Youth Foundations Victoria (YFV) is an exciting new program that helps young people make a real difference to their communities.
The program is supported and funded by the Victorian Government and the Bendigo Bank.
Basically, YFV is a chance for young people to run a series of grants that put money back into their own local area.
YFV will be established in 15 communities across Victoria. In each location, a group of local young people will come together to form a Young People’s Action Committee (YPAC).
This YPAC will look at the needs of their community, and then make recommendations on funding grants that help other young people to run activities that benefit the community.
As of July 2009, 11 YFV sites have been established in:
- Laverton, in Melbourne's West
- Whittington, Newcomb and Thomson, in the Geelong area
- Upper Yarra, in Melbourne's North-east
- Portarlington, Drysdale and Clifton Springs, in the Geelong Area
- West Heidelberg, in the north of Melbourne
- Trafalgar and District, in Gippsland
- Ashwood/Ashburton/Chadstone, in Melbourne's East
- Neerim District in Gippsland
- Boronia, in Melbourne’s East
- Narre Warren South & Hampton Park in Melbourne’s South East
- Cobram and District on the Murray River
What sort of projects does YFV fund?
Any sort of project that benefits local communities can be funded by YFV. Examples of funded projects might include:
- Putting together an e-zine to build publishing and web development skills and build networks in the community;
- Developing a local youth landcare group to improve the environment
- Producing a mural on a community centre wall to promote artistic and cultural contribution of young people
A recently funded project in West Heidelberg involved a group of young people creating a T-shirt to promote their local area (see picture).
What do the YPACs do?
Each YPAC is supported by a facilitator and advisory group so that they can:
- Conduct research and community mapping activities
- Help to manage and develop a funding resource
- Assess grant applications and give recommendations to the Youth Foundations Victoria trustees for making grants that will benefit of young people
How to get involved
If you'd like to be part of a YFV group in your area, then you can. It's as easy as contacting the relevant YFV facilitator (see contact details below) and expressing an interest.
If I join YFV, what will I do?
As a member of the YPAC, you will:
- Help to run meetings
- Develop a vision for your local YPAC
- Set the grant making priorities for your community
- Run a grants program
- Review your YPAC's progress
Each YFV location is assisted by a facilitator who recruits young people to join their area's Young People's Action Committee (YPAC) and helps out with co-ordination, administration and that sort of thing.
Contact details for YFV facilitators:
If you're either living or you spend a significant amount in the areas below, you can get in touch with these people to find out how you can get involved.
- 3219 (Whittington, Newcomb and Thomson): new facilitator to be announced soon.
- Ashwood/Ashburton/Chadstone: Verity Nicholson - phone 9885 7789, email youth.services@craigfc.org.au
- Boronia: facilitator to be announced soon
- Cobram and District: facilitator to be announced soon
- Laverton: Fiona Williams - phone 9932 3805, email fwilliams@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au
- Narre Warren South & Hampton Park: facilitator to be announced soon
- Neerim District: Christine Del Busso - phone 0408 344 301, cdelbusso@berrystreet.org.au
- North Bellarine (Portarlington, Drysdale and Clifton Springs): Rob Evans - phone 5251 2291, email revans@glastonbury.org.au
- Trafalgar and District: Narelle Algie - phone 0427 541 931, email nalgie@berrystreet.com.au
- Upper Yarra: Zephlyn Neilsen - phone 0413 501 211, email zephlyn@bridgebuilders.com.au
- West Heidelberg: Andrea Rieniets - phone 9459 1193, email andrea.rieniets@banyule.vic.gov.au
YFV is a partnership between young people, the Department of Planning and Community Development, Bendigo Bank and local communities.
