$3.29 MILLION TO FLOW FOR COVID COMMIUNITY RELIEF

Friday, 11 December 2020

Friday 11 December, 2020

The Tasmanian Community Fund’s (TCF) COVID-19 specific funding round has been assessed with 28 organisations sharing in $3.29 million in large and medium grants. 

Funding recipients include The St Giles Society’s for a Disability Innovator Hub, a pilot community wellbeing project for Break ‘O Day Council and Colony 47’s clinical mental health support program for southern Tasmania’s most vulnerable young people. 

Other grants were provided to the Australian Dental Health Foundation for the provision of free dental care to disadvantaged Tasmanians, Foundations to Flourish’s Year of Gratitude program on King Island and the Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service for free legal support to migrant women on temporary visas who are victims/survivors of family violence. 

TCF Chair Sally Darke said that as the needs of the Tasmanian people continued to grow and change during the pandemic, the fund had adapted to meet the needs in this unprecedented time.

“The TCF introduced the COVID-19 specific funding round to assist community groups and organisations realign their work and adapt to the new normal because we know many community groups and individuals can help lead Tasmania through the recovery,” she said.

West Tamar Council’s Mayor Christina Holmdahl said COVID-19 presented an opportunity for schools and local government to work together and invest in shaping the future of the youth of the West Tamar by targeting mental health, and building resilience and relationships among peers.

“The Building Resilient Youth Programs is designed to assist youth with the skills to manage, adapt and work though the impacts of the current pandemic, assisting with mental health and improving the lives of young people,” Mayor Holmdahl said.

“We believe that JCP Empowering Youth programs have the possibility of transforming the mindset of the youth in the West Tamar, providing them with the tools and ability to navigate through the challenges of early adolescent life, which will then have an indirect flow on effect to other family members, therefore expanding the community support network.

 “The intent of this program is to have a positive impact on the lives of young people that will help them to prosper and grow as they develop into young adults within the community.”

Break ‘O Day Mayor Mick Tucker said council was incredibly grateful to the TCF for believing in and funding its community wellbeing project.

“We are really excited by the opportunities this project will provide our community; collaboration, connection and inspiring wellbeing will be beneficial not just to our municipality, but hopefully the region and even state,” Councillor Tucker said.

Principal Lawyer for the Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service Patrick O’Connor said the purpose of its project was to set up and operate a legal clinic to provide free migration legal advice and casework for migrants who were victims and survivors of family violence currently on temporary visas.

“For many migrant women, a temporary visa status is used as a means to coerce them to remain in a violent relationship,” he said.

“The ability to access free legal migration advice can provide some women with the opportunity to leave a violent relationship and be able to access the safety and support they need in the Tasmanian community to live a life free from violence and harm.”

President of Foundations to Flourish, Tara Clark said the group’s volunteers and members were excited that a number of projects could be rolled out in full based on the funding of the ‘Year of Gratitude’ on King Island for 2021.

“We will hold a Colour Run as part of the Australia Day Festival, a magical mystery dinner and bring expertise to the island for workshops that will thematically focus on gratitude and build on the strength of community,” Ms Clark said.

“For a couple of years, we have been relying on donations, sponsorship and local support from wonderful businesses, community groups and individuals it will be really nice to be able to give back to those who have enabled us.”

The Tasmanian Community Fund (TCF) took steps in July to assist Tasmanians during the COVID-19 pandemic calling for applications for projects which responded specifically to the impacts of COVID-19 on local communities.

Grants were split into three streams and were developed based on community feedback:

·         Support – supporting and meeting the needs of vulnerable people to ensure they are not left behind as a result of COVID-19.

·         Connection – creating spaces and programs/processes to enable individuals and communities to reconnect and rebuild the social fabric of communities.

·         Rebuild – providing individual and organisational capacity building including options for realigning work and directions for the “new normal” and beyond.

More than $200,000 was provided to small applicants with funding announced in October taking the total awarded in the Round to $3.5 million.

The TCF was established in 1999 following the sale of a community asset.

An independent funding body, the Fund provides grants to community organisations that enable Tasmanian communities to be vibrant, capable and resilient in shaping their future. To date the TCF has provided more than $114 million to the Tasmanian community.

ENDS

Released by Adrian Smith 0417 529 826

*Pictured: Andy Beeston West Tamar Council, Sally Darke Tasmanian Community Fund, Thomas Clark Exeter Primary School, Daniel Kroon Riverside Primary School, Darren Hanson Riverside High School, Will Smith JCP Empowering Youth, Christina Holmdahl West Tamar Council Mayor and Elizabeth Nye West Tamar Council.