Grants help Defence families to thrive

Recipient

Electorate

Funding description

Awarded amount

Solid Rock Defence Ministry Australia Inc

Bean

Solid Rock offer dignity and value to every female partner of serving Defence personnel. They provide small group support and encouragement at various locations around Australia to offer community, stability, pastoral care and practical support to Defence female spouses and families. Funding supports the employment of a national coordinator and two area leaders, advertising, supplies for welcome bags, the national weekend retreat and course sessions.

$5,000

Defence Special Needs Support Group Inc

Canberra

DSNSG supports Defence families who have a dependant with special needs by providing assistance, information and being an advocate on problems and issues that arise in the day to day living of a special needs family managing the Defence lifestyle. Funding will support various programs for recognised DSNSG families including information workshops, computer courses, drive safe training and family events.

$68,000

Duntroon Community Centre

Canberra

Duntroon Community Centre seeks to achieve 'a place to belong' for Defence families and a sense of community for them during their time in Canberra. Support activities include playschool, playgroup, a collaborative workspace, family connections, health and wellbeing and family friendly events.

$40,000

Gungahlin Defence Families Playgroup Inc

Fenner

Gungahlin Defence Families Playgroup offers a support network and platform for education and developing community connection, through the running of a playgroup. Funding will support playgroup activities, wellbeing courses, a welcome event, venue hire and to replenish supplies. 

$9,400

Recipient

Electorate

Funding description

Awarded amount

Kissingpoint Cottage

Bennelong

Kissingpoint Cottage enriches the lives of Defence families by providing a safe meeting place for the dissemination of information, formal support and the making of friendships and connections. This will be achieved through the continuation of support and services currently offered and by building on these services to reach more families, offering new sessions which the local Defence community has shown a need for, such as tailored social activities and health and wellbeing activities and courses.

$60,708*

3Bridges Community Limited

Cook

3Bridges Community Limited provides services which address the isolation, stress and lack of family support networks that Defence families experience due to the gap in community support services in the Sutherland Shire in Sydney through their Early Years Support Service (EYSS). The service supports families suffering from issues such as postnatal depression, anxiety, ill health, disability, multiple births, premature births and partners who work far from home or who serve in the ADF. Interested Defence families will also have the opportunity to volunteer and additional opportunities to engage with the community through groups such as playgroup, craft, Tai Chi, children’s services, walking groups, computer courses and counselling.

$25,768

Australian Kookaburra Kids Foundation

Cook

Australian Kookaburra Kids Foundation provides support to young people from Defence families experiencing mental illness with the aim of empowering them to build resilience, lifelong knowledge and abilities, so they can reach their potential. The project offers serving Defence families in the Canberra and Shoalhaven regions with evidence-based, age appropriate prevention and early intervention mental health services, embedded within a peer-based social and activity based format.

$75,000

Holsworthy Community Group

Hughes

Holsworthy Community Group connects with the Defence community to minimise the feeling of isolation felt by families which can often lead to mental health and/or relationship breakdowns. The Holsworthy Community Group provides services and programs which are tailor made to meet the needs of the local Defence community that facilitate interaction and to assist in making connections both personally and professionally in a safe and supportive environment.

$35,000

Singleton Defence, Families and Community Inc

Hunter

Singleton Defence, Families and Community Inc delivers programs and activities to address the challenges experienced by Defence families in their unique posting location, such as a regional location, housing limitations, decreased spouse employment opportunities, high proportion of family absence, and the demographics and demands of the Defence workforce. The programs and activities offered address these challenges by increasing the variety, frequency, flexibility and availability of support opportunities accessible.

$35,800

Randwick Family Centre

Kingsford-Smith

Randwick Family Centre offers a safe place for families and serving members of all ages to come and connect with like-minded people. The funding supports weekly playgroup costs as well as the expansion of services including Friday drop-ins, fitness sessions, after school activities, book club and wellbeing and family events.

