Over the last year, Yarra City Council has contributed over $171,000 in funding towards local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander projects as part of its community grants program.
The funding has supported a diverse breadth of community-led initiatives spanning social equity and health projects, arts and cultural activities, social enterprises and kids and family programs.
Over $33,000 has been allocated over three years to Beyond the Bars – a live prison radio program presented by Fitzroy-based community radio station 3CR, which gives voice to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander inmates in Victorian prisons.
Broadcast each year during NAIDOC Week, the program features songs, stories and poems from the inmates. Participants attend workshops in the lead up to the broadcast to build their skills and confidence to prepare them for the broadcast.
Following the live program, 3CR publishes the broadcast online, produces a CD of highlights and holds a free, public launch event in Yarra to celebrate the project with live music and speakers.
Other funded projects include the Young Aunties Haus creative mentoring and development space, Cohealth’s health and wellbeing project Billabong BBQ and The Colour And Sound Of My Totem kids’ workshops.
At Yarra, we deeply value the contribution Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have made and continue to make to the area.
You can learn more about Yarra City Council’s commitment to celebrating and supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Yana Ngargna Plan 2020-2023.
