Youth-inspired ideas set to become life-changing projects

Media Releases, 14 November 2021

$208,000 in grants awarded to 23 projects

Twenty-three projects in remote, rural and regional Australia have been awarded grants through the FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants program to bring to life ideas developed at the Heywire Youth Ideas lab. These projects will tackle a range of issues such as discrimination, youth-led peer support, multigenerational connection, mental health and career opportunities for young people.

FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grantsfor 2021 awarded

These grants will mean that community organisations and local not-for-profits can implement community-led initiatives that will have a lasting impact.

Natalie Egleton, FRRR’s CEO, said she is impressed by how all those connected with the program managed to pivot to respond to COVID-19 conditions.

“Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the ABC was unable to hold the usual Heywire Regional Youth Summit in Canberra. Instead, they adapted and ran the first Heywire Youth Ideas Lab in Broken Hill. The determination of the young people of Broken Hill, and their willingness to make a difference inspired these projects, which will create meaningful change when it comes to mental health and wellbeing, skills development and equality in our remote, rural and regional towns.

“These grants highlight the importance of both providing support on the ground and ensuring that young people are driving the conversation about their priorities. These community-led initiatives, which all involve young people, will facilitate events, training and mentorship that will bring people together and ensure that our remote, rural and regional communities continue to thrive,” Ms Egleton said.

Youth Ideas Lab participant Emerson said that she feels proud to have been a part of a program that will make a difference for so many Australians.

“When we were telling our stories and developing our ideas at the Youth Ideas Lab, it was such an inspiring experience, but it was difficult to imagine our ideas actually being put into practice. Now, hearing and reading about all the wonderful projects that are going to actually happen because of the ideas that we brought to the table is amazing!”

The involvement of young people also extended to the assessment of the applications. For the last three years, the FRRR Program Advisory Committee, which reviews the assessments made by staff and recommends grants to FRRR’s Board, has been made up of former Heywire participants. The group learns about committee processes and governance, before participating in the assessment committee. FRRR directors, staff and some donors are on-hand with ABC staff to provide support. This is a deliberate approach to continue to invest in young people, so they can play an ongoing role in strengthening their communities.

Some of the 23 projects being funded are listed below:

  • CareSouth Deniliquin in Deniliquin, NSW, received $5,080 to develop the Support Squad idea bycreating a youth peer support network that will run an art therapy mentoring program.
  • Nganmarriyanga School Council Incorporated in Nganmarriyanga, NT, received $10,000 to develop the Open Field Fest idea by developing students’ creative skills with song writing workshops that showcase community, culture and language.
  • Heal.ed Tribe in Coombabah, QLD, received $5,400 to develop the Contribute to the Change ideaby supporting young women with a lived experience of an eating disorder to share their story and reduce the stigma surrounding it.
  • Umeewarra Aboriginal Media Association in Port Augusta, SA, received $10,000 to develop the Open Field Fest idea by growing the number of young first nations artists participating in music festivals in Port Augusta through a skills development program.
  • Beacon Foundation in Hobart, TAS, received $9,640 to develop the Discover your Future idea by encouraging secondary school students to adopt an entrepreneur mindset with a program to imagine, design and develop new businesses and products.
  • Youth Live 4 Life in Maryborough, VIC, received $10,000 to develop the Contribute to the Change ideaby developing a network of youth who are trained in mental health first aid and knowledgeable about the support services available to them.
  • Derby District High School in Derby, WA, received $10,000 to develop the Discover your Future idea by developing youth skills in horsemanship to broaden their career aspirations and provide a pathway into the pastoral industry.

The grants are made possible thanks to the generous support of the Sally Foundation, Erdi Foundation, Findex Community Fund, David Mactaggart Foundation, MaiTri Foundation as well as several private donors.

The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.

