A scholarship that is for everyone

We are now in the 15th year of offering the Beryl Wiltshire Scholarship, and recipients have included those undertaking study towards a career in the social, welfare and human services sectors. 

Beneficiaries have included nurses, aged care workers, youth workers and financial counsellors. Although there have been a variety of recipients in the past, there is one common denominator—all are pursuing further study so they can improve and positively impact the lives of others.

The Beryl Wiltshie Scholarship is for anyone passionate about a career in service. This year, the pool of funds has increased to $25,000, and up to five Churches of Christ team members and church attendees can receive a portion of this to put towards their studies. Everyone is welcome to apply.

Sarah Thompson was one of the recipients of the Beryl Wiltshire Scholarship in 2024. Sarah works as a Team Leader at South East Foster & Kinship Care in Ashmore. She wanted to significantly improve outcomes for children and had decided to pursue a Master of Psychology degree. She ended up changing to a Master of Counselling degree at the University of New England.  

We sat down with Sarah to see how her studies have been, and to ask what advice she would give to anyone applying for the scholarship. 

How was your experience over the past year doing your course? 

I have been learning a lot, and a lot of the content is not only teaching me new skills for counselling, it is teaching me skills I can use in my current role as a team leader. For example, I am currently doing a unit where I am learning all about group work, and learning how to work with groups of people, including group processes and dynamics. I am also learning how to implement effective supervision, which is also relevant to my role to some degree.

How will your studies impact the work you are doing? 

Counselling will soon be a large part of the service fostering agencies provide, so this degree will allow me to assist my current agency in providing that service when the time comes.  

What were the challenges of studying?

The biggest challenge is time. But I have now been able to structure my week to include study.

What were the positives you got out of it?

I have done some online intensive classes, and it has been great to be able to connect with other professionals outside of the fostering space—to get ideas, network etc.

What would you say to people thinking of applying? Do you have any advice on the application? 

My advice is to just be genuine in your application. For myself, I provided a number of photos to show the work I have done and the things I have been involved with over the years. I definitely didn’t think I would get it, but I did, and I am extremely grateful. It has been life changing for me, and I hope that I can really use my degree to help better the support we give to our Foster Carers and Children.

The Beryl Wiltshire Scholarship is open for entries until 11:59pm on Friday, 26 September 2025.

About the scholarship 

The Beryl Wiltshire Scholarship honours the legacy of Beryl Wiltshire; someone who was known for her ability to recognise and nurture potential in others. Beryl supported individuals in their educational journeys, offering financial assistance to help develop their careers. Her legacy of empowering others to succeed continues to inspire and shape the future of many.

This scholarship is to support individuals who demonstrate exceptional potential in their field. All Churches of Christ staff and church attendees are eligible to apply. 

Need help or have questions?

Contact: Joanna Lee
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07 3327 1625