BY NATALIE GALLENTI
COMMUNITY groups across Brimbank received much-needed funds last week as the council announced the recipients of its community grants program.
Seventy groups, including family support groups, cultural and sporting clubs and community service organisations, were successful in securing a total of $329,000 in funding.
Peter Lewinsky, chair of Brimbank administrators, said the annual program provided community groups with resources for activities that supported and improved the community’s health and well-being, strengthening the community, and building their capacity through partnerships and networks.
“Community groups and organisations play such an important role in Brimbank and it is only fitting that we as a council provide support to these groups so they can run these programs and events that benefit the wider community. It’s about working together and supporting one another,” Mr Lewinsky said.
Community West was one of the lucky recipients and executive officer Robyn Shilton said the grant would help the organisation, which provides integral services to families and individuals across Melbourne’s West, deliver workshops which would respond to the community’s needs.
Ms Shilton said the organisation responded to a lot of queries from new migrants who were unsure of their legal rights and responsibilities and often landed in trouble because of this.
“Without the grant we would not have been able to host these workshops.”
Ms Shilton said the grants were an example of how the council and community groups could work together to offer residents better services.
“There’s not enough programs out there. Brimbank is a complex cultural community. These kind of workshops are just the tip of the iceberg. But there is definitely progress.”