OrganisationProjectLocationGrant
The StoryLink Project
Council of the City of Broken HillCreate an inclusive community where diversity is celebrated through videos of young people highlighting the rich cultural makeup of the region.Broken Hill, NSW $10,000
GiveOUT IncSupport the young LGBTIQ+ community with a capacity building project, empowering them to tell their stories and create vibrant sustainable organisations.Online, VIC $10,000
Satellite FoundationImprove community understanding of the difficulties faced by youth who have a family member with a mental illness, with a video series highlighting the everyday prejudice faced by these youth.Gippsland, VIC $10,000
Support Squad
CareSouthCreate a youth peer support network by running an art therapy mentoring program.Deniliquin, NSW $5,080
Human Nature Adventure TherapyEmpower youth to share their mental health journey with their peers through a mental health training and storytelling workshop.Ballina, NSW $10,000
Young Men’s Christian Association of SydneyEstablish an LGBTIQ+ support group for the youth of Cooma and provide training to create leaders within the group.Cooma, NSW $9,878
Rascal Robot Art SpaceSupport youth to develop the skills and connections to establish an arts and culture festival that is fun, safe and inclusive for the community.Beaconsfield, TAS $9,800
Wimmera Development Association IncorporatedDevelop leadership skills for young multicultural youth in Wimmera to help them develop their own support networks.Horsham, VIC $10,000
Open Field Fest
Greater Hume Shire CouncilIncrease social opportunities for youth through the development of a fun and inclusive youth event.Culcairn, NSW $10,000
Nganmarriyanga School Council IncorporatedDevelop students’ creative skills with song writing workshops that showcase community, culture and language.Nganmarriyanga, NT $10,000
Umeewarra Aboriginal Media AssociationGrow the number of young first nations artists participating in music festivals in Port Augusta through a skills development program.Port Augusta, SA $10,000
Food is Free Inc Support Ballarat youth to create a community festival that celebrates sustainability through workshops, emerging artists and recycled art.Ballarat, VIC $9,904
Contribute to the Change
Snowy Monaro Regional CouncilImprove mental health literacy and awareness, by training a series of mentors to provide one-on-one support and guidance to youth.Cooma, NSW $9,200
RichmondPRA LimitedBuild the mental health literacy of Broken Hill youth through wellbeing workshops.Broken Hill, NSW $3,500
Heal.ed TribeSupport young women with a lived experience of an eating disorder to share their story and reduce the stigma surrounding it.Coombabah, QLD $5,400
Riverland Youth TheatreEmpower youth to explore their identity through performance art and costume design to image their best, bravest future self.Renmark, SA $10,000
Youth Live 4 LifeDevelop a network of youth who are trained in mental health first aid and knowledgeable about the support services available to them.Maryborough, VIC $10,000
Hindmarsh Shire CouncilCreate meaningful conversations about mental health with a youth presented podcast series with mental health professionals.Nhill, VIC $10,000
Discover your Future
Far West UCPrepare Broken Hill youth for their future careers by holding a networking event with local experts and education providers.Broken Hill, NSW $7,269
Sydney School of EntrepreneurshipInspire the youth of Dubbo to explore new pathways beyond school with a challenge-focused innovation and entrepreneurship program.Dubbo, NSW $9,150
Beacon FoundationEncourage secondary school students to adopt an entrepreneur mindset with a program to imagine, design and develop new businesses and products.Hobart, TAS $9,640
Food & Fibre Great South CoastInspire Geelong youth to explore a career in the food and fibre industry by connecting them with young leaders in the field.Geelong, VIC $10,000
Derby District High SchoolDevelop youth skills in horsemanship to broaden their career aspirations and provide a pathway into the pastoral industry.Derby, WA $10,000
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Amy Crawford

Amy Crawford has an extensive career in complex public policy and its intersection across government and communities.

Amy is the Chief Executive Officer at the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), representing 537 councils across the nation. Amy holds over 20 years’ experience in the Australian Public Service. She has a deep understanding of federal government policies and structures, with over 10 years’ service in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and has worked for the federal Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories. Amy has shaped a wide range of policies and programs including regional development, telecommunications, immigration, emergency management, social policy and pandemic preparation.

