Hume Empowering Communities

Project Name: Empowering Young People through Surf Therapy

Project Officer: Heather Lynn

Organisation Website: Waves of Wellness Foundation  

Organisation Email: info@foundationwow.org

Organisation Phone Number: 0459 041 832

This project will include eight innovative, evidence-informed 8-week surf therapy programs for young people aged 12-24 in Hume who are at risk, or currently experiencing, mental health challenges, social isolation, and/or disengagement in the community. 

The project aims to increase opportunities for participation in community engagement, mental health support and physical activity, whilst creating a safe, supportive, and fun space for young people to develop meaningful community connections.

The programs will be held at URBNSURF, Melbourne's wave pool in Tullamarine, running from August 2023 to June 2024 in blocks of 8-weeks duration. 

Hume Empowering Communities Action Group is pleased to announce the successful projects for Round 1 of the Hume Empowering Communities initiative.

Total funding of $306,769 will be administered across five Hume-based projects to be developed and led by Goonawarra Neighbourhood House, Igbo Association of Victoria Australia, Northern Community Legal Centre, headspace Craigieburn and Hume-Whittlesea Local Learning & Employment Network. These projects commenced on 1 March 2022 and will be delivered throughout 2022 with two projects continuing in 2023.

Hume City Council, Department of Justice and Community Safety and the Hume Empowering Communities Action Group, which includes representatives from local community organisations, worked together to develop the Round 1 common goal for the funding - that children entering adolescence develop and maintain life skills, engage in school, and have safe, stable and nurturing relationships with parents and/or caregivers.  

The initiative provides opportunities for young people to develop life skills in a family and school and/or community context, connection to culturally responsive family and legal services and support for school transitions and individual learning needs.  

The Quick Response Stream offers funds of up to $20,000 for small activities and/or pilot projects that need to be completed by 30 December 2022. These small projects must demonstrate evidence of immediate impact on the Hume community. These projects must be completed in Round 1 - March 2022 to December 2022.  

Project title: Engaging Social Circles

Name of Organisation: Igbo Association of Victoria Australia

Project Contact: Elvis Nwachukwu (President)

Project Contact Email: president@igbovictoria.org.au

Organisation Email: Abimbola.Odetayo@gmail.com

Organisation Phone Number: 0433 280 097

Engaging Social Circles 2022 program utilises a combination/blend of contemporary and traditional Igbo games as well as educational sessions for young people aged 8-14 to develop and maintain important life skills in line with Igbo cultural values. The program activities aim to empower young people through connecting participants to culturally responsive services, supporting school transitions, and strengthening connections between young people, their parents and fellow community members. Engaging Social Circles aims to increase awareness of safety, re-engage families impacted by pandemic isolation and hardship as well as improve mental health outcomes.  

Project Title: Teens in the Kitchen

Name of Organisation: Goonawarra Neighbourhood House

Project Contact: Susan Burke (Acting Manager)

Project Contact Email: susan@goonawarranh.com.au

Organisation Email: admin@goonawarranh.com.au

Organisation Phone Number: (03) 9740 6627

Teens in the Kitchen will be facilitated for young people aged 12-14 living in Sunbury and Goonawarra to promote healthy social connection, participation in the community and self-care skills for a positive future. This program will teach young adolescents how to cook simple and healthy meals to improve physical and mental health outcomes. Teens in the Kitchen will be facilitated in partnership with a youth worker to guide and support participants, as well as connecting them to local services as required. It is through teaching young people cooking skills, that the program aims to improve their confidence in their abilities to complete tasks and develop psychosocial competency in comprehension, social skills, budgeting, healthy meals, and general nutrition.  

The Innovation Stream offers funds of up to $50,000 for larger activities and/or projects that demonstrate innovation and test new, more effective approaches to improve community safety and crime prevention in Hume. These activities and/or projects must be completed in Round 1 - March 2022 to December 2022. 

Project title: Where Safety Begins

Name of Organisation: Northern Community Legal Centre

Project Contact: Tania McKenna (Partnerships and Community Development Manager)

Project Contact Email: tmckenna@northernclc.org.au

Organisation Email: admin@northernclc.org.au

Organisation Phone Number: (03) 9310 4376

Where Safety Begins aims to mitigate trauma arising from family violence through providing a safe and interactive environment for young people aged 10-14 to understand their experience, build confidence in seeking early intervention and establish strong support networks. Utilising Hume based partnerships with community organisations and schools, this program delivers six modules which combine learning with fun and interactive activities to facilitate learning. Where Safety Begins will educate participants on identifying their needs, build upon personal strengths, engage with trusted supports and self-advocate when it comes to decisions that impact their lives. The program will build their capacity to manage emotions, implement self-care strategies and gain a sense of control in situations where they have typically felt powerless. Where Safety Begins adopts a sustainable approach through delivering capacity building workshops to teachers and youth program leaders to support integration of the tools and activities into current curriculums and programs run by partner agencies.

The Impact Stream offers funds for larger projects that need to be developed and delivered over the specified period that can demonstrate significant impact on community safety and crime prevention in Hume. These will be funded up to $200,000 delivered across two funding rounds. 

Project Title: You’re the Man – A Healthy Young Men Project

Name of Organisation: Orygen (headspace Craigieburn)

Project Contact: Dayna Minovski (Clinical Services Manager)

Project Contact Email: dayna.minovski@orygen.org.au

Organisation Email: info-headspaceCraigieburn@orygen.org.au

Organisation Phone Number: (03) 8338 0919

In partnership with headspace Craigieburn and The Man Cave, You’re the Man – A Healthy Young Men Project will deliver workshops to engage young men aged 8-14 and their mentors in Hume in local environments already accessed including schools, religious spaces, barbershops, sports clubs and trade programs. These workshops promote healthy psycho-social responses to their challenges, accessing appropriate support and overcome expectations of traditional masculinity which prevent healthy development/maturation. It is through the development of these skills, young people will gain the ability to have meaningful engagement in the community and less likely to be perpetrators of violent crime, including family violence. Capacity building workshops run by local community leaders will also be delivered for mentors to train in identifying needs, providing support, and facilitate progress in their mentees. You’re the Man – A Healthy Young Men Project adopts a strength based approach to build emotional resilience, foster social support networks, and encourage positive development in young men of Hume.

HEC Action Group Network Newsletter #1(PDF, 200KB)

HEC Action Group Network Newsletter # 2(PDF, 127KB)

HEC Action Group Network Newsletter # 3(PDF, 222KB)

HEC Action Group Network Newsletter # 4(PDF, 304KB)