FRRR has today announced that 19 community organisations across Australia will share more than $157,766 from the FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants program grants to implement projects based on the ideas generated at this year’s ABC Heywire Summit in Canberra.

This year’s grants will help activate projects based on four of the ideas developed at the annual youth summit, all of which respond to issues that concern young people in remote, rural and regional Australia.

The original ideas were:

As part of FRRR’s commitment to supporting the transition of leadership to the next generation, the successful grants were reviewed and recommended by a Youth Assessment Committee, under the guidance of FRRR Directors and staff. FRRR also employed two interns, both former Heywire winners, over the last few months, who assisted with the program administration and assessment.

Mahsa Nabizada, Youth Assessment Committee Chair, said, “The Heywire Grants offer an incredible opportunity for young people from all corners of Australia to bring their ideas to life and actively shape their communities. It’s empowering to see these young leaders take ownership of the challenges they face and turn them into meaningful change. These grants show that when we invest in young people, we’re investing in the future of our communities.”

Deb Samuels, FRRR’s People Portfolio Lead said that pleasingly, many of these projects funded will be led by the young people that they are designed to benefit.

“Representation matters and valuing the lived experience and unique perspectives of young people is vital, so we’ve actively sought ways to involve more young people this year, plus we actively invited young people to apply for the grants. And it worked, as we saw a significant uptick in the number of applications for projects led by young people. After all, who better to know what’s going to work for other young people than their peers.

“For example, Riverland Youth Theatre has received a grant to implement The Bigger Picture idea. Led by a Heywire winner, the funds will support nine months of activities, including monthly events tailored to the interests of young people in that part of the Mallee, with a focus on queer and socially isolated youth. This kind of project is exactly why we love this program so much. It will not only deliver on the issues that the Heywirers raised at the national Summit, but in doing so, it will also build leadership skills and create employment opportunities for young people.

“This round we also saw the largest number of projects we’ve funded in Queensland, thanks to The John Villiers Trust and The Clem Jones Group. Their support has meant that we can fund seven wonderful initiatives in six communities. I really can’t wait to see what impact each of these projects has in their community over the coming year,” Ms Samuels said.

Justin Stevens, ABC Director News, said that the ABC Heywire Summit brings forth ideas created by young individuals from regional communities, aimed at benefiting their peers. “These grants provide remote, rural, and regional areas with a practical way to inspire the next generation of leaders to voice their concerns and take action on issues that matter to them and their communities.”

These grants are generously co-funded by contributions from The Sally Foundation, The John Villiers Trust, The Clem Jones Group, David Mactaggart Foundation, and several private donors. This funding announcement brings the grants total to more than $1.7 million over the last 13 years.

The full list of recipients and a snapshot of their projects are below.

By Deb Samuels, People Portfolio Lead

One of FRRR’s key strategic priorities is investing in the next generation of community-focused professionals, creatives, policy-makers and volunteers for remote, rural and regional communities across Australia. There is so much energy both internally and externally to bring this to life across all FRRR’s granting activities, from small grants to deeper capacity building. With so much momentum building, we thought it was time to share all our next gen focused activities or what we call our Youth Futures initiatives.

You are likely familiar with FRRR’s OG next gen initiative, the FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants program, in partnership with the ABC Heywire. Our 10+ years of partnering with the ABC has seen more than $1.5 million in grants awarded to remote, rural and regional communities to fund brilliant ideas for change developed by young people at the annual Heywire Summit in Canberra.

What you may not know is that these grants are reviewed by FRRR Heywire interns and that a Youth Advisory Committee comes together to land on what projects will have the biggest impact and makes recommendations to the FRRR Board on what to fund. These are ideas designed by young people from remote, rural and regional Australia, with funding for projects decided by young people. Last year, thanks to support from our friends at John Villiers Trust, we were able to provide a stipend to both our interns and the committee members. Representation matters and valuing the lived experience and unique perspectives of young people is vital to ensure the opportunity is open to a diverse pool of candidates.

We also have the FRRR ABC Takeover Youth Catalyst Grants, another partnership initiative with the ABC that brings young people and community together to partner with local organisations and co-design youth focused projects. Since Takeover began in Shepparton, VIC in 2022, it has continued to evolve in Mildura VIC, and most recently Takeover Lismore, NSW. Because each community is unique, each Takeover program is also unique and builds on what we’ve learned from each iteration.

