Philanthropy spotlight: Toyota Community Trust & Brian M. Davis Charitable Foundation

At Monterey Secondary School in Melbourne’s south-east, there are now 14 Teach For Australia (TFA) teachers on staff, several of whom have moved into leadership roles.

Toyota Community Trust’s Community Foundation Co-ordinator Katarina Persic met TFA Associate Eric Zhou in January 2025, as he started TFA’s two-year Leadership Development Program (LDP) to earn a Master of Teaching (Secondary). Through a long-term partnership with TFA, the Trust supports the development and placement of qualified STEM teachers in the schools that need them most. Early-career STEM teachers gain wellbeing support and coaching, alongside professional development and trauma-informed training.

During July’s Mid-Year Intensives (MYI), Katarina caught up with Eric again. Eric gave an update on his progress – he is now close to completing the program, teaching Physics, Maths and Vocational Studies. His vehicle engineering background helped the school launch Maths Methods for the very first time, opening a pathway that students from communities experiencing disadvantage had not previously had before.

MYI brings TFA teachers together in their local capital city each July for three days of professional learning, reflection and shared challenges. Teachers gain insight from guest speakers, alumni and education leaders. Many reconnect with peers from regional, rural and remote classrooms.

Katarina joined TFA’s VIC MYI at University College on Wednesday 8 July with her colleague Toshinori Bessho from Tokyo, who works in the Corporate Citizenship Division of Toyota Motor Corporation and travelled to see our partnership in action.

Our other partner, Miranda Campbell, Grants Program Manager at Brian M. Davis Charitable Foundation, attended with a passion for systemic change and social impact. The Brian M. Davis Charitable Foundation has supported training, coaching and mentoring of our Victorian teachers since 2023. Their investment has helped build school partnerships that drive placements and impact.

Our valued guests met TFA teachers face-to-face at an AI session. Teachers brainstormed ways students could use new tools without losing creativity or critical thinking.

Miranda spent time at the Alumni Summit, where our teachers described improvement in student attendance and academic results. Stories from rural, regional and remote communities stood out. Many TFA teachers arrive as career changers, from former lawyers and sheep and cattle graziers to finance professionals and artists. Their varied backgrounds show students paths they may never have encountered otherwise.

Students from low socio-economic backgrounds are six times more likely to be low performers than their more advantaged peers (Carroll and Harris, 2023). The gap widens further down the track. Among young adults in remote and very remote areas, 16.6% hold a bachelor’s degree, compared to 48.6% in major cities (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021).

Access to a passionate teacher can shift that trajectory. Support from partners like the Brian M. Davis Charitable Foundation and Toyota Community Trust helps narrow the divide.

Thank you to Brian M. Davis Charitable Foundation and Toyota Community Trust. Partnerships like these make a genuine difference. Students facing the toughest barriers benefit first.

“Real change in education doesn’t happen overnight. Steady, long-term partnerships with people who share the same goal make the difference, a fair start for every student. Toyota Community Trust and Brian M. Davis Charitable Foundation have stood by that commitment for years,” said Matt Smith, TFA Head of Philanthropy.

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For more information on supporting our work, please contact Olivia Oh at philanthropy@teachforaustralia.org or visit our Support and Donate page.