It’s no secret that 2020 has been a tough year for people in Gippsland.
Drought, bushfires and the coronavirus have impacted many lives, including teenagers and those in their early twenties.
That’s why the Federal Government is now offering grants between $5000 and $20,000 to support young Australians through this difficult period.
Local MP Darren Chester said the Youth Action Project Grant Scheme (YASGS) was designed to help those aged between 15 and 24 years.
“Young Gippslanders are dealing with a range of major issues including remote learning, social isolation and job losses. There are some who have been dealing with the impact of the bushfires since last year,” Mr Chester said.
“This grant scheme will fund projects that tackle social challenges, with a focus on employment, mental health and transportation and the impacts of the coronavirus and the fires.”
The grants are available to individuals and organisations. Eligible projects must be
- New initiatives that acknowledge and respond to hardship young people are facing and will continue to into the future, or
- Existing initiatives that provide a valuable service to young people, but require additional funding to continue.
Mr Chester said grant funding could be used to meet project expenses such as staffing costs, equipment purchases, consumables and marketing.
“Now, more than ever, we need to stick together, stay in touch and support each other however we can,” Mr Chester said.
“It’s important we support our young people throughout this challenging time and have initiatives and programs in place to help them into the future.”
Successful grant recipients are expected to deliver their projects this financial year.
The Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) will administer the scheme.
Visit www.fya.org.au/yapgs/ for details. Applications close on Wednesday, October 7.