Additional support for Victoria’s bushfire affected communities

The Australian Government will provide a further $1.5 million to support communities affected by the Victorian bushfires.

Community Services Minister Jenny Macklin said the funding would go to volunteer resource centres, counselling and organisations supporting young people affected by the fires.

“Repairing the damage done by the February 7 fires will be a long and difficult task,” Ms Macklin said.

“This funding will go towards the valuable work of many organisations who are working tirelessly to support bushfire victims.”

The funding will be distributed as follows:

• $390,000 to 13 Volunteer Resource Centres;
• $900,000 to 6 community organisations that work with young people; and
• $240,000 to 6 counselling services.

Each Volunteer Resource Centre will receive $30,000 for the additional demands generated by the significant offers of help from volunteers across Victoria following the bushfires.

The Volunteer Resource Centres have been called upon to provide follow up support and referral to volunteers offering their time and skills to the bushfire affected communities.

An enormous effort is required in directing volunteers to areas where they will be most valuable and this funding will allow centres to improve their skills and resources.

Volunteering Victoria reported that more than 22,000 individuals volunteered following the recent bushfires.

“The tragedy of the bushfires has brought out the generosity of the Australian community and its army of volunteers,” Ms Macklin said.

“This funding will help volunteer organisations who are working to rebuild communities after the bushfires to make the most of the skills and enthusiasm of volunteers.”

A total of $900,000 will be provided to six community organisations to support their response to the needs of young people whose lives have been affected by the fires.

Whittlesea Secondary College has reported approximately 300 of its 800 students have been directly affected by the bushfires.

Many young people are having to cope with emergency accommodation, separation from friends and disrupted schooling.

This funding enables the community organisations to provide counselling and recreational services to these young people.

An additional $240,000 will be directed to organisations to provide a comprehensive range of counselling services to families and children directly affected by the Victorian bushfires.

This commitment builds on the $200,000 already provided to five community organisations in the immediate response to the disaster.

Parliamentary Secretary for Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction Bill Shorten said that although 100 days had passed since the fires, there was still a strong need to provide long-term support for the communities affected.

“Rebuilding will be a long and difficult process and we need to keep providing assistance to communities and individuals in every way we can, to ensure that they do not fall between the cracks,” Mr Shorten said.