Our Funding Priorities

Matana’s focus is on improving the welfare and wellbeing of young people from severely disadvantaged or marginalised backgrounds, or whose concerns and issues are not readily funded from other sources. Recognising that disadvantage takes many forms, we prioritise projects and organisations that address the causes of youth disadvantage by:

• Providing programs primarily targeting school retention and increased education achievement for students who are at risk of dropping out of school or who have already dropped out. The focus is on early identification, customised learning and mentoring.
• Providing programs that target employment skills development, employment and career pathways and transitions into employment.
• Providing programs that target social and community connectedness, personal significance and social and emotional outcomes.
• Providing services in geographical areas across Australia where funding is difficult to source.

“We cannot all do great things but we can do small things with great love” – Mother Teresa