The Andrews Labor Government has awarded more than $1.5 million in grants to programs to empower and re-engage Koori young people through camps, sporting activities, workshops and education.

Across Victoria 25 projects had been given funding through the Labor Government’s Koori Youth Crime Prevention Grants.

These include:

• Ngwala Willumbong has been awarded $150,000 to provide Koori youth from Melbourne’s southern suburbs with weekly activities that promote positive lifestyles, cultural strengthening, employment readiness, health and wellbeing and independent living
• Koori youth in Orbost, Lake Tyers, Lakes Entrance and Bairnsdale will have access to affordable sport, cultural and recreational activities, with an $83,000 grant to be used to promote physical and mental wellbeing during school holidays and weekends
• The Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative will use $36,240 in funding to empower and inspire Koori youth through regular meetings in Geelong and Colac. The sessions will involve a wide range of guest speakers and focus on cultural connection, education opportunities and local initiatives

Other successful projects include programs that draw on the Koori kinship systems, cultural identity, spirituality, community and traditional knowledge, as well as those that address risk factors.

The Koori Youth Crime Prevention Grants acknowledge that Koories have disproportionately high rates of disadvantage and are significantly over-represented in the criminal justice system, and support projects that deliver a range of early intervention, prevention and diversion programs.

The grants are funded through the Government’s $19.4 million investment in the Community Crime Prevention Program.

A full list of the funded projects can be found at crimeprevention.vic.gov.au

Quotes attributable to the Parliamentary Secretary for Justice Ben Carroll

“Koori young people are more than six times more likely to come into contact with police than non-Aboriginal young people, which is why these projects are so important.”

“The Koori Youth Crime Prevention Grants recognise the challenges and disproportionately high rates of disadvantage of Koori young people and work with community groups to find solutions.”

“If young people can reconnect with their communities while learning new skills and having fun, it can make a real difference to their lives.”