Promoting health and social wellbeing
Living in rural, regional and remote areas provides a way of life conducive to healthy living. But living in these areas does have its challenges, adding to health inequalities and poor health outcomes.
The recruitment and retention of health professionals is challenging for many communities outside of metropolitan centres and so accessing specialist services often means significant travel which comes at a cost both economically and physically.
FRRR is pleased to support projects that promote physical and mental health, access to infrastructure and support needed to live well locally, assist community cohesion and engagement and to improve community safety.
Youth for youth
The Central Coast of NSW has a higher than average number of suicides compared to the national average, and this is especially an issue for LGBTQIA+ youth. To help address this issue a youth-led project was set up to create a network and hub for young people to access.
As it was youth-led, it very much focused on developing tools and platforms that resonated with them, providing a platform to express their issues and to normalise sexuality and gender diversity. A documentary was also made of the team working on the project.
Read their story
Providing opportunities for youth on the Central Coast of NSW to meet life’s challenges is at the heart of the work of Regional Youth Support Services (RYSS).
The Central Coast has 51,000 young people, and a higher than average number of suicides compared to the national average. Sadly, this is consistent with increased advice and referrals to and from RYSS and other community organisations.
Sharon Aldrick, from RYSS says that supporting LGBTQIA+ youth is particularly important.
“The issues young LGBTQIA+ people face, not only in the wider community but in their inner circles and even within themselves, are not widely known or spoken about.
“While there are mainstream services to support the LGBTQIA+ community, we knew that the gender diverse youth on the Central Coast would benefit immensely from having the ability to voice their concerns, ideas and what they are facing on a public platform.
“We received a little over $9,000 through the FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants program to create a resource network and ‘hub’ for young people.”
It was a youth-led project, kicking off with the employment of two LGBTQIA+ youth leaders who built a team of young people to implement it.
This team produced a series of 15 podcasts focused on LGBTQIA+ youth-related topics, which were shared on a website, Facebook and Instagram pages that they managed. They ran information stalls at various markets and produced promotional and marketing materials.
There was also a documentary produced for YouTube and they are now creating a short-film. Through social media, this project has reached more than 5,000 young people.
“This initiative enables these young people to have a platform to express their issues, inform the wider community, and to normalise sexuality and gender diversity.
“The community is now better informed about the LGBTQIA+ community and young people feel supported, feel non-judged and can access support and services they need,” reported Sharon.
Ahoy! Tasmanian youth take to the high seas
Sailing is often used as a team building activity in the corporate world but the Windeward Bound Financial Hardship Voyage Bursary Fund provides this opportunity for the Tasmanian youth including refugees.
It enabled 36 young people to experience a life-changing voyage on a square-rigged tall ship. The benefits were reaped by not only the participants but also by their parents and mentors.
Read their story
Many young Tasmanians suffer financial disadvantage and don’t experience opportunities that a lot of us take for granted.
The Windeward Bound Financial Hardship Voyage Bursary Fund seeks to increase access to marine-based personal development programs for Tasmanian youth. It received a $10,000 Tailored Grant funded by the David Boykett Tall Ships Voyaging Fund – a sub-fund of Australian Communities Foundation, which provided bursaries that enabled 36 young people to experience a life-changing voyage organised by Sail Training International.
This year, there were two trips on Windeward Bound’s square-rigged tall ship. The first paired nine bright young Tasmanians with nine young former refugees who now live in Tasmania. The grant meant that each former refugee only paid $100.
The second expedition – the Tasmanian Student voyage – allowed a further eighteen young Australians to experience life on the open seas. The feedback from participants, mentors and their parents was overwhelmingly positive.
“Aside from learning to sail, I learnt a lot about the different people onboard. There was so much variety in culture, religion, values, personalities and physical appearances. All of these things are what define and unite us, so it was really interesting to learn everything. I also learned a lot about myself whilst on voyage.”
Participant on the Windeward Bound tall ship
Deadly Thinking improves mental health
To promote better mental health among Indigenous people in Armidale, NSW, Rural and Remote Mental Health received a $5,000 grant from the Domino’s Give for Good program.
Mental health training, known as the ‘Deadly Thinking’ program, was delivered to Indigenous people, by Indigenous people. It is helping to reduce mental health stigma by providing targeted and comprehensive information on mental ill-health in a culturally appropriate way.
| Subscribe to our Quarterly Donor Newsletter | Next → |
linkedin