What we’re super excited about as this program builds momentum, is the opportunity to help grow a local network of next generation superstars ready to take on the challenges in their region. Like the group of young people who have worked alongside Lismore Council to launch ‘High Schoolers Haven’, a youth-led pop-up event space to foster social connections, support, and skills development for Lismore youth. And the group working with Connect Northern Rivers to make a video at the local career expo that highlights great local career opportunities available for young people. Watch this space for the next Takeover locations in Latrobe, VIC this September, and two more national locations in 2025 where we will continue to evolve the program in partnership with the ABC to meet the unique needs of each community.

Our suite of Youth Futures initiatives also includes the Sally Foundation Trailblazers Development Fund, delivered by FRRR in partnership with the Sally Foundation and the ABC. This is an opportunity for young people to connect with mentors, grow their entrepreneurial skills and present their innovative ideas at Parliament House in Canberra. They are then invited to apply for seed funding to take their ideas to the next level. This program has launched shining stars like Jameson Harvey, who founded Red Dirt Robotics, who was then in a great position to become part of the 2023 VFFF Backing the Future cohort.

Which is a great segue into the newest next gen initiative on the FRRR Youth Futures block – our partnership with the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation (VFFF) to deliver their Backing the Future program! It’s such a unique grant program, offering $50,000 to back young changemakers and kick start a great idea that will have an impact on regional youth in NSW and QLD. This collaboration enables us to help discover and nurture promising ideas and explore the potential for significant impact that results when a great idea meets skill, innovation and start-up resourcing. FRRR is excited to be working alongside the VFFF team and utilising our networks across remote, rural and regional NSW and Queensland to connect with social entrepreneurs. If you have an innovative idea that benefits young people in your NSW or Queensland community, get in touch with us to discuss possibilities.

Did you think that was all? Not a chance! We also piloted a ‘Youth Roadmap’ in Ulladulla this year, as part of our Investing in Rural Community Futures (IRCF) program. This was another opportunity to give young people in a community a voice and support to share their ideas for change. As the IRCF program expands into new communities, we plan to make sure young people are at the table.

None of this work happens without the dedication and passion of the Youth Futures team at FRRR, led by Lauren Ryan our Youth Futures Manager. We have also just hired our first ever Youth Futures Program Officer! We look forward to making an introduction soon, and to all the great youth focused granting and activities this growing team will enable.

Whenever we engage with young people in any of our Youth Futures initiatives, we are left with no doubt that remote, rural, and regional communities are in the very best of hands. The community champions we need for the future are ready with brilliant ideas and solutions, they just need all of us to open the door of opportunity.

In an effort to empower local youth and provide employment skills, Karoonda District Council successfully secured a $10,000 FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grant under the 2022 idea, ‘Discover Your Future’, with a project that is now brewing success for local youth.

The project, spearheaded by the council’s Youth Action Committee (YAC), aimed to provide professional training and entrepreneurial opportunities for young individuals in the small regional area, located 150 km east of Adelaide. With just 17 council staff and a population of 1,090 spread over 4,415 km², the council recognised the need for initiatives that would not only develop skills for local youth, but also nurture future leaders and provide a funding source for future youth projects.

The YAC is a group of young people aged between 12-25 designed to develop the leadership and life skills of its members. The group discusses youth issues and helps to organise youth and community events. The YAC members identified barista training as a versatile skill set crucial for enhancing employment prospects in Karoonda. With just two cafés in town, local youth faced challenges in gaining this skill set, compared to their metropolitan counterparts.

Unable to secure a trainer on site in Karoonda, the  fifteen young people aged between 13 and 20, attended training at the HG Coffee School in Adelaide. While this made for a long day, the change of site had a hidden benefit – the travel together on the bus provided valuable binding time for the young people and council staff.

The training covered theoretical and practical aspects, ranging from coffee styles to customer service and machine hygiene. From there, participants received their internationally-recognised Level 1 barista certification. From this training, two young individuals secured part-time employment locally, while three others found opportunities in Adelaide, underscoring the effectiveness of the barista training in enhancing employability.

However, the project didn’t conclude with training alone. With the acquisition of a coffee machine and equipment, the YAC established a mobile coffee business strategically located at the Karoonda Institute, a community building owned by the council and a hub for civic and community events. The youth were involved in planning and discussing different business models and the best way to run a mobile coffee setup for their community. This mini social enterprise not only provides a local platform for youth to hone their skills, but also generates ongoing revenue to support future activities and ideas by the Youth Action Committee, ensuring their sustainability and lasting impact.

