Yalari marks 21 years with record cohort, alumni leadership
Yalari has marked 21 years with a record student cohort, stronger measured outcomes, and alumni now contributing to governance, according to its Annual Review released today.
The organisation says it is poised to surpass 900 scholarships in 2026, advancing a founding vision that began with a target of 250.
Yalari was founded in 2005 by Waverley Stanley AM, Llew Mullins, and other likeminded people. It provides full boarding school scholarships and wraparound support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from regional and remote communities. Yalari is an ACNC-registered DGR charity.
Key Points
- Yalari releases 2025 Annual Review marking 21 years of operations
- Record 271 students across 23 partner boarding schools
- Alumni network reaches 673 across multiple professional sectors
- 69 per cent complete Year 12 from Year 7 starters, above national average
- 99 per cent of surveyed alumni move to further study or employment
- Alumni now serve on Yalari’s board, shaping governance
- Endowment goal announced to sustain the organisation for 100 years
Record cohort and outcomes
The review reports Yalari’s largest-ever student cohort, with 271 students currently studying across 23 partner boarding schools. The alumni network has grown to 673 graduates, with Yalari highlighting their presence across education, health, law, government and community leadership.
According to the organisation, outcomes are quantifiable. It reports that 69 per cent of students who begin Year 7 complete Year 12, a rate stated as above the national average for all Indigenous students regardless of location. Among surveyed alumni, 99 per cent transition to university, further education or employment.
“What we’ve learned since 2005 is that education doesn’t move in straight lines – it moves in circles and loops, founding director Waverley Stanley said.
“Our students are already leaders in motion. Leadership doesn’t suddenly arrive at graduation – it builds, steadily, over time.
“Today, Yalari alumni are educators, artists, health professionals, lawyers, tradespeople, business owners and community leaders. Many are now raising families of their own, mentoring others, and giving back in ways that quietly reshape what’s possible for the next generation.”
The review also profiles students and graduates defining success in diverse ways. Courtney, who completed Year 12 and is now studying a Bachelor of Business at QUT in Brisbane. And Dominic, who brought determination from Darwin to Shore School in Sydney, forging what the review describes as a deep sense of belonging.
Alumni leadership and governance
Alumni are not only returning to their communities but are also stepping into leadership roles within the organisation. Alumni are now serving on Yalari’s board, adding that their lived experience is shaping the next chapter from within.
The organisation frames this evolution as a continuation of its founding purpose — to create Indigenous leaders who can guide systems and communities.
Long-term ambition
Yalari has a new ambition to establish an endowment intended to support the organisation for 100 years and beyond. Leadership frames this as a move to stabilise funding cycles and ensure ongoing delivery of scholarships and student supports at scale.
“Across twenty years, what has grown most is the depth of connection – students, families, communities and schools walking together,” chair Bruce Davidson said.
