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Government Info & Assistance

Youth Inclusion Grants

The Local Government Youth Inclusion Grants will support young people to have their say in local decision-making.

The grants are a component of the Government’s Shape It! Strategy and will be provided to rural and regional councils to establish and expand the youth advisory mechanisms in their local area. This will be achieved through youth advisory committees, youth councils, youth summits, youth consultation meetings, online participation or other youth advisory mechanisms. Local flexibility will allow rural and regional communities to respond to the diverse interests and needs of their young people.

The Local Government Youth Inclusion Grants Program aims to increase the involvement of young people in local government and local community decision-making, through:

  • The establishment of local youth advisory mechanisms
  • The development of youth engagement resources and support processes
  • Building capacity across local governments to utilise youth engagement resources and implement youth advisory support processes across all aspects of local government business
  • Sharing of good practice, regional and state-wide networking between youth advisory groups.

What Funding is Available?

The grant program includes 28 one-off grants of up to $30,000 awarded to rural and regional local governments from 2010/11 to 2014/15.

  • 2010/2011 – 3 grants - CLOSED
  • 2011/2012 – 6 grants - CLOSED
  • 2012/2013 – 9 grants - CLOSED
  • 2013/2014 – 7 grants
  • 2014/2015 – 3 grants

Grants for 2012/2013

  • Glenelg
  • Bass Coast
  • Baw Baw
  • Moorabool
  • Horsham
  • Benalla
  • Wodonga
  • Central Goldfields
  • Swan Hill

Local governments that have already received funding include:

  • Warrnambool
  • Corangamite
  • South Gippsland
  • Ballarat
  • Golden Plains
  • Mitchell
  • Murrindindi
  • Buloke
  • Mount Alexander

What Projects Might Be Funded?

The grants will establish and expand the role of diverse groups of young people in local government and community decision-making. Examples of activities the grant funding could be used for include:

  • Establishing a youth advisory committee to participate in Council planning and decision-making. Support materials and structures are developed for the group and used to maintain an ongoing youth committee.
  • Establishing a youth reference group to work with Council to develop a Youth Charter. The Charter will encourage the ongoing involvement of young people in decision-making across Council.
  • Facilitating a youth summit to identify opportunities for young people to provide feedback on community planning issues, including transport, use of open space and public health planning. Learnings are shared with neighbouring municipalities and across a network of youth advisory groups.
  • Supporting a youth action group to work with council staff to develop an online, social media process to engage and consult with diverse groups of young people. Online mechanisms are set up for ongoing use within Council and results shared with other local governments.

More Information

Please contact the Office for Youth via email at youth@dhs.vic.gov.au or telephone (03) 9096 1392.

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