The first initiative is the ‘Safeguarding Social Cohesion’ workshops, which will be delivered in partnership with local councils and community leaders.
These free workshops will be offered to community workers to provide training on how to support their communities during emergencies and collective trauma events.
“Councils hold the closest relationships with their local communities and have a deep understanding of their needs and aspirations,” said Minister for Local Government, Ron Hoenig.
“It is important that we support councils to continue strengthening connections within communities, and making sure that everyone in NSW has a strong sense of belonging.”
The workshops will offer participants practical skills in crisis communication and best practice psychosocial support for their communities.
“This program, which we have named “Culture Waves” will help us meaningfully engage with young people from diverse backgrounds with specialist youth engagement support, and collaboratively develop resources to continue the program into the future and share our learnings with other councils,” said Mayor of Waverley Council, Paula Masselos.
According to Mayor Masselos, the funding will help us foster a greater understanding and awareness of the issues of concern to the young people to help bring the community together at a time where there is much unrest both locally and internationally.
The second initiative is the delivery of new projects under the NSW Social Cohesion Grants for Local Government program. Currently, in its third round, the grants program has awarded seven NSW councils up to $110,000 to deliver programs aimed at improving social cohesion in their local areas.
The councils and projects are:
Across three rounds, the Social Cohesion Grants for Local Government program has provided almost $1.5 million in funding to 20 projects in NSW.
“We are stronger when we unite together. These workshops and grants program are representative of our social cohesion efforts across NSW,” said Minister for Multiculturalism, Steve Kamper.
“Now more than ever, social cohesion is one of our key priorities, and we know councils are well placed to bring local communities together.”
In the previous round of the grant program, Bega Valley Shire Council’s project ‘Community Hall Odyssey – a volunteer lead activation of Bega Valley Shire’s community halls’ saw the activation of 18 community halls in the Local Government Area.
Due to be completed in July 2024, this project has brought community and volunteers together around central activities based in the halls following devastating bushfires in the area.
“The NSW Government will continue to support opportunities to build social cohesion and ensure NSW continues to be the best place in the world to live, work, and play.”
Pearl Dy is a community manager and journalist. She is passionate about business and development particularly involving not-for-profits, charity and social entrepreneurship.