More at-risk youth in Charleville will be given a helping hand to be job-ready, with Charleville Neighbourhood Centre securing a $10,000 Grassroots Community Grant from Hand Heart Pocket the Charity of Freemasons Queensland.
The funding will support the centre to continue its work assisting at-risk youth gain local employment at a time when unemployment levels across the country are very high.
Charleville Neighbourhood Centre representative Angela Young said it was important to keep young people from the small rural community in local jobs wherever possible.
“By assisting our youth in finding local employment, the community benefits from flow-on effects such as retention of family units, increased income through additional wages spent within the community, and the development of future community leaders,” Angela said.
“We are so grateful to Charleville Freemasons Lodge for nominating us for this grant.”
Charleville Freemasons Lodge Secretary said the Charleville Neighbourhood Centre provided a crucial service to the community.
“Supporting local young people, local families and the local economy is always extremely important, but especially right now, during this pandemic. We cannot afford to lose this service,” he said.
Hand Heart Pocket Chief Executive Officer Gary Mark said they were pleased to be able to provide this support to the Charleville Neighbourhood Centre to help them continue to work with at-risk youth during these tough times.
“This year we received a greater number of applications with a large geographical spread, particularly in regional Queensland. Fifteen charities shared in almost $120,000 as part this year’s Community Grants round,” Gary said.
“Although the grant round was oversubscribed, we wanted to make sure we maximised our support at a time the community needed it the most.
“Among the causes we’ve been able to support are youth at risk, our ageing population, men’s mental and physical health, and women’s financial and physical security.”
The grant was announced amid the Freemason charity providing close to $700,000 in emergency support and Grassroots Community Grants in the wake of COVID-19.
Photo: Charleville Neighbourhood Centre Youth Support Worker Rebecca Horton.
