In 2022, young engineer Jameson Harvey founded Red Dirt Robotics with a vision to bring hands-on, innovative STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) experiences to young people in remote, rural and regional Australia. Recognising the disparity in STEM education between metropolitan and rural areas – with students in regional communities are an average of 1.5 years behind – Jameson set out to empower, inspire and engage the next generation of young engineers. His journey has since evolved into a story of resilience, new connections and a growing momentum for equitable education across the outback.

Jameson’s efforts were first recognised through the ABC Trailblazers program, through which he received an initial grant to build Red Dirt Robotics’ organisational capacity. Following this, he secured an FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grant and, most recently, a Backing the Future Grant, supported by the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation (VFFF). With these funds, Jameson has made significant strides in breaking down barriers to STEM education for remote youth.

“We all know that working in regional and remote communities, where access to robotics and 3D printers is hard to come by, is challenging,” Jameson shared. “To see students walk into the classroom a bit nervous and unsure about these fancy technologies, and then, by the end of the session, walk away confident in programming and design skills – even skills that were tricky for me to learn – is incredibly rewarding.”

In 2024, Jameson launched a three-month tour throughout rural and regional Queensland, supported by his Backing the Future Grant. Red Dirt Robotics visited 34 schools and organisations, delivering 64 interactive workshops, giving more than 900 young people the opportunity to build and program their own robots using 3D printing technology and the Micromelon Rover robotics platform. For many of these students, it was their first experience with STEM beyond a textbook.

The tour wasn’t just a learning experience for students; it also engaged nearly 100 teachers and school staff, equipping them with the tools and confidence to incorporate STEM into their own classrooms. With this hands-on experience, teachers are now better prepared to sustain STEM education within their schools. “It’s so important for me that schools and libraries don’t have to pay anything. Being able to remove that extra barrier to access STEM and technology is really exciting,” Jameson noted.

A particularly rewarding aspect of the tour was the partnership Jameson formed with Georgie Arnold of Aviatrix Australia, whom he met at the ABC Heywire Trailblazer Summit in Canberra. Together, they brought a unique combination of aviation futures, robotics, 3D printing, and drones to rural Queensland.

“After our presentations in Canberra, a lady handed me a sticky note saying, ‘I would love to see a partnership between Aviatrix and Red Dirt Robotics,’” Jameson recalled. “Georgie and I had already been brainstorming how to make it happen and it was fantastic to see it come together.”

Through these collaborations, Red Dirt Robotics’ workshops exposed students to a broad array of technologies and career pathways in fields that are often under-represented in rural areas. The impact is tangible; several schools have since committed to prioritising STEM education, ensuring that these introductory experiences are just the beginning of an ongoing journey. For Jameson, it’s a powerful reminder of the importance of consistent support and resources in sparking interest and building skills.

Reflecting on the support he received, Jameson expressed deep gratitude for the programs and funding that have helped him reach communities across Australia.

“I owe a lot to the Trailblazer and Backing the Future programs in helping me get to where I am today,” he said. “The FRRR ABC Heywire Innovation Grant allowed me to visit two really remote schools, including One Arm Point and Groote Eylandt, where I ran workshops and provided gear to have that follow-on effect once I leave.”

Jameson’s story is a testament to how a passionate individual, with the right resources and support, can drive meaningful change – even if his trusty Land Cruiser has seen better days. Red Dirt Robotics isn’t just about teaching students to build robots – it’s about building confidence, bridging educational gaps, and inspiring young people across the outback to envision a future where they can thrive and shape their communities in innovative ways.

Hear more about this project on VFFF’s Stories of Giving and Receiving podcast here.

Applications for the next round of Backing the Future – QLD grants, which help individuals bring to life ideas they have to enhance the lives of people aged 12-30, close 17 March 2025.

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 partnership with the Sally Foundation and the ABC, FRRR has awarded $40,000 in grants to eight youth-led community projects in remote, rural and regional Australia as part of the Trailblazers program. The young people have partnered with local community organisations to receive the grants.

Trailblazers are invited to apply for funds to help them to take their project ideas to the next level, or for personal development opportunities to build their skills and networks and boost their capacity to strengthen their community. This year’s themes centred around inclusivity, access to services and education, as well as improving social connectedness.

Lauren Ryan, FRRR’s Youth Futures Manager, said that it was great to have several alumni on the Advisory Panel.

“This year we had four previous Trailblazers helping out with the selection process, all of whom provided unique insights, curiosity and constructive feedback to the applicants.