Grants available to fund youth-focused community projects

FRRR is encouraging not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) in rural communities to work with local young people to adopt or adapt one of the six project ideas developed at this year’s ABC Heywire Youth Summit. The ideas emerged in response to the concerns identified as being most current and critical for youth in remote, rural and regional Australia.

Funded through the FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants program, grants of up to $10,000 are available to kickstart initiatives that promote equitable access to local services and foster a sense of belonging and connection to peers and to the land.

The six ideas developed by the 35 young Summit participants during the week-long youth leadership and skills development event are:

• Bussin’: How might we create more accessible transport options for young people in regional and rural communities?
• MEE (Mentoring Educating Empowering): How might we close the gap in accessing quality education for young people in regional, rural and remote communities?
• A Place for You: How might we improve accessibility to mental health services in remote and regional areas of Australia?
• The Bigger Picture: How can we empower young people in regional towns to celebrate their differences and foster connection among themselves?
• Safe Sphere: How might we ensure that young people in regional and remote communities receive relevant and comprehensive sexual education?
• Youth 2 Grassroots: How might we promote a stronger connection between individuals and their land by fostering a culture of environmental protection and stewardship?

There is $100,000 in funding available nationally, thanks to the generous support of The Sally Foundation, David Mactaggart Foundation and private donors. An additional $17,500 is also available specifically to fund projects in Queensland, thanks to a partnership with The John Villiers Trust.

Amy from Mount Isa, Queensland, is a 2024 Heywire Winner and was part of the group that developed the Youth 2 Grassroots project. Amy said, “I love living in rural Queensland, and it was incredible being given this opportunity through Heywire to come up with an idea to improve life for other country kids. I’m so excited to see what comes from our idea.”

Deb Samuels, FRRR’s People Portfolio Lead, said the Foundation’s long-term partnership with ABC has led to significant outcomes for young people and communities.

“Having run the Heywire Youth Innovation Grants program for 12 years, we have been lucky enough to witness the impact that these young leaders, their ideas, and the funded projects have had on rural Australia.

“From mental health first aid training and career open days, to events that foster social and cultural connection and understanding, each project ensures young people have an active role in fostering a place that they are proud to call home.

“It gives me hope for the future of rural Australia when I see young people working to tackle issues, many of which echo the concerns we see in rural Australia more generally, head on. The projects that these grants fund help young leaders to address issues of equity and wellbeing and change the underlying narrative of what rural communities “don’t have”, by creating a future where we can celebrate all that rural Australia can offer its young people,” said Ms Samuels.

Justin Stevens, ABC Director News, said the FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants program empowered young people to turn their ideas into reality.

“The ideas generated at the ABC Heywire Summit are developed by young people in regional communities, for young people.

“The grants that contribute to this help provide remote, rural, and regional communities a tangible means for encouraging the next generation of leaders to have a voice and act on issues that matter to them and their peers,” Justin said.

To date, more than $1.5 million in community and philanthropic investment has helped to fund more than 190 projects in more than 142 communities.

Applications close 5pm AEST Wednesday 29 May, and recipients will be announced in August. More information about the six ideas is available on ABC’s Heywire website, and more information about the available grants can be found on the FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants program webpage.

The Kimba district was among the hardest hit by the destructive rain and floods of January 2022, which battered most of regional South Australia. Our Town Kimba (OTK) is a community-led initiative dedicated to enhancing community resilience in the face of mental health and wellbeing challenges. Acknowledging the necessity for heightened community engagement following the floods, particularly with local youth, OTK leveraged the FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grant program to connect effectively with young individuals and empower them to lead a project within their town.

In collaboration with local high school students, OTK explored the 2022 Heywire Project Ideas, ultimately selecting the Fusion Festival idea as a resonant and beneficial initiative for local youth and the community. Fusion Festival posed the question of how to raise cultural awareness and stop racism in regional communities. OTK provided mentorship to the students throughout the grant application process, successfully securing a $10,000 to create their own community fusion festival, bringing together the tastes of Kimba to be shared through food, culture, dance and live music.

Kimba’s Fusion Festival was a youth-led, hands on experience from the very start. During the planning stages of the Festival, youth were given the opportunity to cultivate skills in event management. The project engaged mentors, educators and community members to guide the process and support the youth throughout.

