Over $100,000 in grants awarded across rural, regional and remote Australia
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Eight projects that support and encourage good mental health practices in rural, regional and remote communities have received grants from the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal via the In a Good Place program.
The projects will share $100,725 from the CCI Giving support, the charitable foundation of Catholic Church Insurance (CCI).
Over a million dollars in grant funding was requested in this third round of In A Good Place, highlighting the need for mental health interventions across rural, regional and remote Australia.
Successful applications include a safe space to enable mental health conversations at the Julia Creek Dirt & Dust Festival – an area of Queensland deeply impacted by drought and flood; creative community workshops and an interactive theatre performance addressing mental ill-health and substance abuse in Hopetoun, Western Australia; and a series of targeted workshops for adolescent and adult men, focusing on improving mental health and reducing the risk of suicide in Kimba, South Australia.
“This third round saw an increase in the number of applications using art-based activities as a tool to encourage community engagement around mental health and resilience,” said FRRR CEO, Natalie Egleton.
“Training and skill development, particularly Mental Health First Aid, was also a strong theme. It’s been well-documented that people living in rural, regional and remote Australia don’t have the same access to health services as major metropolitan centres. This includes a lack of early intervention services, and often there are long waiting periods for services in neighbouring communities. These grants will help communities to really take charge and be as self-sufficient as possible when it comes to taking care of their own.”
Roberto Scenna, CEO of CCI and Director of CCI Giving, said that his organisation was pleased to provide funding for another round of the In A Good Place program.
“It’s vitally important that every single one of us feels empowered when it comes to our mental health. The unfortunate reality is that societal pressures and factors such as where you live mean that that’s not always possible. These grants will make a real difference throughout rural, regional and remote Australia,” he said.
The next round of the In a Good Place program will open in February 2020. Keep an eye on FRRR’s grants calendar for the details.
Pearl Dy is a community manager and journalist. She is passionate about business and development particularly involving not-for-profits, charity and social entrepreneurship.
