Wish comes true for local children’s charities

TWO local youth support organisations have received a major boost from Geelong region community banks which will support an expansion of their vital charitable programs.

Bereavement service Wombat’s Wish and Geelong Youth Engagement’s (GYE) Kokoda Youth Program will each receive a $60,000 boost from local Community Bank branches in the latest outlay of the organisation’s philantrophic donation program.

Five local branches from Portarlington and Drysdale, Winchelsea, Anglesea and Lorne, Barwon Heads, Leopold and Lara pooled their donations and partnered with Bendigo Bank in recent months to provide the latest funding round.

Community Bank Bellarine board member Chris Niven said the large-scale contributions were months in the making and would provide meaningful support for the local non-profits.

“We thought we need to sort of find a way to give some really substantial support, so started the conversation with the other community banks,” he said.

“Under our model, it’s about supporting local communities in which we operate, and profit sharing back.

“It’s a really collaborative effort. Everyone felt they were such a great causes, and it’s so exciting that that we’ve managed to do it.”

Wombat’s Wish provides support services for children and their families following the death of a parent or carer.

Its additional funding will allow it to run an additional Anglesea weekend camp for up to 10 families, and partially fund the launch of its online lounge service that connects participants with support including from a new in-house psychologist.

Wombat’s Wish manager Nicki Dunne said the donations would provide “amazing” support for the organisation.

“We don’t receive any government funding, so it’s a real struggle to fund all of our programs and not charge our families and they go through their own financial constraints,” she said.

“So without support from Bendigo Bank or any other donors, our programs just don’t happen.”

For Geelong Youth Engagement, the money will go towards its flagship program that sends secondary school students and their mentors to the famous Second World War site in Papua New Guinea.

The extra funding will allow GYE to send two full groups to the Kokoda Trail this year for a total of 24 – the largest cohort it has ever had involved in its program.

GYE partners with 17 schools across the Geelong, Bellarine and Surf Coast regions to accommodate students that are experiencing challenges outside of their schooling, such as family disputes, mental health issues or homelessness.

“There’s something about being in the jungle for nine days without any technology and outside influences, that they just come back different people,” program co-ordinator Kelly Taylor said.

“There’s obviously a huge sense of accomplishment by completing the track, but also maybe they’ll come back with a new focus and sometimes new appreciation of what they’ve got at home.”

Ms Taylor also echoed the sentiments about importance of

“We’re very lucky we live in Geelong because it’s a very giving place,” she said.

“I think it’s important too for our young people that the support comes from people like the community banks – we hope that there’s two-way support in that.”

Mr Niven said the local banks were proud to back the generous local organisations.

“It’s just so moving for us,” he said.

“We’re genuinely excited for them and it makes everything we do so worthwhile.

“We’re like-minded community kind of people, and it’s just a magnificent thing to be able to be involved in helping them.”