Local community groups and programs that boost participation for multicultural communities in Dandenong will share in $16 million of grants thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.

The Member for Dandenong, Gabrielle Williams, said seven local groups were successful in their bids for funding grants under the new Capacity Building and Participation (CBP) Program.

The CBP Program provides grants ranging from $5,000 to $230,000 for a period of between one to four years. Statewide, more than 250 applications were successful and the total funding allocation over four years is over $16 million.

The Dandenong grant recipients include Enliven Victoria who will receive $40,000 to implement a program called ‘Afghan Community Strengthening to Improve Health and Wellbeing’. This collaborative project will build a sustainable model aimed at improving the health literacy of the Afghan community in Melbourne’s south east through community capacity building and health literacy activities co-designed and delivered by trained Afghan volunteers and supported by the Afghan community. The project will build an awareness of health, mental health and how to access health services.

The program aims to support regional multicultural communities, new and emerging communities from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds, youth, and women and seniors.

The CBP Program will build the capacity of multicultural communities to participate in all aspects of life across Victoria by:

• strengthening participation, inclusion and service access by multicultural communities across Victoria
• strengthening the capacity of multicultural community organisations, including language schools
• fostering collaborative partnerships between community and organisations, in which communities are empowered to use their knowledge and resources to improve social, cultural, educational and economic outcomes for the benefit of all Victorians

Quotes attributable to Local Member for Dandenong, Gabrielle Williams

“These grants will support our local projects and groups who work so hard to support our proudly multicultural community.”

“It will help us create a more inclusive and integrated community and build relationships between local government, service providers and the wider community.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Multicultural Affairs Robin Scott

“The CBP Program is one of the ways the Andrews Labor Government is working to boost the participation of Victoria’s multicultural communities.”