Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR)
In partnership with The Yulgilbar Foundation, FRRR has awarded $785,794 in grants to 23 local groups for community projects designed to strengthen community capacity and resilience in the Clarence Valley and surrounding region.
![](https://frrr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/37492_Clarence_Conservatorium.2-1-1024x773.jpg)
These grants, which are funded through The Yulgilbar Foundation Fund program, are the final tranche of a $2 million commitment awarded over the last three years.
In the wake of the 2019/20 bushfires and subsequent disasters including floods and COVID, these grants will support local groups to foster community connection, education and wellbeing across the region.
Ten of the 23 grants will support local events and festivals. This includes the Grafton Jacaranda Festival for a concert for 5,000 people Featuring Troy Cassar-Daley and Don Walker.
Also set to perform on stage at the Grafton Jacaranda Festival is the Big Scrub Orchestra, which has also been awarded funds. The Orchestra’s grant will support music workshops to boost resilience, health and wellbeing of local children in five small rural public schools and support their performance in the Jacaranda Festival.
Sarah Matthee, FRRR’s General Manager of Partnerships and Services, said that the projects funded demonstrate the important role that social connectedness plays in disaster recovery.
“While each place has its own unique set of recovery needs, in this round of grants we saw many community groups seeking funding for projects designed to bring people together to strengthen social connections, which is such an important part of the recovery process. This also gives us valuable insight into where communities are in their recovery journey.”
Madeleine Noble, Executive Officer of The Yulgilbar Foundation said the Foundation is proud to support a variety of projects across the region, many of which will boost the capacity of local groups to contribute to recovery activities.
“For example, funding for Container of Dreams based near Tabulam will help women develop micro-enterprise skills, Woombah Residents Association will expand activities at the community garden focusing on disaster preparedness, and Lawrence Community Fundraising will run a series of creative workshops and events celebrating local residents and their skills”.
More information is available on FRRR’s website – https://frrr.org.au/funding/the-yulgilbar-foundation-fund/.
The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.
Organisation | Project | Location | Grant | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ARMIDALE | ||||||
Backtrack Youth Works Ltd | BackTrack 'Paws Up' School Outreach Program Grow literacy skills, confidence, and resilience of primary school children in bushfire-affected communities in the NSW New England region through animal-assisted activities linked to school curriculum. | Ben Lomond | $30,000 | |||
CLARENCE VALLEY | ||||||
2TLC FM Lower Clarence Community Radio Incorporated Association | Storage Unit Project Improve facilities and space at local community radio station in Yamba, northern rivers region, by adding a storage unit for key equipment. | Yamba | $12,500 | |||
Clarence Valley Conservatorium Inc | A Smart Conservatorium Enhance the learning and performing experience of music students through installation of smartboards and computers in teaching studios of the Clarence Valley Conservatorium and purchase of portal stage units. | Grafton | $27,480 | |||
Genhealth Incorporated | headspace Grafton - Creative Groups Boost health, wellbeing and connectedness of young people in Grafton through a series of afterschool and school holiday youth-informed creative arts activities. | Grafton | $34,263 | |||
Grafton Jacaranda Festival Inc | Troy Cassar-Daly + Don Walker Celebrate Indigenous culture, boost community spirit and wellbeing and stimulate the local economy in Grafton through a free concert for 5,000 people featuring Troy Cassar-Daley and Don Walker as part of the famous Jacaranda Festival. | Grafton | $30,000 | |||
Iluka Community Organisation Planning for Emergencies (ICOPE) Inc | Field of Friends Iluka Village Community Parties Project Foster community connection and resilience following multiple local disaster events through three free community events across 12 months which will also engage local emergency services organisations to provide education and awareness. | Iluka | $17,548 | |||
Lawrence Community Fundraising Inc | Lawrence Loves... Grow community engagement and sense of belonging in the small village of Lawrence in the Northern Rivers following local disaster events and COVID-19 through a series of creative workshops, performances, and a whole community event. | Lawrence | $40,000 | |||
Mudyala Aboriginal Corporation | Rising Warriors After School Engagement Program Boost social connections and activities for Aboriginal youth in the Clarence Valley through youth worker led programs and school holiday activities. | Maclean | $45,000 | |||
Ozfish Unlimited Limited | Nymboida River Riparian, Restoring Habitat for the Endangered Eastern Fresh Water Cod Improve water quality and fish habitat in the Nymboida River post bushfire events and increase local awareness of natural resource management techniques through planting, restoration activities and educational citizen science program. | Nymboida | $40,000 | |||
