Junee community members are being invited to have their say on how the recent $950,000 Investing in Rural Community Futures grant will be spent.
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Late last year, Junee was chosen as one of three New South Wales towns to participate in the IRCF program, an initiative of the Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal designed to strengthen local not-for-profits, and in turn, rural communities.
The allocation of funds will be discussed at a 'Community Roadmap Workshop' next Tuesday, February 25, with two sessions to be held at the Junee Ex-Services Memorial Club - one from 12pm-2.30pm and another from 6.30pm-9.00pm.
IRCF Program Manager Alli Mudford said FRRR believes that local leaders are best placed to know what will make the biggest difference in their community.
"Our aim is to build resilient and vibrant communities. I'm really excited to be co-facilitating the workshops next week and helping to create a roadmap of how Junee sees this program rolling out," she said.
"The sessions we held last year with Junee's not-for-profit organisations focused on identifying the missing pieces - what it would take to get local community organisations thriving.
"This next stage is about workshopping solutions to the needs and opportunities that were identified.
Junee Business and Trades president Tony Butt said community collaboration was crucial to make the most of the IRCF program.
"The application process got the not-for-profit community in Junee working together and it's been fantastic, but having wider input from the rest of the community is critical to ensuring we make the most of the $950,000," he said.
"Hopefully we can get a lot of people along to the Community Roadmap Workshops."
Sasha Shearman, from the Permaculture Riverina and Broadway Museum, said volunteers were critical to Junee's future, but there were smarter ways to work.
"We've got a very strong volunteer community, but we all need more support," she said.
"So, I think this funding, spread around the community for specific projects - it might be around the museum where we have a lot of historical exhibits, machinery and a beautiful big garden that needs development - would attract more people to volunteer at the museum.
"It would also attract more visitors to come to Junee and see all of the history that's here and help with the development into the future."
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Jessica McLaughlin
If something is awry in our community, I want to know. If someone deserves celebration, I want to know. Everyone deserves an honest news source and that's what I'm here to help achieve.
If something is awry in our community, I want to know. If someone deserves celebration, I want to know. Everyone deserves an honest news source and that's what I'm here to help achieve.
