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 Home in Place 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
Grow A Star was launched in New South Wales in 2012 as a program that focused on assisting young people living in Home in Place properties and other social housing, to achieve their sporting dreams and to promote generational change.
By 2014, the program was also supporting young people to pursue their academic, musical and artistic goals and by 2018, the program was open to all disadvantaged youth.
The program was officially launched in New Zealand in 2024.
We work with young people and their families to enable them to pursue a hobby, a passion or ambition.
We remove barriers by:
These are some examples, the possibilities are numerous!