By Parker McKenzie
A mentorship program is looking to expand into the Yarra Ranges after receiving a grant from the council.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Australia will be setting up shop in the Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Ranges in the near future after just launching a Boronia location.
“We are looking at the Hills and getting a program running in that area,” chief executive officer Mark Watt said.
“The council is supporting us to start looking at that as well.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters Australia provides one-on-one, long-term and intensive mentorship, designed to respond to the individual needs of young people aged seven to 17.
Yarra Ranges Council director of communities Jane Price said Big Brothers Big Sisters Australia was one recipient of the 2022 Grants for Community.
“Their project will work closely with both the Yarra Ranges Council Youth Ambassadors and Youth Advisory Group, who have already identified the need for mentoring programs to support vulnerable people in the community, along with community organisations and schools, to run programs and offer mentorship, guidance and stability for those who need it,” she said.
“We are pleased to support their proposal through our annual Grants for Community, and look forward to working with them in the Dandenongs.”
The Grants for Community project supports community-based projects to build social and cultural life in the Yarra Ranges. Big Brothers Big Sisters Australia received a $9,881 grant from Yarra Ranges Council.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Australia also received $50,000 from the Victorian State Government for their program in Boronia.