Amy is a Board Director of Austroads and represents ALGA on the Public Skills Australia Industry Advisory Group, and the Australia-New Zealand Emergency Management Committee. She is also a Board Director for the Canberra Youth Theatre which provides voice for Canberra’s youth through intelligent and challenging theatre.

Amy holds a Bachelor of Laws (honours) and Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) from the University of Queensland, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership. Amy was appointed to the FRRR Board in January 2025.

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Kylie Hansen

Kylie brings leadership and management experience from across academic, corporate, not-for-profit, social enterprise and impact investment sectors, having deep dived into a myriad of specialisations and systems. Her six tertiary qualifications are equally as diverse and complimentary, covering commerce, politics, international development, community development, project management and law. Her breadth and depth of experience enables her to draw on a number of disciplines and innovative ways of working and thinking, and she is well recognised as consistently delivering work and services of a high quality.

Kylie uses her strong background in sustainability, governance and impact measurement to support collaborative initiatives across sectors oriented at improving social outcomes, and to support socially conscientious businesses to articulate their social impact. As founder and director at Impact Seed she has been instrumental in developing the impact measurement, evaluation, learning and ESG practice which advises numerous corporates, and is passionate about supporting First Nations empowerment particularly in the context of regional economic development.

Kylie is also a Director of the WA Social Enterprise Council, a member of the B Council (B Lab Australia and New Zealand), and a Governor of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

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Hon. John Anderson AC

The Hon. John Anderson AC is a sixth-generation farmer and grazier from NSW, who served in the Australian Parliament from 1989 to 2008.

He was a senior Cabinet minister in the government led by John Howard (1996 to 2005), including six years as Leader of the National Party and Deputy Prime Minister.

In the latter role, Mr Anderson played in important role in FRRR’s history, working closely with Baillieu Myer AC and others on a proposal to establish a philanthropic organisation to benefit rural Australia. The concept was discussed at the National Regional Summit in 1999 and FRRR was established shortly thereafter.

Mr Anderson currently hosts a regular podcast, where he is in conversation with thought-leaders from around the world, and is a regular media commentator.

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Regina Cruickshank

Partnerships Specialist (WA)

Regina supports FRRR as the WA Partnerships Specialist. With over two decades of experience in partnerships and marketing, she has a deep understanding of Western Australia’s social impact landscape. She brings a strong passion for leveraging purpose-built networks to create positive change.

Regina previously worked with Playgroup WA and founded a Health Promotion Charity dedicated to supporting Social Emotional wellbeing for underserved communities. She’s excited about the opportunity to connect with partners and explore ways to make a meaningful difference in WA.

She lives in Perth with her family and enjoys mindful moments of connection to Country, whether on horseback, on foot or underwater.

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Anna Palmer

People and Culture Manager

Based in Central Victoria, Anna is a senior Human Resources, Organisation Development and Industrial Relations professional, with significant private and public sector experience across every facet of people and culture leadership.

Her most recent roles have been with Don KR in Castlemaine and Mount Alexander Shire Council. She has also held senior HR roles with Victoria Legal Aid and the TAC among many others.

From Mildura originally, Anna has postgraduate qualifications in Change Management and a Masters in Organisation Dynamics.

Anna is currently completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts to balance her creative pursuits and work as an HR professional.

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Philippa Twaddle

Management Accountant

Carolyn joined the FRRR team in March 2017, and is responsible for providing executive support to the CEO, effective coordination of the FRRR office and general administrative support to the management team. A key responsibility is supporting the administration of FRRR’s Donation Account Services.

She has over fifteen years’ experience working in local government in the Tourism and Arts Sector, Civic and Event Management and Community engagement.

Carolyn has a Bachelor of Arts in Librarianship, majoring in psychology, and grew up on farming communities in Cohuna and Echuca and currently lives in Bendigo.