The Social Justice Small Grants Program for 2021 supports projects that bring about positive outcomes for people living with a mental health condition, people at risk of developing a mental health condition and carers.
Eighteen projects from communities across Australia were funded:
1) Zoe Support Australia VIC: This project provides Youth Mental Health First Aid training to build the capacity of support staff, volunteers and clients to better support young mothers.
2) Strong Mothers NSW: Provides seed funding for the Strong Mothers and Babies Mental Health Program, providing mental health support to Aboriginal and refugee mothers.
3) Zephyr Education Inc QLD: The project supports children whose education has been disrupted by domestic violence to restart school, many of whom suffer from mental health issues.
4) HerSpace Ltd VIC: Provides therapy for traumatised women who are survivors of exploitation to develop new coping skills, increase resilience, build connections and increase self esteem.
5) Asylum Seekers Centre NSW: A capacity building project that provides Mental Health First Aid training for staff and volunteers to better support people in the community who are experiencing mental health crises.
6) Blue Mountains Refugee Support Group NSW: Providing mental health stability for unemployed and underemployed people seeking asylum who currently have insecure housing.
7) Women and Mentoring Ltd VIC: A Mental Health First Aid course for staff and volunteers to better support women who have had interactions with the justice system and ultimately improve their wellbeing.
8) Mahboba’s Promise NSW: A Program for Afghan children aged 5 – 12 years to improve their confidence and self esteem and increase their participation in social activities.
9) Little Dreamers Australia VIC: A Young Carer mentoring program to help young carers reduce isolation and strengthen their mental health and self esteem.
10) Warrior Woman Foundation NSW: The Young Warrior Woman Program supports young women leaving out of home care and transitioning into independent living.
11) Westgate Baptist Community VIC: The Growing for Community project is a social enterprise that will provide support, friendship and networking opportunities for isolated and disadvantaged members of the local community.
12) Grey New QLD: The Community Connector Program trains volunteers to build a more inclusive community, reaching out to isolated women and single mothers and connecting them to community groups and services.
13) Grandparents for Grandchildren SA: The program helps grandparents or grandcarers provide the essential items needed for children in their care, enabling children to remain at school and make the most of their educational opportunities.
14) Binaal Billa Family Violence Prevention Legal Service NSW: This project will provide the immediate needs for Aboriginal women, their children and young males who are escaping domestic violence.
15) The Silence Witness Network VIC: This grant provides seed funding for a family violence prevention project in Melbourne.
16) Police Veterans Support Victoria: Funding will support the Police Veterans Partners Specialised Outreach Pilot Program.
17) Enough is Enough NSW: Provides seed funding for a program that will offer support to adult victims of crime to help them deal with trauma.
18) Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Service WA: This program will support the health needs of young culturally and linguistically diverse women aged 14-25 years from refugee and migrant backgrounds.
