Scholarships
The Jan Pentland scholarships are awarded annually, at the Jan Pentland Foundation dinner. This is held in May of each year in conjunction with the annual financial counselling conference.
​
The scholarship provides financial assistance to individuals who are undertaking study or are intending to undertake study in financial counselling.
​
In recent years, the Foundation has been able to provide more scholarships than previously. This has largely been made possible because of a donation of $50,000 per annum from the Commonwealth Bank (for 2017-2026). Other scholarships in previous years were funded by the NSW Government (Minister for Women), Credit Corp and staff at the Australian Financial Complaints Authority. In 2025, Credit Corp will provide funding for two scholarships. One of these scholarships will specifically be awarded to a First Nations individual.
​
The 2025 scholarship round is now open.
​
"To look is one thing. To see what you look at is another. To understand what you see is a third. To learn from what you understand is something else. But to act on what you learn is all that really matters."
It is believed this quote had a special significance for Jan and it describes how she lived her life. It is also the advice she might have given to the scholarship winners.
2024
SCHOLARSHIP
WINNERS
Melissa Ferris
​
Melissa Ferris is passionate about financial counselling and an avid learner. She is looking forward to opening new doors in her mind through the course.
Melissa has a part-time job at the Alliance for Gambling Reform and believes this work will align well with the Financial Counselling course. She says it’s such a privilege to be part of driving reform in terms of harmful gambling products. She’s also motivated by the fact her family has been deeply impacted by gambling harm.
Melissa Manning
​
Melissa Manning is looking forward to playing a greater role in assisting her community. She currently works at a neighbourhood centre in NSW assisting clients with emergency relief, providing food and personal hygiene support. She has also worked in the disability sector.
Melissa hopes to be a great asset to the financial counselling sector and her goal is to create significant change in financial outcomes for individuals and the greater community as a whole.
Anthia Arhontissas
​
Having already completed a Diploma of Community Services, Certificate of Standard Mental Health First Aider, Certificate in Mental Health First Aid for Gambling Problems Course and a Certificate in Financial Literacy Education - Anthia Arhontissas is clearly an avid leaner.
She currently works at the Bravery Trust, assisting vulnerable veterans and their families experiencing financial hardship. Learning to become a financial counsellor will provide her with further professional skills to help keep families out of hardship. Anthia says the Diploma of Financial Counselling will also allow her to practice networking within the sector and provide better options to people who may otherwise have no support or pathway to find financial relief or assistance.
Aria McLady
​
Through her current work with the Financial Abuse Prevention Unit at Women’s Legal Service Queensland, Aria McLady can see the growing need for Financial Counsellors.
She plans to specialise in family violence which will allow her to make a meaningful difference to clients. Aria can see the positive impact financial counsellors have on people as they attempt to get in the best financial position possible while recovering from the abuse they have suffered at the hands of their perpetrators.
Christina Walker
​
Christina Walker has almost completed her Diploma of Financial Counselling and will use the scholarship money during the work placement component. She enjoys the coursework and hopes to become a financial counsellor in her local area.
She’s currently working as a social worker and feels those skills will be transferable as she moves into financial counselling work.
Coleen Forester
​
Residing in a small rural community with limited access to in-person financial counsellors, Coleen Forester aspires to contribute positively and with cultural sensitivity to this shortfall.
She has ample lived experience, including going through bankruptcy, that will help make her a well-rounded and valuable financial counsellor. She strongly believes we all possess inherent strength and boundless potential, despite the adversity we sometimes face.
Colleen also plans to collaborate with her local high school to help students develop the skills to prevent encountering challenging financial circumstances.
Deanna Rimmer
​
Deanna Rimmer currently works full-time as a financial capability worker in Logan, Southeast Queensland and plans to continue her work with high-needs communities when she completes her Diploma of Financial Counselling.
She understands the challenges faced by vulnerable people and how important it is to work with them to get back on track financially. Due to the current crises of costs of living and housing, Deanna’s caseload consists of clients of all backgrounds who are at risk of becoming homeless.
Harley Love
Harley Love is looking forward to working as a financial counsellor and is already working as a financial literacy worker at the Redland Community Centre whilst finishing his diploma. He’s also working as the Service Navigator for the Redland LGA, assisting flood affected clients.
The past few years have been very challenging for Harley, but he says it has all been worth it now he can see great results on the horizon.
Helen Curmi
Working as a financial resilience worker in Far North Queensland has given Helen Curmi the perfect insight into the importance of the sector. She works with people on low incomes focusing on defining their need, addressing that need and devising a plan or a situation to enable them to take back control of their finances.
Helen is passionate about gaining her Diploma and is very keen to upskill. She enjoys studying and is looking forward to eventually working as a financial counsellor.