The Big Scrub Orchestra | Bringing Music Healing to Young People in the Clarence Valley Boost resilience, health, and wellbeing for children in five small rural public schools following multiple local disasters through 175 Modern Band workshops introducing children to various instruments and song writing as well as performance at the Grafton Jacaranda Festival with local Indigenous music icon Troy Cassar-Daly. | Grafton | $49,000 | |||
The Long Way Home Byron Writers Festival | Stories From The Clarence Valley 2023 - Grow Share and celebrate stories from residents of the Clarence Valley by publishing a book showcasing local writers collated through The Long Way Home writing competition. | Grafton | $2,233 | |||
Woombah Residents Association Incorporated | Meet you at the Garden - Building Community Resilience in Woombah Improve social connections, engagement with local services and awareness of disaster preparedness in Woombah through a series of environmentally themed workshops and community events, equipment and light infrastructure. | Woombah | $30,000 | |||
COFFS HARBOUR | ||||||
Glenreagh Heartstart | Orara Valley Resilience Hub - Community Consultation Improve local connections and disaster resilience for residents in the towns and villages of the Orara Valley through community-led consultation to establish a Resilience Hub in Glenreagh. | Upper Orara | $26,000 | |||
KYOGLE | ||||||
Friends of the Labyrinth Kyogle Community Economic Development Committee | A Place for Quiet Contemplation and Inner Peace Boost health and wellbeing in Kyogle in the northern rivers through the promotion of the local community labyrinth to foster greater awareness and use. | Kyogle | $4,682 | |||
LISMORE | ||||||
Arts Northern Rivers Incorporated | Northern Rivers Creative Industries Recovery Forum 2022 A two-day regional forum for bringing together the creative industry sector to develop a future road map for longer term recovery post 2022 Big Floods in the Northern Rivers region of NSW. | Lismore | $15,000 | |||
RICHMOND VALLEY | ||||||
Broadwater Rileys Hill Community Centre | Rekindling Community Connections in Broadwater Lift community spirit and connectedness in Broadwater following the devastating floods in the region through monthly community dinners and activities. | Broadwater | $10,283 | |||
Casinos Own Wireless Association Inc | Casino Cow Country Music Muster (CCCMM) Boost community spirit and the local economy following devasting disasters, including recent flooding events, through a five-day country music festival in Casino. | Casino | $22,267 | |||
Clovass-Mskees Hill Soldiers Memorial and Community Hall Incorporated | Power Us Up Improve power supply and availability during local outages and in times of disaster at Clovass McKees Hill Soldiers Memorial and Community Hall, Richmond Valley, through installation of a battery to store power generated by the existing solar system. | McKees Hill | $18,900 | |||
The Evans Head Living Museum Inc | Purchase a Large Format Printer and Desk Top Tower computer Increase capacity of the Evans Head Museum to prepare and present displays and support local community groups through new technology by purchasing a desktop computer and large format printer. | Evans Head | $10,698 | |||
TENTERFIELD | ||||||
Container of Dreams Ltd | Container of Dreams Community Market Cart - Micro-Enterprise Workshops Empower ten women in Drake to develop micro-enterprise skills to support financial independence, improve wellbeing and resilience, and contribute to the local economy through their own market stalls. | Drake | $46,940 | |||
ADDITIONAL GRANTS | ||||||
Arts Northern Rivers Incorporated | Screening Tour to Recovering Bushfire-Affected Communities Boost social connections and provide an opportunity to reflect and recover for various bushfire-affected communities in rural and regional NSW, including the Clarence Valley, through a live music and documentary screening tour. | Various NSW Locations | $127,000 | |||
Department of Education Baryulgil Public School | Strengthening Educational Aspiration and Wellbeing Opportunities in Baryulgil Foster wellbeing, cultural connections, and educational pathways for students at Baryulgil Public School through an on-site wellbeing hub and minibus providing flexible transport options for the remote school. | Baryulgil | $146,000 |
More than $1.7M awarded thanks to Future Drought Fund
FRRR and ARLF are pleased to announce the first organisations to receive funding through the Future Drought Fund’s Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative.
![](https://frrr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Feature-Image-Resize-2023-05-08T122231.847-1024x768.png)
The Initiative, which is being delivered by FRRR in partnership with ARLF, seeks to help agriculture-dependent communities in regions across remote, rural, and regional Australia that are vulnerable to the impacts of drought become more prepared for and resilient to these impacts.
Over the last three months, FRRR and ARLF have worked closely with a local community partner lead organisation in five areas to identify projects that local groups across each region can implement to enhance preparedness for drought.
This first tranche of funding through the Community Impact Program sees five regions awarded $1.7M, which is being shared across 15 organisations.
