Change the future of young high-potential girls

Talent and ambition are universal. Career opportunity is not. Accelerate exists to close that gap. Providing three years of mentoring, financial support, and career development to young Australians who have the potential to go far, but not yet the pathways to get there. The ACT is a small but growing part of the national 2026 cohort. Three phenomenal young women, each matched with an exceptional female mentor who has committed three years of their professional expertise and personal investment to walk alongside them.

This reporting period marks a significant milestone: the welcome of three new scholars. Kartja, Kathleen, and Leilani, who joined in November 2025 and have begun the first chapter of what will be a three-year journey. Each was matched with a corporate mentor from ABCN's member network and onboarded to the financial platform that gives them access to their scholarship funds. By March 2026, all three had completed their first school-based mentor meetings, a simple marker that carries real weight, because that first meeting is where the relationship begins to become real.

One scholar's story from this period is worth sharing. Leilani is a proud First Nations young woman from Queanbeyan High School whose early experience in the program was not without difficulty, her first two scheduled meetings with her initial mentor did not go ahead. The program team responded by rematching her with a First Nations mentor: a pairing that isn't always straightforward to arrange, but one they pursued deliberately. When Leilani met her new mentor, the connection was immediate. She was open, curious, and comfortable in a way that hadn't been possible before. What followed has been remarkable: her mentor recently took a twelve-month career break to care for her young children, yet asked to remain Leilani's mentor throughout, connecting with her on days the children are in childcare. "I am still very much committed to the program," she told the team. It is a reminder of what genuine commitment to a young person looks like, and of how much a single matched relationship can matter.

Savannah, now in her second year of Accelerate, has settled into a strong new mentoring pairing with Michelle from KPMG and is navigating Year 12 with support alongside her. Coming up in May, Year 1 scholars will attend their first Leadership Summit, typically the moment when mentoring relationships deepen most noticeably. We're looking forward to sharing what comes next.

2025 Graduating Scholars

With 2025 coming to a close, it was the end of the Accelerate scholarship journey for our 2023 cohort. We were delighted that the graduating scholars and their mentors were able to celebrate at ABCN's End of Year Events held around the country. One of our mentor - scholar pairs spoke at the Melbourne End of Year Event, sharing their 3-year journey:

When Vinti Bhargavadescribes first meeting Mohadeesa, the student she had been paired with, for ABCN’s Accelerate Scholarship program she recalls, ‘The first words Mohad ever said to me were: “I want to be a surgeon.” The second: “My parents won’t let me travel to Sydney for the ABCN workshop.” And then, the third, when I asked what she did for exercise: “I don’t have time.”

“It was such a small moment” Vinti said, “But it told me everything: this was a young woman carrying big dreams, big responsibilities, and not yet a lot of space for herself.”

What stayed with Mohadeesha from that first meeting was how she was spoken to by Vinti. "She talked to me like my dreams were normal - like wanting to be a surgeon wasn’t something outrageous, but something absolutely achievable. Everything was possible - even travelling interstate for the first time - which felt huge for me and my family". 

“Every conversation made things less scary, more possible.” Mohadeesha said. “Now I’m studying my first-preference course at Monash, working at a pharmacy, and dreaming of owning pharmacies – plural! - one day. And I say that confidently because I’ve had someone - my family, ABCN and Vinti - who believed in me long before I believed in myself.”

Mohadeesha credits Accelerate with shifting her approach: “The Accelerate program didn’t just help me academically. It made me braver. It taught me to ask for help, to explore options, to believe that my background doesn’t limit my potential.”

For Vinti the experience has been equally affirming. “For me, Accelerate was a reminder that mentoring is not about fixing or directing. It’s about walking beside someone while they discover who they can become.”

Welcoming the 2026 New Scholars

In late 2025, ABCN was delighted to award 33 new Accelerate scholarships to start their 3-year program in February 2026. All scholars will be starting Year 11 in 2026 and are from schools across Australia, including New School Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. 

We warmly congratulate all 33 scholars. The program will covers Years 11, 12 and the first year of further education, training and/or employment, during which:

• Scholars are matched with their own dedicated corporate mentor and participate in structured, facilitated sessions, 1:1 monthly meetings and a Big Day Out in person event.
• The program syllabus covers: Goal setting and aspirations, peer mentoring, communication, time management, financial capability, leadership, resilience and wellbeing, identifying and mapping future pathways.
• Scholars receive up to $7,000 for educational expenses paid in instalments over the three years.
• Accelerate scholars connect with a network of roles models and like-minded students outside the scholar's existing community, providing workplace access and opportunities. These connections support the development of skills, growth mindsets, aspirations and vital social capital.

The information below introducs some of our exceptional scholars who will commence the program in 2026:

Leilani is a proud Ngunnawal student from New South Wales. She is an emerging leader who actively contributes to both school and community life. As a role model for younger Aboriginal girls, she demonstrates strength, cultural pride, and a commitment to creating positive change. With aspirations to become a paediatric nurse, she is passionate about improving healthcare access in rural communities and integrating her cultural heritage into her future profession. Supported by a strong family network, she draws inspiration from her roots and values. Beyond her academic and leadership pursuits, she loves playing football, showcasing her energy and team spirit..Leilani has the determination, a strong cultural identity, and a vision for a healthier, more inclusive future.

Ella, from WA, is an exceptionally bright student who excels in mathematics and science, currently participating in extension classes. She has a strong interest in architecture and engineering, with aspirations to pursue architecture at university. Highly creative and a deep thinker, Ella combines her analytical strengths with artistic talents, enjoying activities such as singing, playing the electric keyboard, and listening to music. Ella is proud of her Aboriginal culture and expresses her creativity through both STEM and the arts.. Ella demonstrates resilience and focus. Her curiosity spans architecture, landscape and automotive design, reflecting a passion for innovation and problem-solving.

A huge thank you for supporting ABCN's Accelerate Program, with your help we can support the futures of more exceptional girls with huge potential like Mohadeesha, Ella and Leilani.