Yankalilla Youth Arts is one of 17 organisations from remote, rural and regional Australia to receive a grant from the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR)

The FRRR In a Good Place (IAGP) program has awarded $250,000 in grants for initiatives that will support and promote the mental health and wellbeing of locals in their communities. 

Funded in partnership with CCI Giving, the IAGP program gives small rural communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds of up to $20,000.

The grants are for community-driven projects that support vulnerable community members who are at risk of, or are experiencing, mental health issues. 

Since 2018, the IAGP program has helped to fund 70 mental health-focused projects across remote, rural and regional Australia. 

This year, the 17 funded initiatives include community activities to help people feel connected, training to help people identify those who are at risk of harming themselves, mental health first aid courses, and one-on-one mentoring. 

Yankalilla Youth Arts received a grant of $12,260 for its Sunday Sessions, which provide a creative and nurturing space for young people to engage in guided arts and theatre-based activities.

Also present at the sessions are a counsellor and a support therapy dog to support mental health and wellbeing.

Jeremy Yipp, Chair of CCI Giving, says support for mental health projects is vital for effective recovery to take place.

“In this round, we saw a notable increase in the number of expressions of interest that referenced community recovery from the accumulative economic, social and emotional impacts of successive natural disasters and the pandemic.

“We’re in a crucial period of recovery and now is the time to support mental health initiatives in rural Australia and make sure that communities have the resources they need to recover from all that’s gone on in the last few years,” Mr Yipp says.

Jill Karena, FRRR’s People Programs Portfolio Lead, says loneliness is prevalent across rural communities and that many people are feeling disconnected from their community.

“In the applications for this round, we read about a lot of projects explicitly addressing loneliness and social isolation. 

“There is a clear need for social connection within remote, rural and regional communities and we’re grateful for our continued partnership with CCI Giving, as it allows us to provide much needed funding to help combat the loneliness we’re seeing in communities throughout rural Australia.”      

A full list of the grant recipients and their funded projects is available on the FRRR website.