“Three of the Trailblazers to receive funding this year are previous grant recipients. The idea behind funding them again is to help in developing capacity for the sustainability of their projects, which are making a great impact within their communities.”

The Sally Foundation partners with FRRR through a Giving Sub-Fund, which helps to ensure that their funding reaches groups and young people in all corners of the country. The priority of this fund is to invest in young regional leaders to build their leadership skills, and their capacity to make a difference in their communities.

Co-founder of The Sally Foundation, Geraldine Roche, said “The Trailblazers program has shown to be an important stepping stone for the young people involved to achieve and exceed their goals within their communities. Grants from the Development Fund are designed to help these change-makers do what they can to make regional Australia a better place.

“This is our fifth year in supporting Trailblazers, and it’s inspiring to see their enthusiasm and the impact of their projects addressing the needs of young people in their local communities.”

This year’s recipients are detailed below.

In partnership with the Sally Foundation and the ABC, FRRR has awarded $33,350 in grants to eight youth-led community projects in remote, rural and regional Australia as part of the Trailblazers program. The young people have partnered with local community organisations to receive the grants.

Through a Giving Sub-Fund, the Sally Foundation partners with FRRR to ensure that funding reaches groups and young people in all corners of the country. The priority of this fund is to invest in young regional leaders to build their leadership skills, and their capacity to make a difference in their communities. To achieve this, FRRR leverages our networks across rural and regional communities, draws on our expertise and systems to administer grant rounds, and provides skill development through workshops and direct one-on-one support around project development, grant writing, and understanding eligibility criteria.

Geraldine Roche of the Sally Foundation said, “The overall aim is to boost the skills of these emerging leaders to take on future funding opportunities with confidence and experience behind them.”

This year, Trailblazers attended the annual ABC Heywire Regional Youth Summit, where they received leadership and communications training and presented their projects on ABC radio and at Parliament House. Trailblazers from the 2022 and 2023 cohorts were then invited to apply for grants, funded through the Sally Foundation’s Trailblazers Development Fund, to help them bring their project ideas to life, or to help take their existing projects to the next level.

Joanna Kemp, FRRR’s Philanthropic Services Manager, said that young people are an integral part of of the process.

“There were three Trailblazer alumni on the Advisory Panel for this round of funding, and two of them had previously received grants through this fund, so their input is invaluable. They were able to draw on their Trailblazer experience and bring a youth-focused perspective to the process. Not only that, but they can speak from the perspective of being young people who live in regional areas.

“I’m always inspired by their curiosity and thoughtfulness about each application. They include constructive feedback for the applicants to help them continue building their grant writing skills for future funding opportunities. Equally, their experience on the panel is a great opportunity for them to learn about the grant process from a funding perspective, which broadens their view of the whole cycle,” Ms Kemp said

In this round, we saw some recurring themes. It’s clear that young people are eager to grow awareness around disability, environment and social inclusion. They are also wanting more access STEM activities that are delivered in a fun and engaging way. Two of the grantees this year were also successful in the 2022 round and their new projects continue to build on their activities, this time in a collaboration that will see them visiting schools in remote and rural Queensland towns and bringing their hands on programs to raise awareness and exposure to STEM learning and aviation pathways.

Receiving a grant through the program can help to build confidence for these young people to continue their leadership journey and be a springboard to further funding opportunities. You can see the full list of grant recipients below.

In partnership with the Sally Foundation and ABC, FRRR is awarding grants to support six young leaders who are working on projects that respond to challenges, issues and opportunities in remote, rural and regional Australia. The young people have partnered with local community organisations to receive the grants.

Through a Giving Sub Fund, the Sally Foundation partners with FRRR to ensure that funding reaches groups that they could not normally fund, usually due to their tax or organisational status.

This is the third round of this program, which builds on ABC’s Trailblazer program, which in turn builds on the Heywire program. This round was designed to help Trailblazers from 2021 or 2022 develop their leadership skills and their capacity to make a difference in their communities.

Co-founder of The Sally Foundation, Geraldine Roche, said “In establishing the Trailblazer Development Fund, Mike and I have sought to provide assistance at a key point in these community leaders journey to further their projects.”

FRRR’s Philanthropic Services Manager, Jo Kemp, said that the partnership between Sally Foundation, ABC and FRRR to offer this program is an exciting way to build the skills of young people.

