Lalor organisation receives Federal funding to boost community inclusiveness

FRIDAY, 31 AUGUST 2024

Investing in Lalor - The Werribee River Association.

The Albanese Labor Government is investing in Lalor with $85,000 awarded to the Werribee River Association to deliver the Empowering Youth project.

Grants of up to $360,000 (GST exclusive) were awarded under the Strong and Resilient Communities Activity – Inclusive Communities (SARC – IC) grants.

Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said the successful organisations would deliver targeted services to help build capacity at a local level.

“Our Government is committed to building strong and resilient communities, and to helping Australians who need a little extra support,” Minister Rishworth said.

“To build stronger and more resilient communities we need to invest where there is the most need and the opportunity to make the biggest difference to the future of community members.”

“We know that the successful organisations are well placed to help some of our most vulnerable, including young people, people with disability, unemployed people, First Nations Australians and women.”

The competitive grant round was open to community organisations that work to improve the social and economic participation of disadvantaged people in the community, with a focus on:

• Young people aged 12 to 18 years who are, or are at risk of:

1. Being disengaged, marginalised;
2. Having limited engagement with education/training;

• People with disabilities and/or mental health issues to participate in the community, and work towards becoming or remaining independent and engaged in the economy and/or society;
• Women who experience, or are at risk of experiencing isolation or discrimination to participate in the community and/or economy and increase their self-agency; and
• People who are unemployed to increase participation in their community and/or increase their capacity to engage in employment, training, or existing employment services.

This grant will enable the Werribee River Association to support young people aged 13-17 to reconnect with their community, reduce social isolation, provide training in land management and conversation, and create linkages to career pathways within the environmental sector.

Across the country, more than $10.3 million in grants will be awarded under the open competitive grant round to 34 organisations.

Since 2022 the Albanese Labor Government has invested close to $45 million into SARC grants.

The funding builds on the Government’s record to help Australians doing it tough when they need it most, including:

• Providing every Australian taxpayer a tax cut;
• Increasing Commonwealth Rent Assistance for nearly one million households;
• Boosting funding for emergency and food relief services, along with financial counselling; and
• Extending the freeze on deeming rates for 876,000 income support recipients.

More information about the SARC Activity is available on the Department of Social Services website.