The Federal Government will invest $600,000 in the Centacare Children and Schooling Project that will support Aboriginal children aged 0-12 and youth aged 14-18 years.

 

The initiative will see programme coordinators employed to provide information and support to children, young people and their families to ensure they have an easy transition into school.

 

Federal Member for Calare, the Hon John Cobb said, “Centacare will be able to continue their invaluable work in the community that has far reaching benefits across the region with it being delivered in Bathurst, Coonabarabran, Gilgandra, Orange and Wellington”.

 

“Ensuring our Indigenous community has a strong relationship with education is vital, as we want to make sure every individual is able to reach their full potential”.

 

The funding commitment includes $648,486 which will enable the establishment of the Safety and Wellbeing project that will improve education and employment outcomes in the Indigenous community.

 

Federal Member for Parkes, Mark Coulton said, “This funding is directly aimed at building the capacity of Indigenous people to engage and access Indigenous and mainstream services”.

 

“I look forward to seeing the benefits this new programme will deliver over the next year, with it addressing a range of problems facing our communities”.

 

The Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion, said the Government’s investment through the IAS grant round had increased from $860 million to $1 billion, with 996 organisations to receive funding for over 1,350 projects throughout Australia.