“These six grants will help these Trailblazers grow momentum for their ideas, get runs on the board and then be in a position to leverage their experience for future funding opportunities.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for the young people who have developed their projects through the ABC Heywire program to shape them into a ‘funding-ready’ application. A huge asset to the program is having Trailblazer alumni participate on the grant Advisory Panel, providing unique insights, curiosity and constructive feedback to the applicants.

“This year’s successful applicants tackled a range of issues, including access to STEM learning for children in remote communities, increasing wildlife rescue volunteers on the Limestone coast and raising awareness of children living with chronic illnesses in rural and regional NSW. The diversity of projects and people supported is a wonderful example of the range of issues that are driving young leaders in rural and regional communities across Australia,” Ms Kemp said.

Read the full list of projects supported below.

The Sally Foundation Trailblazers Development Fund has awarded grants totalling $26,650 to support six youth-led initiatives that address the needs of remote, rural and regional communities in Australia.

Trailblazers are invited to apply for funds to help them to take their project ideas to the next level, or for personal development opportunities to build their skills and networks and boost their capacity to strengthen their community.

Joanna Kemp, FRRR’s Philanthropic Services Manager, said:

“The Trailblazers program builds the capacity of young people that have come through the ABC Heywire program by activating their ideas and vision for a vital and vibrant remote, rural and regional Australia.

“As an initiative of the Sally Foundation, and supported by the ABC, the Trailblazers program has shown to be an important stepping stone for the young people involved to achieve and exceed their goals within their communities, it’s a great opportunity for them to gain confidence in applying for and delivering a grant,” Ms Kemp said.

Outstanding young leaders who are creating positive change in regional Australia are chosen annually to attend the Heywire Summit. These ‘Trailblazers’ are a new generation of change-makers busy making regional Australia a better place, tackling issues from climate change to period inequality. The Sally Foundation and ABC recently partnered with FRRR to support these emerging leaders to build their leadership skills, and their capacity to make a difference in their communities. 

The Sally Foundation Trailblazers Development Fund awarded seven grants totalling $20,000. One of the recipients was E-raced Inc in Mt Gambier, who is using their $2,000 grant to deliver cultural awareness programs in rural SA and Victorian schools.  

E-raced fights racism through storytelling. The organisation has a team of storytellers who share their experiences as refugees or migrants with students at schools, breaking the stigma around refugees and migrants.     

The Trailblazers Development Fund grant allowed E-raced to purchase the equipment they needed for their organisation to grow, including a printer, camera and children screenings and police checks for each E-raced Mount Gambier team member. 

“This grant is very appreciated and lifts the weight off our team”, E-raced branch manager Chanceline Kakule said. 

Partner Organisation	Project Name	Location	Awarded
Deadly Inspiring Youth Doing Good (DIYDG) Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Corporation	Deadly Science Improve educational outcomes and nutrition among young people, and increase food security in three remote Indigenous communities through the installation of greenhouses.	Robinson River NT Dareton NSW Purnululu Frog Hollow WA	$4,000
Deadly Inspiring Youth Doing Good (DIYDG) Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Corporation	Autism Our Way – No Shame in Sharing PODCAST Build awareness of autism and support for Indigenous communities in managing autism through a podcast on Autism and Cultural Safety.	Cardiff NSW	$2,000
Mindfull Aus Ltd.	Digitally Mindful Improve education and awareness of mental health and wellness in rural and regional communities through a series of online interviews.	Gippsland VIC	$2,131
North Stirlings Pallinup Natural Resources Incorporated	Pallinup River Monitoring – Connecting our Community and Culture to Science Improve water quality in the Pallinup River through a river monitoring and community education program.	Gnowangerup WA Borden WA Ongerup WA	$2,180
E-Raced Incorporated	Erasing racism one story at a time Build capacity of E-Raced to deliver cultural awareness programs in rural SA and Victorian schools through the purchase of technology equipment and contribution to travel expenses.	Mount Gambier SA Warrambool VIC Penola VIC	$2,000
Woomelang & District Development Association	Look at these Endangered Species of Mallee Improve town amenity and build community pride in Woomelang, Victoria, through installation of lighting and signage for a local mural art project depicting endangered animal species.	Woomelang VIC	$3,689
Deadly Inspiring Youth Doing Good (DIYDG) Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Corporation	Systems Check Improve organisational capacity of Deadly Inspiring Youth Doing Good to provide support to Indigenous young people through finalisation of their Human Service Quality Framework.	Cairns QLD	$4,000