The Festival, which was held in October 2023, had a profound impact on the 201 school students, kindergarten attendees and staff. Commencing with Indigenous cultural sharing, the day featured a diverse array of cultural experiences and activities, fostering conversations, learning and an appreciation for cultural diversity, all of which positively influenced individuals on personal and community levels. The Festival extended into the night, attracting over 300 people from the broader community. The lively atmosphere, diverse entertainment and communal meals contributed to a profound sense of belonging, pride and community unity.

Beyond providing a platform for cultural exchange, the Fusion Festival facilitated opportunities for local businesses, volunteers and community members to come together. The positive experiences shared during the Festival cultivated ongoing relationships, community pride and strengthened the sense of place.

The grant not only supported the realisation of the Fusion Festival but also served as an opportunity to model a youth-led project in the community, highlighting the substantial value young people bring to creating a resilient and vibrant community.

The Fusion Festival was honoured at the Kimba District Council’s 2024 Australia Day Awards as the Community Event of the Year, recognising the significant impact and lasting positive influence it had on the community.

Sixteen community initiatives that will act on issues that matter to remote, rural and regional youth will share in $148,721 in grants, through the FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants program.

Now in its 11^th year, the youth-focused program offers funds for communities to adopt, adapt and act on the ideas generated by young Australians at the ABC Heywire program’s annual Regional Youth Summit.

This year’s 39 young Summit participants developed six exciting ideas for change on issues that matter most to rural youth, with themes addressing boredom relief; easy access to mental health support; cost of food relief; education and diverse learning needs being catered for; ensuring youth voices are heard; and creating better futures for young people with disabilities.

The idea that received most applications was ‘Boredom Relief’, which resonated extensively with young people. One of the projects receiving funding to respond to Boredom Relief will be led by 2023 Heywirer Blake, who says there is a lack of opportunities for fun youth events in rural communities such as his.

“In small rural towns, it can feel like there is nothing for young people to do. We need to make sure that there are safe events and spaces for youth, or else they will look to drugs and alcohol for entertainment and excitement.

“Our project will see young people design and lead a one-day event of live music and activities. The drug and alcohol-free event will involve young and upcoming artists, and include art and cultural activities. I know it will help the young people in our community to build connections and give them practical experience in event management.

“I’m excited for it to get underway!” Blake said.

Deb Samuels, FRRR’s People Portfolio Lead, said that this program helps to put youth-led ideas at the forefront of rural communities and helps young people to feel heard.

“Young people are the future and often we find that grassroots organisations know how important it is to involve the youth and make them part of the community, but they simply lack the capacity to do so.

“Thanks to our donor partners, this program gives community groups the support and resources they need to overcome these barriers and focus their time and energy on initiatives that will make young people feel seen and empowered.

ABC Director, News, Justin Stevens, thanked FRRR for its support.

“Heywire amplifies young rural and regional voices across our ABC platforms and the Regional Youth Summit encourages their inspiring ideas for change and helps bring them to life,” he said.

“These young innovators are Australia’s future leaders and their ideas demonstrate their understanding of what their communities need.”

Examples of this year’s projects include:

• Zero Positive for Schools in Scone, NSW received $6,200 to develop the Idea 4 Change idea by preventing climate anxiety for youth with a summit featuring youth environmentalists and support for implementing school-based action plans.
  
• Nganmarriyanga School in Nganmarriyanga, NT, received $10,000 to develop the Boredom Relief idea by fostering youth agency and responsibility with the opportunity for youth to design their own Boredom Relief project.
  
• Breakaway Toowoomba in Toowoomba, QLD, received $10,000 to develop the We Are Not Alone idea by encouraging greater visibility of disability with a youth-led accessible community event to establish support networks.
  
• Tomorrow Movement in TAS (statewide), received $10,000 to develop the Hear Our Voices idea by preparing youth to become leaders of community-driven climate solutions with workshops to develop skills in facilitation and visioning sessions.
  
• Birchip Neighbourhood House Inc in Birchip, VIC, received $10,000 to develop the Boredom Relief idea by empowering youth with skills in event management through the delivery of a youth-led arts and culture event.
  
• Kununurra Community Garden Kitchen in Ringer Soak, WA, received $10,000 to develop the Homegrown Hub idea by growing cultural education on Indigenous plants and increasing access to food security with the installation of a community kitchen garden.

These grants are possible thanks to the generous support of The Sally Foundation, David Mactaggart Foundation, The John Villiers Trust, AMP Foundation, as well as several private donors.