In the coming months, the local community partner lead organisation will collaborate with other grantee organisations in the region to deliver projects that include events, training and workshops that will create opportunities for communities to identify and adopt innovative and transformative ways to build drought resilience, develop a change in awareness of and attitudes to drought preparedness at the community level, learn and share innovative ways to build drought resilience.
FRRR’s Disaster Resilience and Recovery Lead, Nina O’Brien, says that this is a really exciting milestone and a wonderful opportunity for these communities to drive local action that helps prepare for drought.
“People are more resilient when they’re part of a strong community. Through this place-based program, with the Australian Government’s support, we’re investing in the future, enabling agriculture dependent communities to identify and act on their drought preparedness priorities at a grassroots level.
“The overall aim of this program is to facilitate increased social connection, strengthen network opportunities, build leadership skills, and link capacity building opportunities to ensure widespread local benefit, so that communities are better prepared for the future.
“The program was deliberately designed to be flexible, allowing a bespoke approach in each region that reflects the unique conditions in each area. The projects that we’re funding have broad community support. As part of their development, we paid for a facilitator to support the local lead organisation to help bring key stakeholders into the conversation and to make sure that the projects align with local priorities and connect with investments already happening at the community level.
“We look forward to continuing to walk alongside these local groups as they implement their projects over the next two years,” Ms O’Brien said.
Each of the regions being funded will also receive access to tailored ARLF leadership development activities. Lead organisations can choose between one of five leadership development activities, depending on their projects and local priorities. In the first five regions, four different activities have been taken up.
ARLF CEO, Matt Linnegar, says leadership development supports the short-term delivery of projects and yields long-term benefits for the regions.
“In addition to the project funding, these leadership development activities are a crucial investment in building the social capital required to support the project and each region. Connecting local networks, creating a deeper sense of shared purpose and developing capability all contributes to people in each region taking action to address challenges and take advantage of opportunities.
“Participants will also gain access to the wider alumni network of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation. It’s these connections that prove invaluable to people. When they’re stuck, there’s someone to ask for advice.”
In total, 35 regions will be supported through this program. The remaining regions are due to be announced throughout the rest of 2023.
Other elements of the Future Drought Fund’s Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative are also underway, including the Mentoring program, being led by ARLF, which is still accepting applications. Work is also underway on the design of the network to connect leaders working on these projects across the country and FRRR is finalising the appointment of an expertise panel, which the groups awarded funding can draw on, if they don’t have locally qualified people with the skills they need.
In addition, the first of two rounds of Small Grants for areas that aren’t covered by these Community Impact Program grants is expected to open in later this year.
Learn more about the Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative at www.frrr.org.au/drought-preparedness.
The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.
Organisation | Project | Location | Grant | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Queensland: Region 08 Darling Downs & South Burnett | ||||||
Red Earth Community Foundation | Community Partner Lead Organisation Region 8 Strengthen drought preparedness and drive local action in the Darling Downs and South Burnett region through the coordination of Community Impact Program activities and evaluation administration. | Darling Downs & South Burnett Region | $38,746 | |||
Momentum Health | Building Healthier Communities Enhance capability, coordination and collaboration between community networks and organisations that can be drawn upon in times of drought by training local leaders, creating resources and delivering workshops focussed on wellbeing. | South Burnett, Western Downs & Goondiwindi | $92,499 | |||
Red Earth Community Foundation | Cherbourg Community Leadership Program Strengthen community capacity and leadership through the design and delivery of the Cherbourg Community Leadership Program, to build knowledge and skills to address local challenges caused by drought. | Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council | $51,388 | |||
Burnett Catchment Care Association | Sharing Models of Successful Groups Deliver community led drought preparedness through networking events that build social connections, share innovative approaches to drought resilience and drive local action through peer-to-peer support and a communities of practice approach. | Burnett Region with possibility of working with Toowoomba & Western Downs Groups | $62,401 | |||
Queensland Murray Darling Catchment Ltd | Water and Climate Drought Education Deliver workshops to school aged children to build knowledge and understanding of the risks posed by drought and climate change and develop skills to positively adapt. | Schools in Darling Downs & Burnett | $73,412 | |||
