NATURE AND COMMUNITY GROUPS IN WEST GIPPSLAND BENEFIT FROM VOLUNTEERING INNOVATION FUND
Thursday 18th February 2021
Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing, today congratulated Bushwalking Victoria and The Scout Association of Australia, Victoria Branch on receiving grants of $4,120 and $20,000 respectively from the Andrews Labor Government’s Volunteering Innovation Fund.
The $2 million Fund is supporting groups to deliver conservation projects.
Bushwalking Victoria’s project will deliver a program to host authors to read book chapters at a series of volunteer track cleaning activities on the Australian Alps Walking Track in the Baw Baw National Park.
The Scout Association of Australia’s project aims to rejuvenate and maintain the rail trails around Caringal Scout Camp with Scout Groups and members of the public being invited to assist the project in return for free on-site camping at the Scout grounds.
Twenty innovative volunteer projects have been awarded more than $300,000, with funding of up to $20,000 per project.
The Volunteering Innovation Fund will support people from all walks of life to volunteer in our parks and forests, benefiting the environment, volunteers and the community.
The Fund will run from 2020-2023 awarding a total of $2 million across four different rounds allocated as part of the Andrews Labor Government’s $105.6 million Victoria’s Great Outdoors program.
Round two of the Volunteering Innovation Fund opens at 9am Thursday 11 March with funding of up to $50,000 available per project. The public will be invited to vote for successful applications through Engage Victoria.
Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing
“The projects that will be delivered by Bushwalking Victoria and The Scout Association of Australia, Victoria Branch are wonderful examples of innovative ways to increase the number and diversity of people volunteering in our parks, in particular increasing the number of volunteers participating for the first time.”
“The Volunteering Innovation Fund is building on the incredible work of existing volunteers and inviting others to enjoy Victoria’s great outdoors through volunteering.”
“I encourage all local groups in West Gippsland to apply for Round 2 of the Volunteering Innovation Fund when it opens on 11 March”