Wyndham City has awarded local community and sporting groups with 44 Reconnection and Recovery grants totalling a combined value of $194,079.
The Reconnection and Recovery Grants are the latest initiative of the Community Grants Program. The program was launched in early 2021 to support the Covid-19 community recovery.
Wyndham City Mayor Cr Adele Hegedich said: "We know what an important role these grants will play in reconnecting our community as we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic."
Wyndham City's Future Focused Economy portfolio holder Cr Mia Shaw said: "The recipients will be able to continue contributing to our community through the valuable work that they do."
"These grants are important for businesses as we begin to emerge from the global pandemic."
Among those to receive grants of up to $5000 were non-profit community groups, sporting clubs and education providers. All funded initiatives will assist in reconnecting and reactivating Wyndham during the recovery phase by strengthening community resilience, building a sense of community identity, inclusion and connectedness.
South East Foundations Ltd received a grant for a project which aims to equip people who have lost their jobs during Covid-19 with resume writing skills, interview tips and connections to job agencies. The project will be undertaken in partnership with South West training services in the local community.
Activate Youth received a grant for its mental health and skills training workshops. Their BOOST program is designed to engage youth in social activities, organised peer-support systems, professional wellbeing consultations, and skill workshop training, particularly important after COVID.
The Committee for Wyndham received a grant for a leadership program. It will deliver a series of online leadership sessions focussed on enabling Wyndham people from business, community, sporting clubs and not-for-profit organisations to help drive the Wyndham community thorough these difficult pandemic and post-pandemic times.
"The everchanging nature of this pandemic shows us just how important it is to invest in our community groups now more than ever, in order to maintain and encourage the connectedness we share right across Wyndham City," Cr Shaw said.
Successful recipients of the Reconnection and Recovery Grants are required to follow the relevant State Government regulations and the Chief Health Officer's CovidSafe guidelines.