Burnett Inland Economic Development Organisation (BIEDO) | Ag Tech in Action in the Burnett Strengthen community and social connections through events and provide opportunities for young people to build knowledge in innovative approaches to drought preparedness, connect with current networks and develop youth specific networks. | North Burnett, South Burnett, Cherbourg & Bundaberg LGAs | $69,007 | |||
Queensland: Region 09 Fitzroy Capricornia | ||||||
Dawson Catchment Coordinating Association | Community Partner Lead Organisation Region 9 Strengthen drought preparedness and drive local action in the Fitzroy Capricornia region through the coordination of Community Impact Program activities and evaluation administration. | Fitzroy Capricornia Region | $140,000 | |||
Central Queensland Landscape Alliance | Remote Community Capacity Building Create leadership and capacity building opportunities, particularly for local young people, through training and awareness-building activities to develop skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought. | Focus on Capricornia Catchments work arena | $40,000 | |||
Not for Profit HQ Limited | NFP Report Card Assessments –Upskilling Build the capability of local not-for-profit organisations to better serve their communities in times of drought and in drought preparedness by delivering a practical skills audit and using the results to develop business and operational plans. | Fitzroy Capricornia Region | $50,000 | |||
Dawson Catchment Coordinating Association | Improved Community Access –Dawson Catchment Establish a local community network to improve access to, encourage greater utilisation of or create new community infrastructure by collaboratively reviewing available places, spaces and facilities where community groups can gather, function and support their local community in times of drought. | Fitzroy Capricornia Region | $35,547 | |||
Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council | Woorabinda Rangers and Youth Development Program Deliver capacity building activities and field training to increase knowledge of local landscapes and share innovative approaches to drought preparedness, which will strengthen community resilience. | Fitzroy Capricornia Region | $42,000 | |||
Queensland: Region 11 Hinterland to Gulf | ||||||
Northern Gulf Resource Management Group Ltd | Community Partner Lead Organisation Region 11 Strengthen drought preparedness and drive local action in the Hinterland to Gulf region through the coordination of Community Impact Program activities and evaluation administration. | Hinterland to Gulf Region | $31,359 | |||
Northern Gulf Resource Management Group Ltd | Local Capacity for Regional Resilience Project Strengthen organisational capacity and governance of not-for-profit organisations, including those that are First Nations led, by delivering training, workshops, networking events and leadership development activities, so organisations can better support community interests ahead of and in times of drought. | Croydon Shire, Etheridge Shire & Mareeba Shire | $181,250 | |||
Northern Gulf Resource Management Group Ltd | Digital Capacity and Last Mile Connectivity Project Strengthen the ability of communities to adapt and prepare for drought by delivering workshops that improve access to and greater utilisation of digital infrastructure, thereby strengthening social networks and enabling people to better connect to essential services and support in times of drought. | Croydon Shire, Etheridge Shire & Mareeba Shire | $123,700 | |||
Queensland: Region 13 Cape York – Torres Strait | ||||||
Cape York NRM | Community Partner Lead Organisation Region 13 Strengthen drought preparedness and drive local action through the coordination of Community Impact Program activities and evaluation administration. | Cape York – Torres Strait Region | $42,166 | |||
Torres Cape Indigenous Councils Alliance | Cape York Torres Water Project Increase skills, knowledge and understanding of the risks posed by drought through the delivery of a water education program and activating a co-designed, community led strategic water security plan. | Aurukun Shire, Cook Shire, Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire, Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire, Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire, Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire, Mapoon Aboriginal Shire, Mornington Shire, Napranum Aboriginal Shire, Northern Peninsula Area, Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire, Torres Strait Islands, Torres Shire, Weipa Town & Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire | $193,798 | |||
Cape York NRM | Cape York Torres Fire Project Improve capability, coordination, and collaboration between professional, social and community networks, which can be drawn upon in future drought, through the delivery of a series of fire prevention training activities, events and forums. | Aurukun Shire, Cook Shire, Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire, Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire, Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire, Mapoon Aboriginal Shire, Napranum Aboriginal Shire, Northern Peninsula Area, Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire, Torres Strait Islands, Torres Shire, Weipa Town & Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire | $151,012 | |||
South Australia: Region 22 Arid Lands | ||||||
SA Arid Lands Landscape Board | Community Partner Lead Organisation Region 22 Strengthen drought preparedness and drive local action through the coordination of Community Impact Program activities and evaluation administration. | Arid Lands Region | $32,000 | |||
SA Arid Lands Landscape Board | Women’s Gathering Support communities to learn and share innovative ways to build drought resilience; increase the reach and activities of community leaders, mentors, networks and organisations driving action on drought resilience by facilitating an event for women from across this geographically vast region. | Hawker | $73,750 | |||
