Awesome Foundation - Projects

Sydney – Appin Public School Guitar Club

2026-04-01T00:00:00Z

Appin Public School has launched a weekly Guitar Club that has taken off in a way none of us expected. What began as a small lunchtime activity has grown into a vibrant, inclusive space where students from all backgrounds come together to learn, create, and express themselves through music. The club has become so popular that we now have more students wanting to participate than we have instruments available. Right now, students are sharing guitars, waiting for turns, or missing out entirely. With a $1,000 Awesome Foundation grant, we can purchase more guitars to ensure every child who wants to learn can join in. This project gives our students a creative outlet that builds confidence, belonging, and joy. Music is a universal connector — and this club is already transforming lunchtimes into something magical. This project is inclusive, open to students of all abilities, ages, and backgrounds participate. No fees, no barriers, no experience required. It fills a gap - our P&C is volunteer‑run and relies solely on fundraising and donations. There is no school budget for musical instruments. Without external support, we simply cannot meet demand. This project builds community as older students mentor younger ones, friendships form across year groups, and the club has become a safe, positive space for kids who may not connect with traditional sports or activities. Finally, it’s sustainable: Guitars last for years. This one‑off investment will support hundreds of students over time. It sparks creativity: Students are already writing simple riffs, performing for peers, and discovering talents they didn’t know they had.

Sydney – Asquith High School Quick Reads Library Collection

2026-03-04T00:00:00Z

Our ‘Quick Reads’ collection, comprising hi-lo (high interest – low vocabulary) books, plays a vital role in supporting students who may struggle with traditional texts, including those with learning difficulties, English as an additional language, or lower literacy levels. These age-appropriate and engaging books are essential for motivating reluctant readers, boosting confidence, and fostering a lifelong love of reading. In a recent comprehensive stock take exercise, we found that the average age of these resources is 18 years, resulting in limited appeal and relevance for today’s students. Updating the ‘Quick Reads’ collection is critical to maintaining an inclusive, welcoming space that truly supports all learners. By revitalising our ‘Quick Reads’ collection, this project directly addresses literacy barriers, promoting inclusion and equitable learning opportunities. The refreshed collection will serve as a sustainable resource, accessible for years to come and integral to ongoing literacy support programs across the school. It encourages independent reading and improves student outcomes well beyond the immediate funding period, ensuring lasting impact.

Sydney – Wellness Bags

2026-02-04T00:00:00Z

I have provided clothing, bedding and toiletries to the rough sleepers of Woolloomooloo every Sunday for the last nine years. I also assist Diva charities monthly at Lexington Place. They do the food, I provide the clothes for the community. Over the years, I realised these men (and often women) were being released to rough sleep with literally nothing. Now, I pack Wellness Bags, and provide them directly to Long Bay jail for the men who are being released to rough sleep. A bag includes a few changes of clothes, socks, undies, toiletries, a yoga mat, towel, sleeping bag, pillow, beanie and footwear. I remain sustainable by collecting and washing donations and collecting jackets from the City 2 Surf start line. I have been told today that my donated storage space is no longer available. This will make our city more awesome by giving the most vulnerable people of Sydney some dignity so they slide into society with decent clothing.

Sydney – Sydney Bike Rave Speaker Upgrade and Spare Bikes

2026-02-04T00:00:00Z

My name is Gaston, I have been organising Sydney Bike Rave for the last seven months. We are a new event in Sydney looking to get the community out on their bikes and build confidence in riders via a fun event of music and bike riding! I host a ride once a month (sometimes more) around Sydney. We have four medium sized speakers which cargo bikes carry and link up the sound. These speakers play music all together and are great to get people out on their bikes! Rides have been a great success with around 70-140 riders attending, with a growing number of riders every event! City of Sydney council have contacted me that they support the event and I have a group of volunteers who help me carry gear and organise each ride. I do not take or make any money from this event I just love to get people out there on their bikes and enjoy some live music.

