Regional and Remote Grants Round - Support available for the 100 Events for 100 Years Initiative

UNIFEM Australia will run an open grant round for events held in regional and remote Australia between November 10th 2010 - December 1st 2010. Successful grant applicants will receive up to $1000 to support their event. Grants will be determined based on the selection criteria.

For more information, please email julia.bowes@unifem.org.au
or visit: http://www.internationalwomensday.org.au/

RAS Foundation Grant for all under 35

The RAS Foundation is again offering young people in rural and regional NSW the opportunity to secure $25,000 to deliver a new and innovative community project.
 
Applications for The $25,000 Question are now open. To enter, simply tell us how you would use $25,000 to address a need in your local community. 

For the first time, this year’s grant will be open to all young people under 35 years.  (In the past it has been limited to The Land Sydney Royal Showgirl or Rural Achiever entrants.)
 
As an applicant you must identify a need in your local rural or regional community, come up with an idea to address this need, and partner with a community organisation to create a project plan.
 
It is easy to apply. See the website for details: www.rasf.org.au 

Applications close on 14 January 2011.
 
Please contact the RAS Foundation on 02 9704 1234 or foundation@rasf.org.au with any questions.
 
An advert promoting this exciting opportunity is attached. I would be grateful if you could pass this information to anyone you know who may be interested in applying.

The Beanstalk Organic Food

The Beanstalk is yet another amazing Newcastle/Hunter community initiative involving 150 residents. The Beanstalk was established in 2004 by three friends who were concerned at the lack of access to healthy and safe food for the community. Most people they knew cited affordability as the reason they could not eat organically. There was also very little support given to farmers practicing environmentally sound agriculture in the Hunter region, with certification and transportation costs the main issues for small farm businesses. A dialogue began with a farmer and The Beanstalk was established. From its humble beginnings on a veranda to its current location in East Newcastle, the organisation has flourished. Members now have access to affordable, healthy and local produce and it supports at least four local and sustainable farmers each week. In their words – “This benefits the Hunter Valley farmers, our urban community and ultimately, our earth”.

The objectives of the Beanstalk are:

1. To develop direct links between the sustainable organic farming communities and the urban communities of the Hunter Valley
2. To offer farmers fair prices and support them through difficult periods
3. To build consumer awareness of sustainable agriculture and empower the community to consume ethically
4. To minimise resource consumption and packaging
5. To foster community skill sharing
6. To create a viable and sustainable community organisation.

For more information, visit their great website - The Beanstalk Organic Food is an initiative that could happen anywhere!

Big Help Mob

this youth initiative of Youth Tree, an organisation based in Perth. Big Help Mob is a 100-strong rent-a-crowd of young people who get together to do superhuman acts of awesomeness for non-profits and communities in Perth. In their words -"One day it's planting 10 000 trees in a few hours, the next it's renovating a community centre or cleaning up a place that's been forgotten and trashed. Nothing is too big for Big Help Mob and we're not afraid to get our hands dirty... all 200 of them. Once the hands-on mission is accomplished with near-lightning speed, we celebrate with enormous, ridiculous flash mobs in public, using our superpowers to draw attention to good causes that need it."
For more information, check out the following websites Big Mob Help  and Youth Tree.

Tinghar Doing it Tough

The NSW town of Tingha has a very colourful history, but today faces many socio economic challenges. Once supporting 8000 residents, the town’s population is less than 1000. Statistics show it is the third most disadvantaged town in Australia, and it experiences three times the national unemployment rate. BUT this is a town focused on implementing the most successful regeneration model in Australia. Its renewal efforts is driven by Tingha Regeneration Incorporated.

To discover more of their interesting approach Click Here. In particular, discover more of their unique Code of Common Unity which ensures all community meetings are focused and productive .

Inspiration, Collaboration and Community Revitalisation

This was the theme of a great two day youth/community development worker training course organised by Michelle Baden from Berri Barmera Council on behalf of the Riverland and Mallee Youth Sector Network in South Australia. Facilitated by Peter Kenyon from the Bank of I.D.E.A.S., 40 workers spent two days exploring innovative and fresh ways to a collaborative approach to rural community revitalisation.

Click here to see summary of program. For more details contact Michelle on 0438805759 or youthofficer@berribarmera.sa.gov.au.

Friday Flicks - Building Social Capital

Click here for a great example of building social capital from Townsville, Queensland - Friday Flicks - free community movie nights under the stars with a free barbeque. All about getting to know neighbours.