Page 885 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 16 March 2010
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to improve social and educational outcomes for vulnerable children and their families. This work is done through the development of partnerships and collaboration between families, schools, health and community service agencies.
The strategic projects program has a focus on funding projects that can demonstrate their capacity to build family resilience and reduce risks to children. A total of $55,000 is allocated to the funding programs each year. Applications are invited from all ACT government and non-government schools and community groups who are committed to the program’s objectives.
Applications are assessed on their capacity to target vulnerable children and their families, seek to reduce risk and increase protective factors, focus on early intervention and prevention, promote schools as sites for strengthening families and communities, and develop partnerships and linkages.
Each individual project can be funded to a maximum of $5,000. I am pleased to announce that the 2010-11 funding round opened this week, on 15 March, and closes on 30 April. I encourage schools and community groups to consider applying for funding.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Hargreaves, a supplementary?
MR HARGREAVES: Yes, thanks very much, Mr Speaker. My supplementary to the minister is: could the minister expand on what initiatives have emerged from the 2009-10 schools as communities grants round?
MS BURCH: I thank Mr Hargreaves for the additional question. Many impressive initiatives have emerged from this program. In particular, I would like to mention a few in my own electorate of Brindabella. An example of a program that was funded in the 2009-10 round is the butterfly effect program, which was led by Wanniassa and the Wanniassa Hills primary school. This program offered a series of workshops to year 5 and 6 girls, established to provide information and access to: art as therapy through the Princess Diaries; friendship groups and peer pressure through Forever Friends; relaxation, visualisation techniques, massage and managing stress through Chill Out, and negative stereotyping, sexism and media images through Love the Skin You’re In. Seventy students attended with assistance from school staff and the schools as communities worker. Very positive feedback has been received from those students who attended.
Both schools were also successful in receiving funding to offer the boys a program entitled Boyz Group. This will be run in late March of 2010 and the Boyz Group will be a one-day workshop at each of the schools, addressing:
self-esteem and self-concept;
puberty;
communication;
anger awareness and personal strategy planning;
peer group pressure;
Who’s the man? What does it mean to be a man? Who are our role models?
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