$37,836

Defence Richmond Family Centre

Macquarie

Defence Richmond Family Centre offers Defence families the opportunity to come together to nurture friendships, build relationships and be that constant cornerstone to help face the challenges of military family life. This is achieved through the delivery or regular programs such as playgroup, coffee catch ups, craft and book clubs as well as other special family events and celebrations.  

$33,600

Hunter Region Botanic Gardens

Paterson

Hunter Region Botanic Gardens offer the ‘Gardens Tranquillity for Health Promotion for ADF Families’ which encourages RAAF families to participate in events at the gardens for the benefits of health and wellbeing in an outdoors setting. Families will benefit through access to garden activities which include sensory experiences, learning about the environment including water saving programs, talks on conservation and biodiversity as well as access to guided tours, volunteering opportunities, attending bush tucker seminars and encountering new experiences for all ages of the Defence community.

$27,000

Williamtown Defence Family Group Incorporated

Paterson

Williamtown Defence Family Group Incorporated provides support to Defence families through regular programs and activities such as social events to decrease loneliness and isolation as well as through running wellbeing workshops to reduce the challenges associated with a mobile military life. The organisation also provides welcome bags for families to reduce the stress of moving to a new area.

$11,400

Williamtown Playgroup Inc

Paterson

Williamtown Playgroup Inc offers a social network for Defence spouses with children aged 0-5 years to come together for playgroup and monthly family events in order to reduce the sense of isolation and provide support to one another.

$9,742

Kapooka Neighbourhood House Inc

Riverina

Kapooka Neighbourhood House Inc provides regular programs and special events targeting community engagement, social networking and building resilience and self-esteem for Defence families. Programs include social connections such as book club and pot luck dinners, one off seasonal events, a community garden, playgroup, health and wellbeing programs such as a kid’s boot camp and sports activities and educational programs such as nutritional cooking classes.

$36,509

The RAAF Army Navy Community House Inc

Riverina

The RAAF Army Navy Community House Inc (the RANCH) provides opportunities and a safe place for Defence members and their families. As a tri service community group, the RANCH offers a range of support and activities for the entire Defence community of Wagga Wagga to come together for mutual support and friendship, education, connection with the community they live in and support for their personal and social wellbeing.

$30,200

Charity Bounce Limited

Sydney

Charity Bounce Limited provides significant opportunities for Defence families through activities including community basketball events and clinics, outreach opportunities, and opportunities to attend ticketed Sydney Kings/Flames home games. Participants will build connection with other families, gain new skills and receive active sports benefits, be inspired through professional athlete role models, have the opportunity to attend live sports events with other Defence families, participate in resilience building activities, increase motivation through participation, integrate into their community and learn health and wellbeing principles.

$35,000

Recipient

Electorate

Funding description

Awarded amount

Robertson Barracks Family Group Inc

Lingiari

Robertson Barracks Family Group Inc enriches the often challenging lives of Defence families by providing a safe meeting place for the dissemination of information, formal support and the making of friendships and connections. This is achieved through the continuation of support and services currently offered and by building on these services to reach more families, offering new sessions which the local Defence community has shown a need for such as tailored social activities and health and wellbeing activities and courses.

$71,100*

Network Tindal Incorporated

Lingiari

Network Tindal Incorporated provides a strengthened sense of community for Defence families and opportunities to come together for mutual support, education, social engagement and information sharing. The group provides social networks and community connections that support people’s physical, social and emotional wellbeing to help manage the isolation often felt by Defence families posted to this region.

$42,300

Larrakeyah Neighbourhood House

Solomon

Larrakeyah Neighbourhood House offers a safe place for families to interact and support one another, create greater social connections and acknowledge the day to day living challenges of a remote location. The group offers that extra level of support to families dealing with absence from home due to operational exercises, training, courses or deployment of the serving member.

$36,585

Reeling Veterans Inc

Solomon

Reeling Veterans Inc provides family fishing trips as a form of therapy for current serving veterans and helps build reconnections with their children promoting strong families. Over the course of the day, Defence families are taken through a series of lessons including fishing safety, rules and regulations, conservation of fish habits, casting techniques, retrieval and fish handling.

