Migrant families call regional Victoria home

THE Victorian Government is helping migrant families move from Melbourne to south west Victoria to experience the benefits of regional living and address skills and labour shortages in regional industries.

Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford this week announced $162,000 for Leadership Great South Coast to support around 20 families relocating to south west Victoria.

The pilot project will be delivered in partnership with the Great Lakes Agency for Peace, Development International, and the iGen Foundation, and will help small number of families, originally from Africa, fulfil their dream of moving to regional Victoria.

Ms Pulford said that the south west is welcoming families of all backgrounds to find work, get involved in the community and experience the very best way of life.

“This is a brilliant initiative and just another way this Government is creating more inclusive communities.”

Participating families are professionals with experience in agriculture or skilled labour and are highly motivated to take on jobs in this industry.

The project will address labour shortages in critical regional sectors, particularly in agricultural industries, and will help to boost population numbers.

The pilot aims to demonstrate the positive change migration projects can deliver to small regional communities and for migrant families that wish to create a new life in regional Victoria.

The Government funding will help deliver community capacity building and cultural awareness training, as well as orientation and local relocation support for the families.

A researcher from the University of Melbourne will evaluate the project to determine if the model can and should be replicated across regional Victoria.

The project is supported by the government’s Regional Skills Fund – which supports local initiatives to increase skills, boost community resilience and create new jobs – and the Stronger Regional Communities Plan, which aims to attract families to live, work and invest in rural and regional Victoria.