The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.

At the 2020 ABC Heywire Regional Youth Summit in Canberra, 37 young regional Australians developed six exciting ideas to create a better future for young people across Australia. One of those ideas was We Need Farmers – educating and taking younger generations behind the scenes of farming. Timothy, Ebony and Taylor were the Heywire team behind the We Need Farmers project concept. They hoped that the project would increase the level of awareness and understanding that everyone has of Australia’s farmers. And especially, the hard work, time and effort that’s required to produce the produce for our nation.

“Our family farm is a third generation working farm. I love being there. The welcoming smell of the fresh air and the vast open landscapes. However, when my dad was a kid… they had 52 horses. Now there are 2. And over the last 25 years… our sheep numbers have fallen by 70%. We Need Farmers would help educate students on the hard work, time and effort that is required to stock those supermarket shelves and keep you full.”

Ebony, 2020 Heywirer, Western Australia

Gulf Youth in Ag was one of three groups that responded to the We Need Farmers project concept, receiving a grant for $9,979 to deliver a series of Paddock to Plate microdocumentaries.

Gulf Youth in Ag is an initiative of the Northern Gulf Resource Management Group (now Gulf Savannah NRM) that supports youth in the Gulf who are looking towards careers in sustainable agriculture. They support youth to engage with the agriculture industry with projects and networks to support young people.

The grant, which was funded by Friends of FRRR, enabled 12 members of the Gulf Youth in Ag group to complete a three-day intensive Film Making 101 course with a local production company. Students learnt film and sound production, developed storyboards, and the basics of editing.

Participants then formed three groups and chose a local farm to develop a film about the paddock to plate journey of the farm’s produce, to illustrate why we need farmers. They spent two days capturing farm footage and stories and interviewing the farmers.

The Paddock to Plate videos were launched to an audience of more than 70 local farmers, education providers, dignitaries and alumni of the Gulf Youth in Ag group. The finished videos were then distributed to 22 schools in the region and have been shared with the public through the Gulf Youth in Ag’s social media. The videos continue to be utilised in regional schools for use in the technology and science streams of the curriculum. The videos provide a resource for teachers to make the curriculum lessons relatable to the region.  

Click on the image below to watch a short snippet explaining the project and showcasing the three videos.

Contribute to the Change was one of the project ideas developed at the 2021 Heywire Ideas Lab. The group of young people who developed the idea wanted to see mental health support become destigmatised and delivered in ways that were personalised to meet the needs of young people.

Riverland Youth Theatre (RYT), based in Renmark SA, adapted the Contribute to the Change idea to deliver a costume design project for young queer people in the Riverlands. Their project was called There I Am, and encouraged young queer people to image and create the best version of themselves through imaginative and colourful costumes.

RYT identified that within the region there were few safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ youth to explore their identity, nor groups aimed at supporting them. This resulted in a decline in mental health, and young people leaving the community because they lacked accepting and supportive adults and peers in their community. RYT developed There I Am to address this issue, aiming to create a safe, supportive environment where young struggling LGBTQIA+ youth could come and explore their authentic selves. 

Participants spent five days working with a costume designer to create a costume that told their story and helped them imagine the person they wanted to be. The project built on the idea that self-expression through clothing can be an affirming and validating act for queer youth who are exploring their identity.

“I feel like my outfit kind of says ‘hey I’m here, I might not be able to talk, but I am still a person, and I can be present here, even if I don’t feel like it that much.”

Rowan, one of the youth participants, said that their costume helped them feel in control in a world where they have little control. “I kind of based it on a part of myself that I’ve suppressed over the years and bringing that into the light. With my costume it’s about being able to control whatever I want and it can all go perfectly.“

Projects such as There I Am have begun to establish Riverland Youth Theatre as a safe space for queer young people in the Riverlands. Youth have a place where they can seek support and be their authentic selves.  

The FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants have continued to support the development of this safe space for LGBTQIA+ youth in Riverlands with another grant in 2022 for The Allies Project, which they once again adapted to their specific local context. Their project, Ally Merit Pins and Awards, empowers teens to decide what an ‘ally’ is and makes allies more visible.

The concept was developed by a young non-binary student who suffered from homophobic bullying and spoke of their exhaustion of not knowing which adults were safe or supportive. They proposed the merit badges as a way to encourage schools to be proactive in creating safe spaces for queer students and empower the queer community within their school. The project was awarded a $10,000 Heywire Grant and will be delivered in 2023, continuing to ensure that there a place within the Riverlands where LGBTQIA+ youth can find their tribe.