$27,500

The Top Ender Tri-Services Magazine Incorporated

Solomon

The Top Ender Tri-Services Magazine Incorporated publishes a bi-monthly magazine to provide Defence families an essential resource to find services, keep them informed on local matters and link families into Defence and wider community events, activities and programs for social networks and connections. The organisation wants to increase their engagement by forming partnerships with like-minded groups providing social connection and wellbeing courses.

$56,080

Recipient

Electorate

Funding description

Awarded amount

Amberley Defence Families Inc (Trading as Amberley Community Connect)

Blair

Amberley Community Connect enriches the often challenging lives of Defence families by providing a safe meeting place for the dissemination of information, formal support and the making of friendships and connections. This is achieved through the continuation of support and services currently offered and by building on these services to reach more families, offering new sessions which the local Defence community has shown a need for such as tailored social activities and health and wellbeing activities and courses.

$24,624

TRACTION for Young People Ltd

Bowman

TRACTION for Young People Ltd engages 12-15 year old Defence students who are not achieving their potential in a traditional school environment and who are feeling the impacts of managing the Defence way of life. This mobile outreach program will be offered through one day condensed programs as well as the full nine week programs. Participants will dissemble, strip back and rebuild new BMX bikes under the guidance of trained mentors providing positive role modelling to help develop confidence and build respectful relationships with others in different social settings.

$42,300

Gallipoli Barracks Community Centre

Brisbane

Gallipoli Barracks Community Centre supports Defence members and their families by providing a variety of programs and activities to cater for a range of different age groups. As the Defence lifestyle presents unique challenges and opportunities including the impact of frequent postings and deployments, the centre also offers a safe place of good social foundations with a strong sense of community and a support network for those feeling the isolation a posting can bring.

$38,150

Toowoomba Defence Families Support Association

Groom

Toowoomba Defence Families Support Association provides a community centre where Defence families located around the Milne Pine Training Depot can come together for support and to form friendships. The group’s mission is to minimise the social and cultural isolation for Defence families in their area and offer regular programs and activities in direct response to the need of the local Toowoomba Defence families to ensure their social and emotional wellbeing is maintained.

$22,850

Cairns Defence Community Support Group Inc

Leichhardt

Cairns Defence Community Support Group Inc offer a range of activities, events and opportunities to support a stronger community, stronger families and stronger friendships to help alleviate social isolation for Defence families posted to the Cairns region. These opportunities allow the Defence community to come together and to provide opportunities for the community to connect as a group, engage in activities, source services and find out what the local area has to offer.

$32,643

Little Diggers Community Centre

Leichhardt

Little Diggers Community Centre offers playgroups twice a week, bellies and bubs once a week for expecting mothers, wellbeing and educational programs for adults and social events throughout the year to Defence families posted to the Cairns region.

$11,246

Rock Impact Incorporated

Leichhardt

Rock Impact Incorporated will deliver to the “Strengths Fathers Program” to engage male ADF members to increase awareness of the impact that fathers have on their children. The program is a 7 session evening facilitated program for up to 10 fathers to raise awareness and provide fundamental information about positive fathering practices. It also aims to build on their relationship strengths with their children, improve parenting skills as well as provide supported referrals to other services and information.

$30,000

Recipient

Electorate

Funding description

Awarded amount

Woodside Defence Families Association

Mayo

Woodside Defence Families Association enriches the often challenging lives of Defence families by providing a safe meeting place for the dissemination of information, formal support and the making of friendships and connections. This is achieved through the continuation of support and services currently offered and by building on these services to reach more families, offering new sessions which the local Defence community has shown a need for such as tailored social activities and health and wellbeing activities and courses.

$31,150*

Table Tennis Australia

Sturt

Table Tennis Australia (TTA) increases community engagement whilst promoting the health benefit of an active lifestyle to the Defence community in seven locations across Australia.  TTA will work with the Defence Community Organisation local offices to engage and link into Defence families’ networks in regions such as Townsville, Cairns, the ACT, Brisbane, Albury/Wodonga, Brisbane and SA. The project will offer ‘teaser sessions’ run by local clubs and accredited coaches, followed by facilitation of an eight week table tennis program for children including a personalised kit for each child. Family challenges and events will also be arranged as part of the package.