Holloway Buchanan
Holloway Buchanan is a financial support worker at Anglicare WA and through this work has learnt a lot about financial hardship and its impact on people.
He is keen to expand his abilities and can see the many benefits of financial counselling work.
Nadine Hegan
Living in a remote location means Nadine Hegan witnesses, first-hand, the important role of financial counsellors. She is working full-time as a financial counsellor under supervision in the Pilbara and recognises the opportunity to provide support and advocate for people that are experiencing financial hardship.
Nadine enjoys supporting and engaging with the community to gain a better understanding of their unique financial situations. She says her work is rewarding and has allowed her to learn valuable skills.
Sharon Laidler
Sharon Laidler is passionate about supporting her community and sees financial counselling as crucial for many people. She wants to support those who don't understand what their available options are financially.
She also believes she can have an impact on community education around financial wellbeing.
Yvette Pocock
Living and working in financial literacy education in remote WA means Yvette Pocock deals with a lot of challenging cases. When she first started working in the field she had no idea financial counselling was an actual job, but she now feels she has found her passion in life.
Yvette also knows what it’s like to lose everything and have to start over. She wishes she knew about financial counsellors at that time.
Zakaria Deng
Coming from a banking background and seeing the disadvantages of people in remote areas has given Zakaria Deng the drive to become a financial counsellor. He currently works as a financial capability worker at Lutheran Care in Alice Springs.
He’s passionate about assisting others looking forward to upskilling to become a financial counsellor.
Jayde Fraser
Jayde Fraser is a strong indigenous woman working as a financial capability worker in South Australia. She mentors young Aboriginal people and wants to bring this experience into a financial counselling role.
Working closely with financial counsellors has spurred her desire to obtain a diploma.
She sees the difference financial counsellors make and says she wants to be a part of that.
2018
Banafsheh Abedali
Venetia Aprile
Karen Bird
Diane (Tang) Choo
Sarah Cooke
Alan Gray
Sue Gunning
Andrea Jones
Jaimee Marshall
Louise Murphy
Robert Rooth
Katie Sedunary
Troy West
2017
Nagla Ibrahim
Carolyn La
Diane Malupu
Gillian Leech
Jennifer Barclay-Smyth
Joanna Garratt
Joe Perera
Karen McEwan
Leanne Garth
Nicki Millington
McRoberts Olango
Peter Puketapu
Ronna Guzman
Sarah Bardsley
Skye Hawkins
Tracey Wagner
2016
John Harmer
Mary Pallis
Joyleen Monsoor
Carmel Devine
Eleanor Mason
2015
Shae Skinner
John Gilmour
Karyn Hicks
Shyam Banjade
2014
Aunty Joy Reid
Grant Rowe
Carly Baker
Husan Rzuehaji
Alison Waters
2013
Julie Barrow
Jessica Trill
Linda Footer
2012
Kedar Acharya
Anna Falconer
Anna Dooland
2011
Sandra Blake
2010
Cheryl Buttigieg
Mwajemi Hussein
2023
Caitlin Brindley
Rochelle Brogan
Yasmin Busbidge
Clarice Campos
Maggie Chambers
David Do
Barbara Jones
Amita Nand
Diana Porta
Shay-Anne Ross
Elias Simon
​
2022
Abby Bartlett
Krithi Baskaran
Michelle Carroll
Alexander Dunnage
Caroline Graham
Katja Hauser
Sarah Holman
Alicia Nax
Sara O’Neill
Leilani Tasi
Julie Walter
Rachel Young
​
2021
Kristen Conquest
Jazsikah Cox
Amanda Evans
Rhonda Griffiths
Haydn Jelly
Hayley Joyce
Toni Lackey
Lylia Martion
Kerryn Mickle
Helen Radford
Shelley Rose
Nel Staite
Paula Thompson
Eirene Tsolidis-Noyce
Belinda Walton
​
2020
Gregory Cross
Savio D'Souza
Kate Fisher
Karen Garlett
Jacqueline Hannam
Samantha Hillman
Helen Kouppi
Geri Matlow
William McGurk
Natasha Mesecke
Julie Plummer
Shiara Pugh
Kelly Reid
Trudi Ridge
Monica Smith
Robyn Stavrou
Luke Webber
Genine Wakley
Sarah Stewart
Bernadette Wauchope
Nicole Piccolo
​
2019
Kathy Bel-Bachir
Natasha Bollenhagen
Lyndall Bottrell
Andre Chan
Kym Clerke
Yazmin Cox
Jason Drane
David Fagan
Lauren Heald
Ann Howchin
Deena Husan
Nicola Lewis
Raelene Martin
Megan Molloy
Emma Neville
Chitsidzo Nyamidzi
Tracey Peart
John Ryan
Nikita Schmidt
Renee Westreheim
Kirsty Wilson
​