The Kyabram Blue Light and the Rushworth Hands On Practical Education groups are among the recipients of this year’s Campaspe Youth GO! Grants.
The grants were announced on Tuesday, July 9, with four other youth-focused projects based in Echuca and Rochester also successful.
The Youth GO! Grants are a council initiative supported by the Victorian Government’s Engage! Program designed to assist community groups focused on youth-focused activities and events throughout the year.
The Kyabram Blue Light received $1000 to go towards its 2024 Halloween Disco, while the Rushworth Hand On Practical Education group received $1000 for its vegetable garden project.
The grants were assessed by representatives of council’s Youth Action Group, with members aged between 12 and 25 years old, supported by officers to help evaluate applications with a youth perspective in mind and develop skills and experience of the group’s members.
Campaspe Mayor Rob Amos said the grants offered a great opportunity for council to engage in youth-focused projects.
“The successful projects will provide a variety of programs, activities and events between now and the end of the year from organisations across the shire, so keep an eye out for upcoming events,” Cr Amos said.
Leading Senior Constable Mitchell Bull, a leader of the Kyabram Blue Light committee, said the funding received from the Youth GO! Grant would go a long way in levelling up its annual Halloween Disco to be held later this year.
“We’re putting [the grant] towards our major disco for the year at the start of November, and that basically allows us to run the event,” he said.
“We’re also looking to bring in some new things and working towards a couple new attractions for the event as well.”
On the list of things to look forward to at the 2024 Blue Light Halloween Disco are prizes for best dressed, a free photo booth, games, chill-out spaces and an outside area — plus the usual fun and dancing.
Leading Sen Constable Bull thanked the Youth Action Group for considering his group’s application and pushing it through for approval.
“It goes a long way for these types of events when people and peers their own age also help implement them,” he said.
“A lot of the committee are also people in that age category, and doing that for their younger peers with the assistance of the committee brings everything together and makes it happen for the community.”
If you are interested in joining the committee for the Kyabram Blue Light, visit https://www.bluelight.org.au/kyabram-blue-light/