Sydney – Rituals of Remembrance Workshops 2026

2025-12-11T00:00:00Z

For families who have lost a baby, moments of connection and remembrance mean everything. In 2026 Olive & Kin will run two sets of creative workshops for bereaved parents in collaboration with Red Nose. Red Nose is helping with the organisation and arranging venues but their community engagement budget is very small so they are unable to contribute financially. One set of workshops will guide families to hand build and glaze a candle vessel. The other will guide them to make a mug. Each project runs over three sessions. The first two sessions focus on shaping and painting/decorating. The final session is about connection, ritual and meaning. For the candle workshops we will gather together and light our candles as part of the global Wave of Light. A local social enterprise has generously offered to pour and refill 12 candles at no cost to families. For the mug workshops the final session will be led by a breathwork and mindfulness facilitator. Parents will drink tea or cacao from the vessels they created for their babies and will have space to breathe, share some light refreshments and be held by community that understands. We already have a small amount of partial funding from a Northern Beaches Council grant but we need some extra support so that we do not have to rely on donations that would usually go toward our free ceramic urns. These workshops offer connection, healing, a sense of belonging and a creative outlet! We expect to support 24 families and we know there is strong demand as our recent Christmas workshops filled quickly and many parents told us how meaningful the experience was.

Sydney – Breaking The Silence: Tackling Men’s Mental Health

2025-12-11T00:00:00Z

Breaking the Silence is an initiative by African Professionals of Australia (APA) designed to address mental-health stigma among men of African heritage living and working in Sydney. In many African communities, mental health remains a “taboo subject” often seen as a weakness or something to be hidden. As a result, too many men suffer in silence, especially the working demographic aged 25-45 years old. Research indicates that young African Australians face a dramatically higher risk of serious mental-health issues: an article published by University of Melbourne pointed out that “African Australian migrants are at ten times higher risk of experiencing mental health issues compared to the general population” (University of Melbourne, 2023). Additional research shows African migrant men under-utilise formal mental-health services due to stigma, cultural beliefs, and structural barriers (Flinders University, 2021). The event aims to create a safe and culturally sensitive space where men from diverse African backgrounds living and working in Sydney can come together, open up about mental health, and explore real solutions. The event will invite partners from NSW Health and other multicultural communities to build connections and link the participants to resources they can access at any time. By fostering conversation, sharing resources and building connection, we aim to normalise discussions around mental wellbeing and empower men from CALD backgrounds to seek support when they need it. Event Overview Date: Second week of March 2026 Venue: Sydney CBD Time: 6pm-8pm Format: The event will be facilitated by Dr Xavier Mulenga, a qualified mental-health expert, and a panel of community leaders with lived and professional experience. Target Audience: Open to all multicultural communities and targeting men from an African heritage living and working in Sydney Expected Guests: 40-50

Sydney – Sip the Juse 25th Anniversary

2025-11-05T00:00:00Z

Founded in 2000 by a passionate group of young dancers from the suburbs of Fairfield City, Just Us Elements (Juse Crew) has grown into a powerhouse in the breakdancing community. From humble beginnings, we have remained dedicated to our craft—achieving success in competitions, teaching, and performing on both national and international stages. As we mark our 25th anniversary, we are proud to honour the rich history and legacy of Juse Crew. This milestone is an opportunity to unite past and present members, along with the wider community, to reflect on our incredible journey and achievements, cementing Juse Crew’s place in Australian breakdancing history. Beyond competing and performing, Juse Crew has been deeply committed to giving back to the community. Over the years, our members have shared their knowledge and passion by teaching breakdancing to local students and young kids across Fairfield City. Through workshops, mentorship programs, and school initiatives, we have helped inspire the next generation of dancers—providing a positive and creative outlet for youth while fostering confidence, discipline, and self-expression. The aim of this project is to celebrate Juse Crew’s 25th anniversary and honour its impact on the local and global breakdancing community. By hosting a breakdancing competition and bringing together dancers, past and present members, and the local community, we aim to foster unity, inspire youth, and showcase the transformative power of dance. Breakdancing has been shown to provide positive social outcomes, including increased self-esteem, discipline, and community connection. Breakdancing is an inclusive art form that welcomes everyone, regardless of skill level, age, or gender, offering a space where all can express themselves, grow, and connect through the universal language of dance. This event will continue to create these positive impacts, further enhancing the cultural landscape, encourage inclusivity, and community engagement

