a general donation to SWAN.
CLICK HERE to make a tax deductible donation to the SWAN Bursary via the Mornington Peninsula Foundation. Make sure to put SWAN BURSARY in the comments.
SWAN thanks the Mornington Peninsula Foundation (MPF) for its generous support in linking us with these two Schools and in supporting us to administer these Awards. This ensures that donations to the SWAN Bursary are tax deductible.
CLICK HERE to see details of Previous Bursaries.
Between 2001 and 2024 SWAN donated in excess of $40,000. This includes direct member donations to Graduate Women Victoria for Bursaries, where we have records of these.
Most donations made by SWAN come from the donations made by members attending SWAN meetings. Minimal funds are spent on catering and administration. We thank Secret Garden in Mornington who generously donate the flowers presented to each guest speaker, who kindly gives up her Sunday morning to visit and provide us a stimulating talk. A donation of $200 is also made to a charity of the speaker’s choice (with the provision that it is a charity that supports women or social justice in some capacity).
A varying proportion of the bulk of the funds is put towards the SWAN Bursary and various organisations deemed appropriate by the Administration Committee.
Here is a comprehensive list of SWAN donations – SWAN Donation List
Southern Women's Action Network 