$60,440

Recipient

Electorate

Funding description

Awarded amount

East Sale Family Group

Curtin

East Sale Family Group support Defence families by offering them the opportunity to take part in a range of group activities within the local area. The project aims to facilitate programs and activities designed to make everyone feel welcome and encourage participation allowing families to settle into the area quickly and require little or no previous experience to participate. Activities include open days, family fun days, wellness events, book club, playgroup and online programs.

$35,290

Cerberus Community Hub

Flinders

Cerberus Community Hub offers the “connection and belonging” project which aims to reinvigorate existing supports and implement new activities and programs to provide Defence families with a direct and inclusive way of building stronger connections to the Cerberus community and enduring friendships and networks of support. The project will aim to meet the ever-changing and diverse needs of Defence families through a comprehensive program of supports to meet the breadth of diversity and specific needs of the local Defence community, creating a culture of openness, engagement and targeted supports.

$37,000

Simpson Barracks Community Centre

Jagajaga

Simpson Barracks Community Centre provides Defence families with support programs to address social isolation and promote a sense of belonging and community connectedness. The project will be delivered through providing Defence families opportunities for learning and promoting personal growth through programs such as first aid, mental health first aid and wellbeing workshops. The project also aims to assist families that are new to Defence life by creating lasting friendships and support networks enabling them to establish a solid foundation.

$32,700

Puckapunyal and District Neighbourhood Centre Inc

Nicholls

Puckapunyal and District Neighbourhood Centre Inc provides support services to Defence families which aim to increase engagement, emotional support and provide personal and professional development for participants as well as  networking and friendship building opportunities. This will be achieved through the continued delivery of programs and activities. The centre also aims to improve the experience for Defence members and families and make their time in the community positive.

$39,300

Recipient

Electorate

Funding description

Awarded amount

Marilla House Community Centre

Brand

Marilla House Community Centre offers opportunities to help bridge the gap between Defence families and the local community by helping families integrate more easily into their new surrounds by giving them opportunities to create meaningful community connections through relevant services such as education and community groups as well as weekend activities, and school holiday events delivered by qualified and motivated staff and a motivated group of volunteers.

$36,016

Karrakatta Community House Inc

Curtin

Karrakatta Community House Inc provides a place that supports and embraces the community of the Australia Defence Force promoting friendships and building resilience, through activities and learning. Families living in WA, particularly those with deployed spouses can find the transition to the West very difficult due to the isolation and distance from family, making these services vital.

$26,600

Special Air Services Regiment Auxiliary Incorporated

Curtin

Special Air Services Regiment Auxiliary Incorporated engages SASR families in a positive and supportive environment that facilitates integration and develops resilience required for a military lifestyle. The project will offer family networking opportunities and programs to support the wellness and resilience the Defence community, thereby supporting ADF capability.

$74,052*

Pilbara Regiment Family Group

Durack

Pilbara Regiment Family Group offers activities and a support network for families to thrive in the challenging and harsh environment in this remote locality. Through regular programs and activities the group aims to continue to reduce social isolation and increase connectedness, strengthen family and community functioning, promote community engagement and participation and support the mental, physical and emotional wellbeing of Defence families.

$25,000

Pearce Community Croup Inc

Pearce

Pearce Community Croup Inc creates a sense of community and a support network for families posted to RAAF Base Pearce by providing opportunities to connect through regular activities such as social connection activities, health classes and family events. The project also supports families to connect with local services and provides families with current information about available Defence support networks.

$21,000

Recipient

Electorate

Funding description

Awarded amount

Defence Club PNG

N/A

Defence Club PNG provides support to ADF members and their families posted to this hardship location. Due to security issues and opportunities between or outside the residential compounds, the project will focus on community engagement to normalise the coming together for social, recreational and educational activities that would not be possible outside of this funding opportunity.

$15,550