SA Arid Lands Landscape Board | Pastoral Field Day Support communities to identify and adopt innovative and transformative ways to build drought resilience by delivering a field day, which will enable knowledge sharing and networking opportunities. | Port Augusta City Council | $67,750 | |||
SA Arid Lands Landscape Board | Outback Kids & Family Days Encourage social connection, networking and knowledge sharing to facilitate drought preparedness and resilience building by delivering five family day events to connect communities across a geographically vast region. | Five locations across Port Augusta Region | $50,350 | |||
Nature Foundation Limited | Family on Country Provide mentorship and leadership development opportunities and strengthen networks and connections by delivering two on-Country, multi-day events that provide opportunities for Elders and Community Leaders to share cultural knowledge on the local landscape and drought. | Hiltaba Station (Unincorporated Area) | $46,000 | |||
Isolated Children's Parents Association Marla-Oodnadatta | ICPA Conference Encourage drought preparedness conversations at the community level and drive local action for children, families and educational outcomes through a regional conference. | SA Arid Lands | $5,000 | |||
Quorn Community Landcare Group Incorporated auspiced by SA Arid Lands Landscape Board | Quandong Festival Strengthen local drought resilience by delivering two educational and awareness-raising events that showcase innovative and transformative ways to adapt in times of drought. | Quorn | $35,000 |
A modest $4,700 grant from The Yulgilbar Foundation Fund program has helped a community group transport a 215 kg ceremonial stone to Susan Island in October 2021 by a local builder who contracted a truck, forklift, excavator and barge. The excavator carried the stone to the gathering place, where a concrete footing had been laid by volunteers who supervised the process, and helped to manoeuvre the stone into place on the footing.
![](https://frrr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/33529-YFF_gathering_place_with_carved_stone_and_benches_cropped-1024x727.jpg)
Four benches were purchased in November 2021. They are solid hardwood benches with galvanised fittings, each weighing about 80 kg. The benches were transported to the island in June 2022 by volunteers in a private boat. They were installed in deep holes on concrete footings, with cross-bolts added to keep them in place during floods. The installation was carried out by volunteers.
Native food, dye, medicinal and fibre plantings were carried out in August 2021, and May 2022. The plantings included Lilly Pilly, Red Kamala, Lomandra, Red Bean, Creek Sandpaper Fig, Red Ash, Moreton Bay Fig, Black Bean and Wattle (Acacia fimbriata). Planting was done by volunteers, and the trees were supplied as a contribution from the Susan Island Board. Around 250 trees, groundcovers and understory shrubs were planted between July 2021 and June 2022. Volunteers created a network of walking paths from the boat landing to the gathering place, passing through newly planted areas onto regenerating areas downstream.
“We have been trying to establish the gathering place since 2018, when the women’s group designed the stone. Finding a way to transport this 215 kg stone to the island was very problematic. We discussed ideas ranging from a helicopter with sling to elaborate pulley systems off small boats, but without money we couldn’t do anything. The funding let us focus our efforts, and we ended up asking a local builder to organise the logistics, which he did successfully. Without the funding, none of this could have happened. We thank you. It is really a lovely place now.”
On Djiru Country
In far north Queensland, 150 km south of Cairns, the Mission Beach Historical Society (MBHS) is a fledgling association – two years young and dreaming big.
Last month our QLD programs manager visited the MBHS and invited them to write a story to let everyone know about their great work to curate a historical photographic exhibition.
Before the advent of the MBHS in late 2020, Mission Beach had no effective means of making histories and images easily accessible to residents and visitors of this region.
For the two last years, MBHS members have captured and documented some of the Mission Beach histories, having made a bright start with that endeavour. The society’s growing challenge was to find effective ways to share and exhibit MBHS collections. Being without a museum or a building, MBHS relies heavily on online presence and displays. Despite such hurdles, a range of interesting and innovative projects have been undertaken. One of these projects was to present a photographic exhibition.
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In 2022, MBHS partnered with Community for Coastal & Cassowary Conservation Inc to receive an $8,925 Strengthening Rural Communities grant, funded by the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, to develop a photographic exhibition ‘Echo of the Past – Historical photographs from Mission Beach, 1890s – 1950s’ and present a series of historical photographs and Djiru cultural objects – coinciding with the anniversary of the 1918 cyclone which devastated the area.
The exhibition project aimed to facilitate cultural connection and transmission of culture of and with Traditional Owners through community engagement, cultural expression and on Country experiences.
The exhibition project was led by MBHS president, Dr Valerie Boll, anthropologist and curator, who worked with Djiru Traditional Owner, Elder and artist Leonard Andy and the Warrangburra Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC – PBC, to source and document Djiru history and photographs. Mission Beach residents were also able to bring in old photographs to be scanned and used to illustrate stories that had been researched by MBHS members. The provided material was then collated.
