Youth Minister Dave Kelly today announced that applications were open for a State Government grant program to support the empowerment of LGBTQIA+ young people and improve their mental and physical wellbeing outcomes.
The LGBTQIA+ Youth Empowerment Grants program will offer a total of $275,000 in Department of Communities grant funding, and will be administered by the Youth Affairs Council of WA.
The program will support initiatives that improve the health and wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ young people aged 10-25 years through increased representation, engagement, and participation with decision-making.
Organisations specialising in the delivery of empowering programs for LGBTQIA+ young people are eligible to apply for grants of between $2,000 and $25,000 to deliver support and inclusion services for LGBTQIA+ young people.
More information about the grants programs can be found at https://www.yacwa.org.au.
As stated by Youth Minister Dave Kelly:
“LGBTQIA+ young people continue to experience prejudice and discrimination in their lives, and are at greater risk of mental health issues, including self-harm and suicide.
“It is important that all young people are empowered to make decisions about their own lives, and that they get the support they need to be active participants in the community.
“This grants program will focus on the wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ young people and support organisations to assist them in building the knowledge, confidence and skills they need to be actively involved in community life and respond to issues impacting their lives.
“The funding will also support new initiatives that elevate LGBTQIA+ young people’s participation and voices across government and prioritise their development and engagement.”