Sydney – Emu Plains Guides Bush Tucker and Community Garden

2025-10-01T00:00:00Z

Emu Plains Girl Guides are developing a Bush Tucker and Community Garden that will provide fresh produce, share cultural knowledge, and create a welcoming space for local families. The garden will celebrate and include First Nations plants and knowledge, allowing our members to learn about native foods, sustainable growing practices, and the deep cultural significance of caring for Country. Alongside this, the community garden will supply fresh fruit, vegetables, and herbs to our Community Pantry, helping to reduce food insecurity and promote healthy living in Emu Plains and the wider Penrith area. The project is part of our commitment to giving girls opportunities to lead, learn, and contribute meaningfully to their community. Many of our members are First Nations girls and girls from low socio-economic backgrounds, and this garden provides an inclusive, hands-on way for them to gain skills in sustainability, gardening, teamwork, and project management. By being directly involved in planting, maintaining, and harvesting, the girls develop confidence, responsibility, and a stronger connection to nature. Working with local partners, including community volunteers and cultural advisors, ensures that the garden is both practical and culturally respectful. It will serve as a space for sharing knowledge, connecting generations, and strengthening community resilience, while also encouraging environmental stewardship and respect for Country. Through this Bush Tucker and Community Garden, we aim to grow more than food—we aim to grow community, culture, and confident young leaders who understand the importance of working together to make a difference.

Sydney – Wolkara Elders Wood Carving and Burning

2025-09-03T00:00:00Z

We are planning an Aboriginal Wood carving and Wood burning Workshop as a way to keep our culture alive and connect with Elders in our community who may be experiencing isolation. Wood carving and burning is a traditional method of making tools, thus contributing to our cultural ways, and giving us an opportunity to share stories, symbols, and connection to Country. Many of our Elders are isolated, dealing with mental health and disability. There are limited opportunities for them to connect with others in the community and with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. This activity aligns with our mission to be a safe and empowering space where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders grow through connection to culture and land. Grounded in respect and self-determination, we share stories, strengthen well-being, reduce social isolation, and keep our culture strong for future generations. Our group love to meet and participate in arts and crafts, share culture, and learn from each other. However, as a grassroots, community-led not-for-profit, our programs are limited by funding constraints. Without this Awesome funding, it would not be possible to offer this wood carving and burning opportunity to the Elders.

Sydney – 2nd Life Tech: Refurbishing Devices for Community

2025-08-06T00:00:00Z

Second Life Tech is a circular, community-first project that takes donated technology and gives it a new purpose. We collect laptops, desktops, tablets, and accessories that would otherwise go to landfill, then refurbish them to professional standards and redistribute them to people and organisations doing it tough. Our recipients include low-income families, schools with high FOEI scores, First Nations communities, women’s shelters, and newly arrived migrants or refugees. Many of these groups are digitally excluded — they don’t have access to devices for education, employment, or even basic communication. With this project, we’re not just handing out laptops. We securely erase data, repair and test every device, then match it with someone who truly needs it. We also provide basic setup and ongoing support where needed. Your funding will directly power the refurb process — parts, tools, logistics, and volunteer coordination — helping us breathe life back into hundreds of devices and get them into the hands of people who need them most. This is sustainable, practical, and deeply human work. One device can change a life — and with your help, we’ll change many.