Like many plans during the last few years, the start of the project was delayed due to COVID. Sadly, the project was also put on pause in the first half of 2022 because of ‘Sorry Business’. Another hurdle for the MBHS volunteers to overcome was the lack of adequate IT equipment. Regardless of this impediment, the efforts of the team came together, and the opening day approached fast.
An enthusiastic crowd (over 100 people) gathered on the 10March for the opening of the exhibition ‘Echo of the Past’, at the Art Print Frame Gallery and was enjoyed by the wider community until the exhibition close earlier this month.
A smaller version of the show is now on display at the Mission Beach library and there are plans for the exhibition to travel around the region for the rest of the year.
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.
![IMAGE: ABC Heywire presentation event in the theatre at the Australian Parliament House, Canberra. HEADING: Empowering and addressing issues that matter to rural youth](https://frrr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/HW11-2-1024x683.jpg)
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 11th 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.
Grants up to $20,000 on offer
Remote, rural and regional communities across Australia can apply now for grants up to $20,000 for community-driven mental health and wellbeing projects, through FRRR’s In a Good Place (IAGP) program.
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Community groups are invited to apply for up to $20,000 to support activities that empower locals to talk, connect, learn, participate and foster help-seeking behaviours.
FRRR and CCI Giving are offering $250,000 in IAGP grants, a boost of $50,000 on prior grant rounds, thanks to a new five-year partnership.
Jeremy Yipp, CCI General Manager, General Insurance Claims and Chair of CCI Giving, said that since partnering with FRRR in 2018, CCI Giving has seen the direct impact made to 53 mental health-focused projects funded across remote, rural and regional Australia.
“Seed funding is critical for the smaller community projects so that they can develop a proof of concept for their activity model and see what works and what doesn’t, and why. Without assistance from grant programs, such as In a Good Place, these projects may never have the opportunity to really get off the ground and reach their full potential,” Mr Yipp explained.
Jill Karena, FRRR’s People Programs Portfolio Lead, said that, now in its sixth year, the In A Good Place program continues to provide vital funding to support the mental health and wellbeing of communities across remote, rural and regional Australia.
“Projects funded through the In a Good Place program typically bring people together, sometimes to heal, always to learn.
“The program has a definite and important role to play in supporting rural communities in reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and help-seeking behaviours. It helps to bring mental health and wellbeing out in the open – making it OK to talk about and OK to reach out and ask for help,” Ms Karena said.
Applications opened on 12 April 2023. There is a two-stage application process. To get started, a brief Expression of Interest must be submitted no later than 5pm AEST, Wednesday 17 May 2023. Full details are available on FRRR’s website – https://frrr.org.au/in-a-good-place/. Applicants can also call 1800 170 020.
Many regional students face a range of challenges and barriers to post-secondary education, including financial disadvantage, greater travel distances, and limited choice. In Broken Hill in Far Western NSW, fewer than 45% of year 12 students attended university, which is well below 80.3% of their metropolitan counterparts (Source: https://profile.id.com.au/).
In 2021, the Heywire Ideas Lab was held in Broken Hill, due to the cancellation of the Canberra Summit because of COVID. Broken Hill was chosen as the location because of the high number of Heywire competition entries from the community each year.
Twenty-seven students from Broken Hill High School spent a week at the inaugural Broken Hill Ideas Lab. In an incredible week full of storytelling, on-air interviews and developing ideas for change, Broken Hill youth had their voices amplified, and developed five exciting ideas to champion positive change for youth across Australia.
Common line of questioning sparks idea
Young people are asked almost daily what they want to do with their life, and what their future plans are – questions that can be overwhelming, particularly when you don’t yet know what careers are even possible. Even if you do, how do you get there? How can you connect with experts in the field and find the right contacts to start your dream career? It was this challenge that Ella, Angel, Kloe, Ellie & Emerson set out to address, coming up with the Discover Your Future project idea during the Ideas Lab.
Far West University Centre (UC) attended the ideas pitch and were so inspired by the Discover Your Future idea that they decided to work with the youth team to make it a reality in Broken Hill.
The idea and the voices of youth continued to be at the centre of the development and delivery of the project. The group took part in all stages of the project lifecycle and worked collaboratively with UC staff to implement the project.
Helping young people make decisions about their post-school life
With the help of a $7,269 FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grant, funded by Findex Community Fund, Far West UC was able to collaborate with two of the initial group members to host a Discover Your Future event, aimed at giving young people a chance to explore and learn more about their future career options.
This day-long event held in May last year was an amazing opportunity for students from Broken Hill High School and Willyama High School to connect with local professionals and industry experts to learn about career paths in Far West NSW.
