Haidarr Jones

Haidarr Jones was the 2015 recipient of the Indigenous Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship and the AET Scholarship for Indigenous Student Achievement – Creative Arts. Haidarr is currently studying a Bachelor of Media (Creative Arts) at Flinders University.

On receiving the scholarship, Haidarr says, “I felt thrilled! It’s exciting to know that people are out there that wish to assist people like me.”

Haidarr was the first in his family to attend university. “I grew up with four siblings. Due to unfortunate surroundings of family abuse and drug abuse, none of us were capable of getting a job. We were always seen as the poor kids. I failed every year of high school except for year 12. This was because I didn’t have a stable home to live in which forced me to move school constantly. Luckily, I saw a bigger picture and decided to break the cycle of poverty in my family and consider a brighter future. To come to university and get a scholarship means a lot to me.”

The Yunggorendi First Nations Centre at Flinders University helped to make Haidarr’s transition to university easier, and encouraged him to apply for a scholarship. “Leaving the country town and coming to Adelaide was a big sacrifice as I didn’t know what to expect. However, by knowing that Yunggorendi support many Indigenous students like me, I knew that I was going to enjoy this fulfilling experience.”

The scholarships Haidarr received have helped him in numerous ways. “I can now afford textbooks and study materials; I will be able to pay rent and bills on time; I will be able to afford to go home on the holidays and visit my family. This scholarship has removed many stresses and will certainly make it easier for me to study.”

“I would highly recommend every student to apply for eligible scholarships. They could only say no. But there is a chance that they could say yes. And you don’t want to pass that opportunity up.”

Haidarr acknowledges the donors whose generous support funded his scholarships. “Thank you for your generous scholarship. I was very happy and appreciative to learn that I was selected as the recipient. This generosity has inspired me to give back to the community and help others. I can now encourage other Indigenous youth to go to university and feel confident that they will get much similar support. If I were to earn a decent wage in the near future I would be happy to create a similar scholarship for the next generation.”

In the future, Haidarr hopes to build a successful career making films. “I really want to make films that inspire, educate and inform people about social issues – more specifically, Indigenous issues. I believe that this will help break the stereotypes. I also want to be able to make those who are struggling smile and have hope, no matter what their situation is.”

Apply for a Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship or an AET Scholarship for Indigenous Student Achievement.