The City of Casey has allocated $240,000 in grant funding to ten community organisations who take innovative approaches in addressing issues that impact public safety and family violence.
Council received funding as part of the Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety’s (DJCS) Building Safer Communities Program to go towards the Casey Empowering Communities Project.
In partnership with Vic Police, DJCS and the Casey Action Group – a community advisory group - Council identified community organisations who will deliver programs that aim to improve community safety and connection.
City of Casey Chair of Administrators Noelene Duff PSM is looking forward to supporting the organisations to deliver their programs to help build a safer community.
“Council appreciates the Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety’s funding so we can continue to support grassroot organisations and the fantastic programs they deliver for our community,” said Ms Duff.
“As one of Victoria’s most populated municipalities, Council is committed to working with our community partners and local organisations to address crime, perceptions of safety and family violence.
By strengthening community connection, identity and safety, the Empowering Communities grants will help us deliver a supported and collaborative approach in priority communities and contribute to a long term vision of reducing crime and family violence,” explained Ms Duff.
The grant recipients and their programs include:
- Baluk Arts’s Kaptify Artist In Residency program: a peer and vocational support program using street art as an engagement tool.
- Pat Cronin Foundation’s Be Wise 2.0 Program: a youth education program promoting wise choices around violence and ending the ‘coward punch.’
- Family Life Ltd will be co-designing safety and wellbeing solutions for Casey’s Afghan community.
- Casey Community Advisory Taskforce’s project: will work with women at risk or who are experiencing family violence.
- Indiancare’s Kutumb 2.0 Project: aims to raise awareness about gendered violence within the Indian community and deliver family strengthening programs.
- South Sudanese Australian Academic Society Inc’s (SSAS) uses cultural dance, storytelling and art as an engagement and mentoring tool for young people, single-parent families and those with low English-speaking skills.
- Wellsprings for Women’s Safety and Equality Matter program: will provide multilingual safety resources for culturally and linguistically diverse residents, especially women.
- Playgroup VIC’s Connecting and Empowering Communities Program: uses inclusive all abilities playgroups to activate social connections, engagement and empower residents; particularly at risk families.
- Apostolic Faith Mission VIC CARE’s (AFM VICCARE) Save the Youth Hope of Australia’s Future Program: will provide a variety of youth recreation and mentoring programs and also aim to improve young people’s relationships with police.
- Islamic Council of Victoria’s playgroups program: for multicultural and Muslim families to connect and engage culturally and linguistically diverse women.
To find out more visit DJCS’s website.
This initiative is funded by the Victorian Government’s Empowering Communities Project as part of the Building Safer Communities Program. 