By Deb Samuels, People Portfolio Lead

With the rates of volunteering on the decline, how will we replace these tireless volunteers with a new generation of community leaders? It’s encouraging to know the Australian Government is making an investment in the future of volunteering. The recent press release from Minister Andrew Leigh’s office ‘Getting more young people back into volunteering’ provides some targets and strategies for engaging with and encouraging more youth volunteering and developing an open source ‘playbook’ for the sector.

For rural, regional and remote communities, harnessing the energy and social consciousness of young people represents an incredible opportunity – and unique challenges – to do things differently when it comes to local community leadership and volunteerism. The work we do at FRRR supports so many volunteer-run groups providing critical services across these communities that may not otherwise exist. As the Government funded work unfolds to inspire future volunteers, developing a targeted strategy for engaging young people living in rural, regional and remote contexts will be so important to ensure the viability of these essential volunteer-run resources.

My work at FRRR provides an up-close view of the hopes, dreams and frustrations of young people living in rural, regional and remote Australia, through our partnership with the ABC Heywire, Takeover and Trailblazer programs. Young people who care deeply about fairness, diversity and equity, who are keenly aware that they will be emerging into adulthood in a world suffering the impacts of climate change, and who have grown up with technology and access to instant information at their fingertips. Young people who have lived their formative years impacted by a series of traumatic events – bushfires, drought, floods and a global pandemic – missing much anticipated milestones and often feeling unsure about what opportunities might still be open to them in the future. Young people who want to make sure the voices of diverse and marginalised people are heard, and who value flexibility and investing in wellbeing. Young people who, when given the opportunity and voice, are a source of innovative and practical solutions to some of the biggest challenges Australia’s rural, regional and remote communities are facing.

What I’m also seeing in our place-based capacity building programs, like Investing in Rural Community Futures (IRCF), is that the volunteers who have been the backbone of small community organisations for decades are now looking to retire and pass the baton. They are exhausted because so much of the recovery work, from the series of disasters in recent years, has fallen on their shoulders. They know the answer lies in engaging young people as the next generation of leaders but are often not quite sure how. We also see that young people want to connect and help, but they struggle to see themselves in the same roles their parents and grandparents have held, doing things the way they have always been done.

Instead of inviting regional young people to take a seat at the existing community leadership table, what if we first co-design a new ‘table’ with them? To hear and really listen to the ways they are inspired to connect. I couldn’t agree more that taking on a volunteer role can be empowering and career building for young people, but first we need to make sure we get the ecosystem right.

Could some volunteer opportunities be done remotely or more flexibly? Could a broader model of shared leadership be adopted? Could some traditional volunteer roles become paid or partially paid roles, so that young people without the means to donate their time, can still be involved in their community in meaningful ways and become inspired for a lifetime of connection to the sector? And definitely not to be left out – how can we make sure there’s a healthy dose of fun in volunteering?

There is sometimes an assumption made that because they are not showing up in familiar ways, young people don’t want to show up for community. What I see and hear is the exact opposite. Young people in regional communities are looking at complex problems, with fresh eyes, and coming up with entrepreneurial solutions. Like the volunteer Youth Leadership Committee at Heywire grantee Human Nature, who shaped their alumni program with the flexibility for young people to participate in activities that interest them and suit their personal life goals. And like the Regional Education Support Network (RESN), a youth volunteer-led organisation that has connected 1,400 school students with over 400 online peer tutoring volunteers across regional NSW and Victoria.

As young people imagine their futures, wouldn’t it be great if they had a career with a social impact focus on their radars as an exciting and viable one? To see staying in their rural, regional or remote community as a first choice to do work that aligns with their values, and not one that comes with a long list of compromises.

It brings me so much joy in my work at FRRR to know that we are committed to deeper engagement with regional young people. We are adding meaningful opportunities for their powerful voices to be present and truly heard in decision making that values their knowledge and reflects their values. This year, with generous donor support, we are embedding paid youth advisor roles to work alongside NFP’s implementing youth-designed projects funded through the Takeover Mildura program. We have also shifted a volunteer ABC Heywire Youth Internship role to a paid position, along with offering an honorarium for our Youth Advisory Panel who assess grant applications. This will ensure that all eligible young people have the opportunity to take a leadership role in deciding what projects best meet the needs of young people.