Close to 150 students were joined by 30 local professionals across 15 organisations, who provided an insight into a vast array of careers and employment opportunities. The day also created connections and increased young people’s confidence in seeking support to navigate post-school life.
Students reported feeling motivated to keep exploring different career opportunities and said that they learned about new careers that they had not considered before.
“It’s definitely helped a lot of the people here today already, that have come through. They are really excited about things that they could possibly go into,” said Emerson, co-creator of the Discover Your Future idea.
Industry participants reflected on how the day was incredibly successful due to its youth-centric, youth-driven approach with a platform for equal voices for youth.
“It’s great to see young people so engaged in a different way than we normally do around careers. It’s open, and they have the opportunity to talk and ask questions, and at the same time giving us some great information about what they want in Broken Hill,” said Dionne, from Broken Hill Council.
From Ideas Lab to reality …
Far West UC said that the grant made it possible for them to bring the project to life and stay true to the original intent of the project idea. Funding covered venue hire, catering, videographer and photographer, marketing and advertising, and resources for activities.
Ensuring that the event met the needs of the young people and keeping them involved as event organisers was critical to the success of the project.
“We didn’t think anything would happen with it. Like we just thought it would be something we thought of and created but we didn’t think it would actually come this far to like the actual day now, it feels very surreal,” Emerson said.
Mutually beneficial relationships created
Far West UC is pleased to have developed a strong relationship with youth and is looking at further opportunities to work together in supporting local youth to explore initiatives to improve youth self-efficacy in navigating post-school transitions. Furthermore, through consultation and collaboration with high school partners the Discover Your Future team was successful in coordinating the attendance of students from year 10, 11 and 12 from both local high schools.
Danielle Keenan from Far West UC said that while the primary aim of the project Discover Your Future was to increase the visibility of career and education options within our region, it also moved to address wider community issues such as the retention of young people, workplace development, economic growth and social outcomes.
She also said that feedback from industry evaluations suggests the event was seen as a worthwhile experience for the local industry, with 86% of survey responses stating that they would be likely or very likely to attend another event. An anonymous quote from the evaluation survey captures the positive feedback: “This event was extremely well executed. The Discover Your Future event engaged young people in a variety of interesting and exciting ways which kept the energy level of the participants high and created an opportunity for more open dialogue during the career engagement section of the session”.
Most importantly, almost 80% of students who completed the post-event survey (67 responses) said they have learned about new careers that they have not considered before.
Danielle said, “The success of the event hinged on the solid and diverse engagement of the community across multiple employment sectors and education stakeholders. The project team developed a strong communication strategy that was able to highlight the mutual benefit of professional involvement in the careers networking event. Subsequently, the project also proved to be an innovative and creative contribution to bolstering the community’s workforce attraction and youth retention strategies.
“In turn, Discover Your Future was able to increase exposure to a vast array of careers and employment opportunities and increase young people’s confidence in seeking support to navigate post-school life.”
According to Beyond Blue, one in seven Australians will experience depression in their lifetime. For people living in remote, rural and regional areas, access to adequate physical and mental health care can be tricky. In fact, getting people to talk about mental health issues can be just as hard as finding the appropriate support.
Organisations like Active Farmers are working hard to breakdown the stigma surrounding mental health and raise awareness and understanding of the benefits of regular exercise and healthy eating. One way they do this is by hosting events like the Active Farmers Games.
In 2019, the inaugural Active Farmers event was held in NSW, and again the following year. Both events were a total success with people travelling from all over the country to attend. Post-event feedback strongly endorsed running it again, but suggested it should head to Western Australia.
The small town of Torbay, located in the Great Southern region, was selected to host the Games. The region is dominated by farmland, which produces livestock, dairy, wool and grows crops. Known as one of the most productive cereal grain and pastoral areas of the state, they have also been severely impacted by drought, bushfires and of course COVID-19. On top of this, the population of the Great Southern area of WA is predominantly aged over 50 years, with the proportion of adults aged over 65 years projected to increase by 54% over the next five years. For people in this age group, physical health concerns can often be managed by regular physical activity and exercise. This demographic also has a large population that lives in regional Australia, where they may lack access to health and wellness services due to remoteness.
The one-day event involved traversing a 3.5km farm-inspired obstacle course (think hay bales, tyre stacking and fence climbing!). The aim was to raise awareness of the importance of physical and mental health and to promote connectedness in the bush. The course was designed to symbolise real life obstacles and how we are able to better overcome these obstacles if we have a team of people around us.
