I am pleased to announce the first round of grants for the Greater Western Sydney region under the National Community Crime Prevention Programme (NCCPP).
The successful projects will assist the community of Greater Western Sydney to directly address crime and the fear of crime in their local area.
Under the Greater Western Sydney region component of the NCCPP, the Australian Government has provided $8 million over 4 years towards strengthening grassroots initiatives to assist in the prevention of crime in the region.
This $8 million in funding is in addition to the $50 million committed by the Australian Government to the National Community Crime Prevention Programme, a community grants scheme that provides funding for crime prevention projects that demonstrate strong community partnerships, target priority areas and provide ongoing benefit to the community.
The round attracted strong interest from the Greater Western Sydney region with 78 applications. All applications were carefully considered by the Advisory Group for the Greater Western Sydney region component involving local community representatives and chaired by Mr Tim Priest.
Eight worthy projects have been selected by my colleague, Senator the Hon. Chris Ellison, Minister for Justice and Customs, taking into account the Advisory Group's recommendations.
The successful programmes cover a diverse range of community activity. All are excellent examples of the Western Sydney community taking action to fight the causes of crime and fear of crime in their own neighbourhoods.
A new round of grants for National and Greater Western Sydney will be advertised in late August 2005.
More information on the NCCPP and how to apply for grants is available on the website, www.crimeprevention.gov.au.
22 August 2005
Greater Western Sydney Region Community Crime Prevention Grants
Airds Bradbury Community Centre - Bridging Disadvantage and Crime Through Education project -- $120,000 (Community Safety Stream). A project in the Campbelltown local government area to advance community cohesion, health and well-being through community skill-based educational courses to strengthen individuals and families. Courses will cover life and parenting skills, early childhood development and employment.
Blacktown Migrant Resource Centre - Community Harmony and Crime Prevention with African Communities in Blacktown - $149,180 (Community Safety Stream). A project to engage local Sudanese and other African communities with local human services and businesses in a collaborative manner to reduce the incidence of crime. Using a multi-faceted approach, the project will work with these communities on addressing the growth in cases of offenders or victims of crime as well as broader safety fears.
Cumberland Women's Health Centre - Religion and Family Harmony project - $145,386 (Community Safety Stream). A project to work with various religious and community leaders across Western Sydney to reduce domestic violence in the community. Involving leaders in education and development of strategies will enhance their capacity to respond to family violence and promote family harmony within their communities/congregations.
Mount Druitt Ethnic Communities Agency Inc - Pacific Let's Talk project - $127,781 (Community Safety Stream). A project to bridge the intergenerational divide between parents and young people, often seen as a causal factor of involvement in criminal and anti-social behaviour. Delivered in a camp setting, it will target young people aged 12-17 years and their parents and grandparents who are caregivers.
Salvation Army NSW - Caf‚ Horizons Penrith -$150,000 (Community Safety Stream). A project to provide life skills and vocational training to prevent or reduce youth crime and anti-social behaviour. It will engage disadvantaged young people (15-25 years), particularly those involved in drug abuse and/or crime, within Western Sydney, in a supported enterprise environment.
Youth Off the Streets - Leading Your Community project - $150,000 (Community Safety Stream). A project to address the incidence of youth crime and enhance community safety in the Airds area. It will provide leadership workshops and peer-to-peer learning, regular community consultation and volunteering opportunities for the wider community.
Hillsong Emerge Ltd - Greater Blacktown Community Partnership Youth project - $414,479 (Community Partnership Stream). A project to engage and empower residents throughout the Blacktown local government area to address and implement crime prevention strategies through community enhancement. Activities with partner agencies will involve the Sudanese community in the Blacktown area and indigenous youth in the Riverstone area to encourage residents to take personal responsibility for the maintenance and improvement of their homes, streets, parks and commercial areas with the goal of reducing vandalism, crime and fear of crime.
Royal Society for the Welfare of Mothers and Babies (Tresillian) -Mothering at a Distance project - $447,421 (Community Partnership Stream). A project to be conducted at correctional facilities in Silverwater, Emu Plains, South Windsor and Berrima focusing on the needs of incarcerated mothers with children aged 0 - 5 years with the aim of breaking the cycle of inter-generational crime. It will establish a self-sustaining education and support programme to address the needs of mothers and enhance their ability to provide appropriate and sensitive parenting, reducing the impact of separation due to incarceration.