$1.5 million awarded

The Tasmanian Community Fund (TCF) Board approved $1.5M of funding at the Board meeting held in Westbury in October.

Funding included Strategic Initiatives and Community Action Grants.

EdConnect were awarded $750,000 to deliver a learning support program to 20 schools based in the north and north west of the state.

The funding will go towards the recruitment, training and support of over 150 volunteers who will give up a minimum of an hour a week to assist students from grades three to eight.

The seven year project has been successfully delivered interstate and has proven to help students in the classroom as well as their personal wellbeing.

The University of Tasmanian has been awarded $500,000 to deliver a financial literacy program for young people and their families on the west coast.

Project Lead Donovan Castelyn said they are deeply grateful to the Tasmanian Community Fund and the inspiring and resilient people of the west coast for their support of this truly transformational project.

“We look forward to working alongside members of the west coast, particularly the youth, as we co-design and embed the many life-changing aspects of this project into the community over the coming months and years.

“We are excited by the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people as we move towards our vision of empowering and equipping the young people of the West Coast with the tools, skills, and resources they need to create lasting impact and a more financially literate, resilient and robust future for all,” Donovan said.

The Karinya Youth Transitional Tenancy (KYTT) program has been provided with additional funding to meet the demands for their Launceston service.

CEO Jane Gaetani-Black said the TCF funded the first stage of the KYTT program as a pilot and they didn’t anticipate the level of demand for the program and how challenging it would be to say no to young homeless people.

“This second stage grant will improve our capability and capacity to provide support for the increased level of clients we are encountering in the north of the state.

“This funding will mean we can deliver wrap around support so the young people can have safe and affordable accommodation for up to two years and case managers can provide them with targeted health and wellbeing support.

“We are very excited and equally grateful for this support from the TCF,” Jane said.

Three Community Action Grants were also awarded.

They include a ‘learning by doing’ training package for disengaged young people through the Tasmanian Bike Collective, a swing project for Huonville Primary School and an arts program designed to build confidence and keep young people engaged at school through the Christian Schools Tasmania.