On family giving and empowering rural youth through education

Julia Burton Taylor:
We were part of a small rural community, and everyone seemed to contribute in some way. I’ve always felt that we are fortunate to be in a position to give, whether it’s our time or money. I believe giving should be ingrained in our psyche—it’s just a part of life.

Peita Burton Taylor:
For me, philanthropy and giving were ingrained in my life from a very young age, starting around the family dinner table. We would often talk about how the Boorowa Country Education Foundation was founded, why it was needed, and how it grew into other communities and had an impact on young people's lives and their communities. My Grandfather helped establishing the Heart Foundation, so this spirit of giving has definitely been passed down through the generations. In our family, dedicating time and effort to help others was second nature. Growing up in this environment, philanthropy became a natural part of life for me. As Mum said, I hope more people can experience this, so giving becomes second nature to them as well.

Julia Burton Taylor:
For us, it’s about purpose and fulfilment. I can’t imagine life without the passion for giving, in some form or another. Just be able to give your time or passion to something is so important. One thing that we noticed living in the country, we saw that rural and regional youth were impacted in their education simply because of where they lived. They didn't have the same advantages in education. Many didn’t have access to a TAFE or university nearby, and most couldn’t afford to travel to the next town to enrol in a course.
In some smaller towns, the young people finishing school had never seen anyone in their family walk out the door to go to work in the morning. Some of these kids came from families where three generations had lived on benefits of some sort. We saw the transformative impact we could make by empowering these youth to pursue education or vocational training and take that next step towards fulfilling a dream. When you see their smiles after completing a course, knowing what they had to do to get there, it’s worth every moment.

Peita Burton Taylor:
We are always strategic about who we support, focusing primarily on Australia, with a passion for rural and regional communities. We don’t tend to support large, well-known charities; we want to ensure our contributions make a tangible difference and help an organisation progress to the next level. Impact is our primary concern.


We’re lucky because we wear two hats—we give through our family foundation, but we’re also involved in the Country Education Foundation, which gives us insight from the recipient side. We understand how charities prefer to receive funds, and that’s why we strongly advocate for untied funding. We believe charities know best how to allocate resources. Additionally, we focus on multi-year commitments to build lasting relationships with charities, allowing them to plan and allocate their resources more effectively.

Julia Burton Taylor:
We started in Boorowa, southwest New South Wales, in 1993 when the community came together to raise funds for students who couldn’t afford further training or education after school. And it just mushroomed from there.


We saw that if we supported these young people to study or bought them some tools to learn a trade, it enabled them to take the next step. We weren't telling them that they had to be the best or the brightest, we were just helping them take the next step and overcome whatever challenges stood in their way whether it was distance, financial or a family situation.


I travelled around the state with Katie Walker, who is on our board, showing other communities how they could implement a similar model. Eventually, people started coming to us. When we realised this was more than a few small towns, we established a formal organisation.


Each community has its own volunteer-run committee that raises funds, interviews applicants, and mentors the youth. We now have over 400 volunteers across 47 communities in four states, and since our inception, we’ve helped over 8,000 students. Just this year, we’ve supported 679 students.

Peita Burton Taylor:
The Country Education Foundation’s head office works in close partnership with local communities, creating a beautiful synergy that enhances the overall impact. Local communities take the lead on local fundraising efforts, while head office provides crucial administrative support. By handling larger-scale connections and administrative tasks, the head office allows local committees to focus on engaging their communities and supporting the students directly, creating a collaborative and effective model. When a young person receives a grant from the Country Education Foundation, they know their whole community is behind them. People in town will ask, “How’s that nursing degree going?” It creates a strong sense of support, which is why our program boasts such high completion rates.


We’re now 26 years in, and we’re seeing things come full circle. The youths who received those early grants are now returning to live and work in their communities and joining their local foundation assisting on the selection committees, helping with fundraising and mentoring the next generation. It’s a testament to the strength and how special these rural and regional communities really are.

Peita Burton Taylor:
As a family, we are all passionate about education, social issues predominantly in rural and regional communities, as well as prison reform. It helps when you can identify common causes and support organisations that everyone feels connected to.


As we move forward, it is crucial to involve the next generation—my children, nieces, and nephews—in our efforts. By inviting them to the table and exposing them to the world of giving through our discussions, we not only share our values but also actively engage them in the process of giving. It’s important that they experience firsthand the impact and importance of contributing to others, both through conversations and direct involvement. Moreover, ensuring that each family member feels a sense of ownership over the cause or organisation they support is vital, as it fosters a deeper connection and commitment to the work we do.


Personally, one of the things I love most about giving is collaborating with other passionate philanthropist and learning about organisations I might not have been exposed to. I’ve found that starting conversations with people who are in similar giving positions is incredibly valuable—you can learn a lot about what’s out there and decide what level of giving fits your life.

Julia Burton Taylor:
I’d add that giving should be approached one step at a time. The sense of purpose and fulfilment you get from helping others is beyond rewarding. For me, seeing what these young people achieve is incredible. How could I not continue doing this?

Peita Burton Taylor:
It would be wonderful to see more communities benefit from the Country Education Foundation and expand into new regions. We know the model works, and we’ve seen the impact it can have.
Personally, I have so much pride and respect for my Mum and Dad and what they’ve achieved. I watch them in board meetings and speaking at various events, I’m always in awe of how they remain humble and dedicated. I hope I can honour their legacy and pass it on to the next generation.

Julia Burton Taylor:
We want the Country Education Foundation to continue growing and thriving so that more young people in rural and regional areas can take the next step in their lives. In terms of ambitions for giving in Australia, I would like ‘giving’ to become as natural as sport, to the fabric of who we are as a country.