Sydney – Play & Learn Vietnamese for pre-schoolers

2025-07-02T00:00:00Z

Research consistently shows that maintaining a home language and supporting multilingual education benefit children’s wellbeing, identity development, and future social participation. Play & Learn Vietnamese is a pioneering initiative by VietSchool that promotes multilingualism from the earliest years of life. This program offers free, one-hour Vietnamese language sessions each week to preschool-aged children in childcare centres across Sydney, using a specially developed curriculum tailored for this age group (https://www.facebook.com/vietschool.au/). The idea originates from our findings in the VietSpeech ARC project, which highlights that early childhood is the most effective time to support home language development (https://www.csu.edu.au/research/vietspeech/overview). While government support exists for community language education from Kindergarten to Year 12, the preschool sector remains largely overlooked. Play & Learn Vietnamese aims to fill that gap. We launched a call for expressions of interest earlier this month, and four Montessori centres in Sydney immediately registered. Our first sessions began in April at Croydon and Strathfield Montessori, with more centres eagerly awaiting our arrival, including Fairy Kingdom Childcare Centre (Revesby), Burwood Montessori, and Earlwood Montessori. Each session engages around 15 enthusiastic pre-schoolers, including both children with Vietnamese heritage and those from non-Vietnamese backgrounds, who sing, dance, colour, and learn through play. It’s incredible to witness how quickly and joyfully they learn and interact in the language. This project not only nurtures a love of languages but also fosters appreciation for cultural diversity and inclusion from a young age. With the Awesome Foundation’s support, we hope to expand this initiative and eventually adapt it to other community languages, bringing the joy of early multilingual learning to even more children across Sydney.

Sydney – Amplify Black Women – Wellness Day Series

2025-06-04T00:00:00Z

A one-day wellness experience designed for Black women in Sydney. The event offers rest, reflection, and reconnection through yoga, guided conversation, sound healing, and community-building. It features Black women facilitators and spotlights wellness education rooted in cultural relevance. We’ve hosted it successfully once and would love to run another in a different part of Sydney, expanding our reach. Wellness spaces often lack cultural safety and representation. This project offers a space where Black women feel seen, safe, and celebrated — with programming designed specifically for their mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. It includes sessions with Black women experts, like a nutritionist/doctor speaking on gut health and hormones, supporting a holistic approach to wellness. The day also uplifts local Black practitioners and fosters real community connection. This event will directly support around 25 Black women in Sydney through culturally safe, accessible wellness programming. It supports long-term community wellbeing, empowers women with knowledge about their bodies and health, and strengthens a growing network of Black-led wellness practitioners. The format is repeatable, with future events exploring other key topics like mental health, menopause, and intergenerational healing.

Sydney – NoteWorthy

2025-05-07T00:00:00Z

**NoteWorthy** is a simple, joyful initiative designed to build stronger, kinder communities by encouraging small acts of connection in everyday moments. The concept is easy: community members write thoughtful, uplifting messages on colourful heart-shaped stickers. These stickers are then shared — placed on someone’s coffee cup, takeaway bag, or other small items at local cafés and businesses — spreading surprise moments of positivity and kindness. By partnering with local cafés, and small businesses, this project simultaneously supports local enterprise and nurtures social connection. Each note has the power to brighten someone’s day, create a ripple of goodwill, and remind people they belong to a caring community. Our approach actively involves volunteers, and community members in crafting and distributing the messages, making it an inclusive, accessible initiative for all ages and backgrounds. Importantly, NoteWorthy fosters intergenerational and cross-cultural engagement, reducing loneliness and strengthening community ties. With your support, we will cover the costs of printing stickers, supplying materials, and promoting the project widely to involve as many participants and local businesses as possible. We aim to distribute thousands of notes across Hornsby and surrounding areas, generating measurable increases in social connection, local business engagement, and community wellbeing. We already operate another program, called the **SideWalk Talk**, where we put chairs out in Hornsby mall once a month and using volunteers trained in heart-centred listening to sit and listen. As part of this initiative we put a table out with an opportunity to either take or write a note, so this is an extension of something we have been running for a few months now. This small, but powerful, initiative embodies grassroots kindness in action — accessible, scalable, and designed to make everyone feel valued and connected.

