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Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans Affairs Darren Chester has announced $1.5 million worth of grants for organisations that support Australian Defence Force families across Australia to deliver programs and services within their local communities.
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Minister Chester said the Family Support Funding Program (FSFP) enables defence families to connect and interact with each other and the community in a variety of ways.
“Defence families make incredible sacrifices and this funding contributes to a strong sense of community and a support network for those feeling the disruption and change from posting to a new location,” Minister Chester said.
FSFP provides funding to not-for-profit organisations to:
- Facilitate the coming together of Defence families for mutual support, education and connection with their community, and support for their overall personal and social wellbeing;
- Support Defence families to engage with each other and their local communities to minimise the challenges and enhance the opportunities that come with the unique military lifestyle;
- Empower Defence families to thrive by giving them the confidence they need to succeed in managing the Defence way of life; and
- Support community capacity building by identifying and nurturing partnership opportunities to support the delivery of programs that provide a strengthened sense of community for Defence families and reduce the feeling of isolation that a posting can bring.
“These grants will support defence families’ wellbeing and promote the sharing of ideas and information to help manage the demands of military life and allow families to settle into their local communities,” Minister Chester said.
The Family Support Advisory Committee (FSAC) panel assesses and prioritises all applications received against the set criteria and recommends to the Minister for Defence, the amount of the grants and any terms and conditions under which they should be given.
Minister Chester added, “Congratulations to the 44 grant recipients and thank you for all you do for our Defence families. I encourage any Defence family that would like further information on accessing community resources and support to call the Defence Family Helpline on 1800 624 608.”
The funding provided through the FSFP is available to community organisations to deliver support and services of value to Defence families and the community they live in. The grants are managed by the Defence Community Organisation, which provides a wide range of programs, information and assistance for Defence families.
