GRANTS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT OUR YOUTH

Member for Riverina and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack is encouraging individuals and organisations supporting young people to consider applying for funding of up to $20,000 through the Youth Action Projects Grant Scheme.

“Young people are our future and at this most difficult time in our history it is vital we give them as much support as possible to ensure they continue to have a bright future,” Mr McCormack said.

“A small boost for a youngster might just be enough for them to realise their dreams down the track and this will benefit not just them as individuals but our community as well because we are all enriched when even one person succeeds.”

Mr McCormack said the Government understood the unprecedented impact the COVID-19 pandemic, bushfires and the drought has had on young Australians.

Minister for Youth and Sport, Senator Richard Colbeck, said the targeted scheme was an opportunity for individuals and organisations to apply for funding to support projects that would make a difference in the lives of young people.

“It’s a difficult time in our nation’s history and young people are feeling the repercussions of job losses, breaks in education and social isolation,” Minister Colbeck said.

As part of the program, grants of between $5,000 and $20,000 are available for projects which respond to the social challenges facing those aged 15 to 24.

The Government has engaged the Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) to administer the scheme.

FYA is a non-profit organisation committed and passionate about improving the outcomes and life opportunities for youth.

Projects need to be either new initiatives that recognise and respond to the hardship young people face now and will face in the future, or existing initiatives which already provide a valuable on-going service to young people, but which need further funding to continue.

Funds can be used to pay for any type of project including but not limited to staffing, equipment purchase, consumables or marketing.

While grants will be used for projects which support young people in a variety of ways, there will be a particular focus on employment, transportation, mental health and the impacts of COVID-19 and last summer’s bushfires.

Successful grant recipients are expected to deliver projects over the 2020-21 financial year.

The grant round closes Wednesday, 7 October 2020.

For more information and to download the application form, visit the website www.fya.org.au/yapgs