Youth Minister Dave Kelly today announced a Lotterywest grant of $642,500 to the Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia to support their efforts to rebuild and strengthen the State's youth sector as it deals with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia (YACWA) is the peak body that advocates for the varied needs of the State's youth and works to ensure that WA's young people and the workforce that support them are valued, informed and have a voice.
We know that young people have disproportionately been impacted by the pandemic and that many youth services working on the front-line with vulnerable young people need extra support to engage with the most vulnerable.
The grant will enable YACWA will provide quick response grants that will enable youth service providers to innovate and adapt to meet the emerging needs of young people in response to COVID-19 challenges and recovery.
The grants will focus on reducing barriers and increasing young people's access to service, reaching new or disengaged young people and supporting young people's physical and mental wellbeing.
With the ongoing impact of COVID-19, it has never been more important that regional voices and ideas are heard and able to contribute to our State's key youth events.
The grant will also support regional youth services and young people to attend all of YACWA's major events being held during 2021, including the 2021 WA Youth Awards, the 2021 State of the Youth Sector Forum and the WA 2021 Youth Conference.
As stated by Youth Minister Dave Kelly:
"Young people in Western Australia continue to be disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"That's why the McGowan Government has continued to focus its support for WA youth and investing in their recovery during these challenging times.
"YACWA have played and continue to play a crucial role in supporting and empowering young Western Australians during the pandemic, and the McGowan Government is very pleased to support them in that important work."
