In 2024, 17 innovative projects were seed funded through the Social Justice Small Grants program, to increase social equity, promote inclusion and challenge unjust structures and systems. Our hard-working grant recipients have achieved remarkable results as illustrated by these three examples:
Prison Fellowship Australia: Changing women’s lives post-release
This project helps women navigate life after prison. The aim of the project is to reduce social isolation, build community connections, improve mental health and reduce recidivism. Forty-six women participated in the program. The team started working with women 6 months before release and continue to provide support for 12 months post-release.
The project met all its expected outcomes and due to its success, it will continue into the future. The project is helping women change their expectations of the future, with established community connections and support.
Bidi Koorliny: building new skills to prepare for a restorative justice process
This is our second grant to Bidi Koorliny, working to bring about restorative justice in Collie, WA. A 10-week program provided 5 participants, including Aboriginal Elders, with basic skills for facilitating Peacemaking and Community Circles tailored to the Aboriginal community in Collie. The participants continue to meet regularly to apply their new skills to various scenarios of crime and wrongdoing. This will assist them in preparing a restorative justice process that is specific to Aboriginal culture in the south west region of Western Australia.
Eritrean Families in the Hume and North, Melbourne, Victoria: Serving the community’s needs while preserving a rich cultural heritage
The Jabana project aimed to support the well-being of Eritrean women with skill-building workshops, community activities, and health and wellness sessions. This project helped revive the traditional Jabana coffee ritual, providing a communication platform among three generations of Australian women from Eritrean backgrounds.
The project’s goal was to foster a sense of community and empower participants with the tools to navigate their new environment with confidence.
Twenty Jabana gatherings were attended by 50 to 70 women and girls from the Eritrean community. The success of the Jabana project was in creating a culturally sensitive, responsive, and empowering program for Eritrean-Australian women. The program continues, helping to effectively serve the community’s evolving needs while preserving their rich cultural heritage.
