Twelve community organisations across the State will receive a share of more than $375,000 through the Celebrating Multicultural Queensland program to help fund projects aimed at building an inclusive, harmonious and united Queensland.
The grants are part of an annual $2 million program, with the Palaszczuk Government doubling overall funding for the Celebrating Multicultural Grants program to $6 million over three years.
In announcing the successful projects, Multicultural Affairs Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the funding is designed to encourage greater participation and inclusion for people from migrant and refugee backgrounds.
“We have seen in previous years, what a difference this funding has made to so many lives, bringing communities together and promoting a sense of belonging,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“This program is about providing pathways to participation in the cultural, economic and social life of Queensland.
“There is a real focus this year on training and development opportunities for future employment across a range of industries, and on starting up and running a small business.
“Sports-related projects have also been targeted for funding, as sport is an integral part of our way of life in Queensland, and is one of the most readily available avenues in which to be included.”
Multicultural Communities Council – Gold Coast through its ‘GC DiverCITY’ project will receive a grant of $35,000 to work with the Gold Coast Private Hospital and Aged Care Services to create lasting networks with migrants based on their previous skills, overseas experience, expertise and employment goals.
In Brisbane, the Multicultural Community Centre’s ‘Developing and Growing Small Business’ project will receive a grant of $30,300 to provide people from migrant and refugee backgrounds, especially mature aged men and women, with opportunities to start up small businesses through participation, combined with training, education and coaching.
The Central Queensland Multicultural Association will receive $34,500 to provide people from a diverse range of cultures and socially disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to be part of establishing a Multicultural Sporting Association.
Other projects to receive funding include:
- Creche and Kindergarten Association’s ‘Building Community Leaders in Biloela’, aimed at improving employment opportunities in the child care sector
- Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Business Connect – Skilled Migrants and Refugees’, designed to connect the Toowoomba business community with the pool of skills available among people from migrant and refugee backgrounds
- Conservation Volunteers Australia’s ‘Multicultural Connections to Nature’, giving newly arrived migrants and refugees in Townsville a ‘sense of place’ by providing opportunities to explore the local landscape and environment.
- AFL Queensland’s ‘Pathway to Engagement for CALD People’, aimed at increasing participation and skills development in football, as well as assisting community clubs to develop strategies that support diversity and cultural understanding.
“It’s fantastic to see such a wide range of projects from across the State all focussed on ensuring Queensland is a place of welcome and belonging,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“These projects will have a positive impact on the lives of many Queenslanders, not only the individuals they are designed to assist, but also their communities through the richness of greater diversity.”