In total, there were 30 obstacles that 150 participants had a go at. There were three teams that consisted of men, women and children. The course was designed to accommodate everyone with the youngest participant being six years old and the oldest participant in their 70s. The event was also a tremendous show of community participation with 40 volunteers to help things run smoothly and another 90 spectators who came to cheer the participants along.
Using a $6,340 Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) grant, funded by FRRR, Active Farmers were able to host a successful event that fostered a strong sense of connection and joy within the community and surrounding areas.
They were also able to raise much needed funds to establish the Active Farmers group fitness classes in up to six additional locations in WA. Check out this fantastic video that showcases the day’s activities.
In this quarter’s update for FRRR’s donor partners, read about:
- Official opening of First Steps Count in Taree, NSW
- A new Giving option
- Bushfire Recovery, three summers on
- Insights from the Bush
- Our Progress – Q2 FY 2022/23
- Partnering opportunities in youth and education
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A new initiative to enable Burnett Inland communities to be disaster resilient and future ready has begun to roll out.
The three-year project is a collaborative delivery approach between Red Earth Community Foundation and the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal, in partnership with the Minderoo Foundation and the Australian Government.
Almost $982,000 has been provided by the Australian Government, through the National Emergency Management Agency, under the Preparing Australian Communities Program – Local Stream. This funding is part of the $150 million awarded for 158 projects across Australia that are improving the resilience of communities against bushfires, floods and tropical cyclones. In addition, Minderoo Foundation is contributing $1,895,737.
The Disaster Resilient: Future Ready Burnett Inland initiative will mean that local community members, grassroots community organisations and community networks across the region can develop and lead initiatives that strengthen their awareness, increase their preparedness, and enhance their capacity to thrive and be resilient to the impacts of climate, natural disasters, and other disruptions.
Partnering communities will have access to flexible funding for activities that support their community innovation and design process, as well as the activation of ideas and actions.
Melinda Jones, General Manager, Red Earth Community Foundation says that the focus is very much on community-led resilience-building activities – with the agenda and solutions driven by local people, for local people.
“There’s been a lot of talk about the different things that we could do to ensure that our region is better prepared for, able to respond to and recover from natural disasters. This initiative will give us the chance to agree on exactly what those things are and then work together to put the strategies and tactics we develop into action at a grassroots community level.
“The role of Red Earth will be to act as the local program coordination point. We’ve already had input into the program approach and as we move into implementation, we’ll coordinate program activities, ensuring Burnett Inland communities and regional stakeholders have the chance to get involved. But our key role will be to ensure that all aspects of the project bring value to the Burnett Inland region and add capacity to existing systems, processes, and local work to date,” Ms Jones said.
FRRR’s Disaster Resilience and Recovery Lead, Nina O’Brien, said FRRR is delighted to be working closely with Red Earth to implement the Disaster Resilient: Future Ready program in the Burnett.
“From our work with remote, rural and regional communities over the last 22 years, we know that every place is different – and even within a region, there are nuances and different needs. We also know that locals usually have the answers to the challenges around preparing for and responding to our changing climate.
“That’s why we are excited to bring this program to the Burnett. The generous support of the Minderoo Foundation, who bring an adaptable approach towards community resilience planning, means that we can take the time necessary to have conversations in each community, co-design strategies and solutions and, importantly, to activate the ideas and actions that have been collectively prioritised to strengthen resilience to cyclone, flood and other climate impacts.
“Having piloted this model in regional NSW and now working with several communities in Victoria, we know the processes, strategies and actions will look different in each place. In some places, it might include things like workshops to increase understanding of resilience, or strengthening connections within the community, or enhancing local knowledge of climate risks specific to your area or small locality. In other places that might all exist and what’s needed is a clear strategy for adapting to change and disruption, or a focused effort on disaster preparedness that adds value to existing systems and processes.
“Whatever it is, our team will be there to support the local community in prioritising, developing, testing and implementing those ideas,” Ms O’Brien said.
Matthew Chesnais, Resilient Communities Mission Lead at Minderoo Foundation’s Fire and Flood Resilience initiative, believes the project is critical for the region.
“The communities in the Burnett Inland each face different opportunities and challenges. We look forward to working with Red Earth Community Foundation and FRRR to reference the Resilient Communities Framework as part of the project to help the communities consider a systemic and inclusive approach towards their resilience planning.
“Our mission is to strengthen the resilience of identified communities at risk of disasters and we hope to take the learnings from this project and share them nationally to help other communities be disaster resilient,” Mr Chesnais said.
Another stream of the initiative will be to support collaboration across regional agencies and organisations and the development of regional level resilience building initiatives for collective impact.
Find out more about the DR:FR Burnett Inland program and sign up here to receive regular updates and be notified about how you can get involved.