Funding boosts program for multicultural youth

AUSTRALIA Post has announced the recipients of this year’s 2024 Community Grants program, funding projects supporting mental wellbeing and building greater community connection.

Seventy-one not-for-profit community groups from around the country received grants, with more than half of the successful applicants located in rural and remote locations.

Geelong organisation Cultura received $10,000 to fund its Nature Connect: Enhancing Wellbeing for Refugee Youth.

The program is a four-day nature camp focusing on mental health and community connection for young people from refugee and multicultural backgrounds.

Cultura chief executive officer Joy Leggo said the organisation was appreciative of the funding, as it added another dimension to what they can deliver.

“We’re doing a lot of work with our youth at the moment, we think it’s very important, they’re the leaders of our future and we want to help them feel as though they’re part of the community and this is their new home,” she said.

As part of the nature camp, participants will engage in a range of activities including mountain biking, kayaking and co-designed workshops on personal development, respectful relationships, self-confidence and connection.

“They may not know each other beforehand, it’s perhaps in the sharing of stories that there becomes a greater understanding of differences between people and where people have come from,” Ms Leggo said.

“Geelong’s known for its community harmony and acceptance, and I think what a great way to start [it] is to get our own multicultural communities experiencing that as well.”

Through the grant program, funding of up to $10,000 will fund initiatives in every state and territory across a range of projects from workshops for neurodivergent LGBTQIA+ youth to peer support for breast cancer patients.

Australia Post community and stakeholder engagement general manager Nicky Tracey said it’s rewarding to see a diverse range of categories represented by the recipients.

“Australia Post’s Community Grants program is celebrating another successful year helping to empower organisations to continue their vital work and positively impact the lives of countless Australians,” she said.

“Connecting with others is crucial for our wellbeing, and the support groups and programs in local communities are essential for fostering connection.”

For more information and the full list of grant recipients, head to auspost.com.au