Call for lesbian leaders
The Pinnacle Foundation, an Australian scholarship program for LGBTI students, is on a mission to attract more professional lesbians to join as mentors.
Run by volunteers and funded by community donations, the organisation awards scholarships to LGBTI students in need and matches them with mentors in their chosen profession.
But while more than half of its scholarships were given to lesbians this year, only 23 percent of registered mentors were lesbians.
“It seems there is low awareness about what we offer and the engagement of successful lesbians to support the next generation of lesbians,” Pinnacle selection panel chairwoman Susan Brooks said.
“Part of what we can offer to aspiring young lesbians completing their academic studies is our life and work experiences through mentoring.”
Successful professional lesbians can help the next generation of lesbian students by either registering as a potential mentor on the Pinnacle website or considering financial support options — from a one-off donation to funding a dedicated scholarship and bequests to honour a partner or relationship.
“No matter which way you choose to become involved, you will be helping young, high-potential lesbians to reclaim their own self-worth through education, making certain that The Pinnacle
Foundation can continue its mission of providing scholarships, mentoring and hope well into the future,” Brooks said.
