Eight youth-led projects aimed at improving the life of young people in the bush have received a $150,000 kickstart from the Foundation for Regional and Rural Renewal.
The funding will be shared between 19 regionally-based councils and organisations to run pilot programs of the projects.
The projects aim to address racism, raise awareness of LGBTQIA issues, help disabled young people find work and deal with social problems arising from the use of methylamphetamine.
One project, 'Cooking for Cohesion' has proven especially popular, with the FRRR backing four pilots of the project that connects young people with home cooks from different multicultural backgrounds.
Indonesian-born and Newcastle raised Christine Sheridan was a 2016 Heywire winner who developed the project with her team of fellow winners.
She said moving from Indonesia when she was eight means she is acutely aware of the struggles face by young migrants when it comes to communicating and connecting with her new home.
"I experienced racist remarks at a young age," she said.
"If a workshop like Cooking for Cohesion was implemented in regional and rural schools, teenagers and young adults would have a better understanding of other cultures and a newfound appreciated of equality."
From outback South Australia, the Coober Pedy Shire Council's acting CEO Neil Brown shares that view, and wants to use the $9,700 its been granted to bring his community together.
"By including everyone we can promote cross-cultural interactions and cohesiveness, allowing us to understand and acknowledge the rich diversity that Coober Pedy has."
Each year, the ABC's Heywire program brings young people with powerful stories to Canberra to workshop ideas for improving the lives of youth living outside the city.
Past winners have developed highly successful projects that continue to this day thanks to financial backing from the FRRR.
Boots for Change, a 2015 Heywire project has raised around $17 million to support farmers at around 56 local farmers markets around Australia.
The 2016 FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants Recipients:
| Idea/Applicant | Location | Grant Amount | |
|
Production of a youth led tourism campaign and materials to encourage visitors to experience rural, regional and remote communities through a local's eyes, by showcasing the hidden gems of the region. | |||
| Eurobodella Youth Committee (Eurobedella Shire Council) | Moruya | NSW | $10,000 |
| Hindmarsh Shire Council | Nhill | VIC | $10,000 |
|
Increasing understanding and tolerance in regional communities through the delivery of a program whereby young people work with local home cooks from different ethnic backgrounds in practical and interactive educational workshops. | |||
| District Council of Coober Pedy | Coober Pedy | SA | $9,700 |
| Illawarra Sports High School | Wollongong | NSW | $6,700 |
| Snowy Monaro Regional Council | Cooma | NSW | $4,225 |
| The Roman Catholic Trust Corporation | North Rockhampton | QLD | $1,500 |
|
A volunteering and community engagement project that enables young people, who may be disconnected because of isolation, disability or mental health, to gain valuable skills, which can open doors to future employment and other opportunities. | |||
| Northern Grampians Shire Council | Stawell | VIC | $10,000 |
|
A mentoring program to connect young, local role models with students in their community, to help the students continue educational engagement and reach their own definitions of success. | |||
| City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder | Kalgoorlie-Boulder | WA | $10,000 |
| Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Ltd | Shepparton | VIC | $7,500 |
| South Coast Beef Producers Association | Nowra | NSW | $10,000 |
|
A job network event with a difference — bringing together young people with a disability and local employers at an inspiring and empowering event, showcasing speakers who have excelled in their field and happen to have a disability and practical advice, such as tips for employers to create disability-friendly workplaces. | |||
| Gladstone & District Christian Broadcasting Association | Gladstone | QLD | $10,000 |
|
A media project that creates a safe place for young people who have experienced ice abuse in their families to publicly share their stories, helping to build understanding and support within regional communities and to combat the spread of ice. | |||
| Greater Hume Shire | Culcairn | NSW | $4,693 |
| Uniting Communities Inc | Mount Gambier | SA | $10,000 |
|
RAGE (Rural Australians for Gender Equality) is a youth led event for the whole community which celebrates people in rural, regional and remote Australia who are pushing back against the expectations of traditional gender roles - showcasing and sharing experiences of living with and overcoming the constraints of gender expectations. | |||
| Goulburn Mulwaree Council | Goulburn | NSW | $10,000 |
| Mitchell Shire Council | Seymour | VIC | $9,943 |
| Young Leaders in Livingstone (Livingstone Shire Council) | Yeppoon | QLD | $3,000 |
|
A series of podcasts to connect LGBTQIA teens in rural, regional and remote communities via conversations by LGBTQIA people and straight allies. The youth led project will work to normalise queer issues and invite listeners from all backgrounds to tune in and contribute. | |||
| Mansfield Shire Council | Mansfield | VIC | $4,857 |
| Regional Youth Support Services | Gosford | NSW | $10,000 |
| Working it Out Inc | Various | TAS | $10,000 |
