Non-for-profit organisations in Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay have the chance to apply for another round of grants being offered by Metro Trains.
Metro’s Moving Melbourne Community Grants support not-for-profit organisations across Melbourne doing important work to help improve people’s mental health.
Organisations can apply for one of three funding categories – $5,000, $10,000 or $20,000.
With a total grant pool of $100,000, projects or initiatives must fall into one of the following focus areas; wellness for preventative care to reduce the risk of poor mental impacts, education with activities that inform and promote awareness of good mental health or support services which assist people through counselling, psychiatric support or crisis care that directly supports people experiencing mental health challenges.
Last year Metro’s grants program helped Footscray’s McAuley Community Services for women with a $20,000 grant used to design a women’s peer support program.
McAuley head of innovation and new business Emma Constantine said they applied for the grant to offer more peer support in the women’s residential programs.
The project titled the ‘Acacia project’ is to co-design a peer support plan also known as a ‘journey map’, with women who are part of the residential program.
“The women who are living in this particular house are recovering from violence, homelessness, and mental health issues so it really needed to be quite specific to the needs of these women.”
More than 12 women have been involved so far which Ms Constantine said would not have been possible without the grant.
“It has allowed us to pay emerging leaders and lived experience leaders who are engaging with the other women,” she said.
“It allows us to give them paid work which is really important too. The other benefit is they get an opportunity to be a role model for the women who are there.”
The project will run until June, giving a few more months for the women to continue their healing.
“The feedback is that women feel really excited that they get to be part of this,” said Ms Constantine.
“People don’t always feel that their voice gets heard, they don’t always feel that they get a chance to say how they want things to be.“
Applications close on April 4, successful applicants will be announced in June.
Details: www.metrotrains.com.au/community-grants
