Albury Wodonga YWCA "Young Women Leading Change" Grants Program

 Border Trust in partnership with the Albury Wodonga YWCA established the "YOUNG WOMEN LEADING CHANGE" Community Grants Program in 2009.

To apply for a grant from this program go to: Grants General Information

 The YWCA has a special focus on working for and with young women and fostering the development of young women's leadership. See: www.ywca.org.au

The Program will respond to the needs of the women and girls of our region by making grants to eligible organisations for innovative undertakings which reflect the mission and aims of the YWCA.

Under normal circumstances, grants with an upper limit of $5,000 will be offered annually.

Albury Wodonga YWCA welcomes partnerships and encourages applicants to seek funds from a range of sources.

Generally grants will be applied to projects that have a special focus on working for and with young women and fostering the development of young women's leadership.

The four priority policy areas of YWCA are housing, economic security, health and violence against women.

Consideration will be given to community projects that will:

• promote and develop leadership skills in women and girls
• support women and girls across their lifespan recognising their different needs, interests and capacities at different stages of their lives
• value diversity and eliminate racism
• support reconciliation among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-indigenous Australians.

 2011 Grant Recipients

 Gateway Community Health grant of $5000 for the Street Harvest Project. The project will involve vulnerable youth in middle high school in a food production program with the Community Gardening Network, Trudewind Road Neighbourhood House and Food Share Albury Wodonga. The project will promote a healthy lifestyle message and enhance the participants involvement in the community.

Ronald McDonald Family Room at Wodonga Hospital received a grant of $4100 to support a Mothers and Premature Babies Group. This will be a support group for parents of premature babies needing support, education & care around health issues of premature birth. Based at Ronald McDonald Family Room – Wodonga Hospital.

Albury Wodonga Youth Emergency Services Ltd (YES Youth Family Services) received a grant of $2000 for the "Girls on the Go Program". This is a nine week course, supporting young women with negative body image and disordered eating patterns.

Murrumbridgee NSW Local Health Network. The recipients of a $5000 grant for the "Getting Ahead of Post Natal Depression Course" at the Mother Baby Unit, Mercy Hospital, Albury. This project provides a support group and education course for families with multiple vulnerabilities to manage post natal depression.

 2011 GRANT RECIPIENT

Ronald McDonald Family Room Wodonga received a YWCA Grant to establish a Mothers & Premature Babies Group, based at Wodonga Hospital. The group will provide mothers of premature babies with specialist support services , contact with services available, guidance, education and opportunities to establish links with other families of premature babies.

The Ronald McDonald family room provides support for families with a premature or sick baby in the Special Care Nursery at Wodonga Hospital. It is a day haven within the hospital for local families and provides overnight accommodation for families from out of town.

 Pictured - Baby Adelaide and her Mum who will benefit from attending the Mothers and Premature Babies Group.

Past YWCA Young Women Leading Change Grant Recipients

   Participants in the "Eat Well - Do Well" program
from Albury Wodonga Community College 2010