We never want to lose the opportunities for unpaid volunteering. However, when we are asking young people to share their expertise and lived experience, we need to make sure those unique skills are valued. Re-imagining how small volunteer-centred NFPs in remote, rural and regional communities might survive and continue to operate as vital community resources and services in the future is no small challenge. The answer lies with the young people who will both lead and need these programs and services. They are the solution, so let’s take every opportunity to listen and learn.

Grants of up to $10,000 available nationwide

Grants of up to $10,000 are now available to fund community-led projects, developed by young people, to respond to the six issues identified at this year’s ABC Heywire Youth Summit, including mental health, accessibility, youth voices, addressing costs of living and creating safe spaces – all issues that concern youth.

The FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants program has supported remote, rural, and regional youth since 2013, providing them with the opportunity to not only identify the issues that matter most to them but also take action to combat them.

This year, there is $115,000 in grants available nationally and an additional $35,000 specifically to fund projects in Queensland, thanks to a new partnership with The John Villiers Trust.

The six ideas respond to common issues of concern identified by the 39 regional youth who attended the ABC Heywire Youth Summit, a youth leadership and skills development event held last month in Canberra.

FRRR and its partners will fund grants that enable activation of these ideas across rural Australia, enabling community organisations and not-for-profits that work with young people to either implement these ideas or to develop their own projects to address the issues raised, which include:

• Boredom Relief: How might we create safe spaces for youth?
• Easy Access: How might we empower regional youth to take charge of their mental health and support their mates?
• Homegrown Hub: How might we create cost of food relief in communities across Australia?
• Idea 4 Change: How might we provide resources to ensure young people are supported and engaged in their education, with their diverse learning needs catered for?
• Hear Our Voices: How might we ensure that all youth voices are heard and represented on issues that matter to them?
• We are not Alone: How might we create a better future for all young people living with a disability to feel understood and supported in regional Australia?

More details about each of these ideas can be found on the ABC Heywire website.

Kadee from Barcaldine, Queensland, Iningai Country, is a 2023 Heywire Winner and was part of the group that developed the Idea 4 Change project. Kadee said it was inspiring knowing their idea would become a reality in rural Australia.

“I’ve already had educators of my school asking heaps of questions and having me go into depth about our idea. I’m feeling intrigued to see how everyone’s ideas evolve over time and how they impact our country.”

Deb Samuels, FRRR’s People Portfolio Lead, said that to truly create impact for young people, they need to be at the table in making decisions and the Youth Innovation Grants program facilitates this.

“From idea development, through to assessing grant applications that are recommended to the FRRR Board for funding, the Youth Innovation Grants program is led by rural youth, at all stages of the program. This process ensures that funding is allocated to create impact where it matters most for young people in remote, rural and regional Australia.

“Our long-term partnership with ABC has been instrumental to the success of this program. The ABC Heywire Summit is such a powerful platform for young Australians to share their voices and ideas to policy makers, and across the nation. To be able to invest in these ideas with funding that allows communities to act on these ideas is such a phenomenal opportunity.

“We encourage rural community groups to connect with local young people, consider the six issues and work together to develop a project and application that addresses one of the issues, in a local context. Our Youth Assessment Panel and I look forward to exploring all the innovative ideas developed,” said Ms Samuels.

This is the 11^th year of the partnership between FRRR and the ABC to run the Heywire Youth Innovation Grants.

“We’re proud to once again partner with FRRR to invest in youth ideas across remote, rural and regional Australia,” said Warwick Tiernan, ABC Director, Regional and Local.

“We know that young people are keenly aware of the issues that affect them and given the chance, they have the skills to develop solutions to them. Being able to back these ideas with grants to make them come to reality shows young people we are doing more than just listening, we are acting on them.

“We’re excited to see what pioneering projects come to life this year and share these stories through the ABC network.”

To date, more than $1.4 million in community and philanthropic investment has helped to fund more than 174 projects in more than 130 communities. This round of FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants program is possible thanks to the generous support of FRRR’s donor partners, including The Sally Foundation, AMP Foundation, The John Villiers Trust, David Mactaggart Foundation and private donors.

Applications close Wednesday 7 June, and recipients will be announced in September. More information is available on the Youth Innovation Grants page.

Image is of ABC Heywire presentation event in the theatre at the Australian Parliament House, Canberra, by Bradley Cummings.