Sydney – StreetKind.co Outreach Program

2025-04-02T00:00:00Z

We (StreetKind.co) are a small harm prevention charity that commenced in 2022 and is managed by volunteers. Although small, we are creating a quiet but mighty impact through our outreach program with over 15,000 people assisted to date. Our program is significant because through the course of our core work we are also able to de-escalate violence, prevent theft, sexual assault and a variety of injuries. Every Friday and Saturday night in Sydney, we operate a pop-up safe base and roving outreach program 10pm to 3.30am, that supports persons who are vulnerable for a variety of reasons and provide mechanisms to reconnect with family and friends: phone charging, water, first aid, mental health first aid, footwear, welfare checks. If alone, we escort them safely to transport or local accommodation to give them a chance to sober up. 75% of people we support are 18-25 and the remaining 25% can be anywhere from <18 up to 70 years of age. Our deck chairs that we use in the Safe Bases have reached end of life. We have repaired them a number of times. We've some sets of Bunnings deck chairs to keep us going but these are not long lasting. A good quality deck chair can cost $200-250. The $1,000 grant would enable us to replace the deck chairs for one site with good quality chairs that will be reliable weekend to weekend.

Sydney – Diva Charity Inc. Blessing Table

2025-03-05T00:00:00Z

Diva was founded in 2019 by Christina Iskandar who recruited eight female volunteers to rescue food that was intended for landfill and turn it into nutritious meals for the underprivileged, homeless, and anyone doing it tough. Our monthly blessing table food pantry and BBQ connects community. At Diva, we believe access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food is a human right. Our monthly Blessing Table helps stretch consumers’ budgets while reducing the carbon footprint. Diva receives no government support and raises money from BBQs, fundraisers and trivia nights. Diva has formed close relationships with local community partners who donate both pantry and fresh foods. We are aligned with other NFPs including Homeless Not Nameless by collecting warm blankets and clothing for those in need in winter. Diva restores hope and dignity, promotes inclusion and self advocacy. The estimated Matraville population is close to 14,000 while half of this number are females raising children. The 2023 ABS Census estimated mental health conditions in this population was at 6.2%. Diva acts as a referral service, providing information for the community in need. The unmet needs of this community include access to health care, poor nutrition. Social connection has been proven to assist with both physical and mental health. Diva's Mission is to build a stronger and resilient community, bring community together and assist anyone, especially women needing support. The money will be used as follows: • Shade cover for the Monthly blessing table $200 • Chairs for community to sit on $300 • Storage shed for donated non-perishable foods and essential items $500 (we are desperate for storage at present).

Sydney – Mamre House Community Garden

2025-02-05T00:00:00Z

The MPF Mamre House Community Garden Project is an initiative aimed at transforming an underutilised plot at Mamre House into a vibrant, accessible community garden that promotes inclusivity, environmental sustainability, education and social interaction. The project aims to enhance our local community by providing a space where all members, including those with disabilities, can engage in gardening and learn about sustainable practices, as well as hosting a variety of other social activities throughout the year. With a particular focus on inclusivity, the garden will feature raised beds constructed from reclaimed wood, tailored for wheelchair access and others with limited mobility, and a fence along the plot's length to support vined plants such as tomatoes, beans, and cucumbers. The MPF Mamre House Community Garden aims to be a sustainable project that enriches our community for years to come. The garden will: • Promote inclusivity by having raised beds for easy access by wheelchair users and others with limited mobility. • Be environmentally conscious through the use of sustainable gardening practices and a drip irrigation system to conserve water. • Serve as a community hub where people can learn about gardening, share their skills, and participate in a variety of activities, thereby enhancing communal life. • Incorporate educational initiatives to help community members learn about the importance of healthy eating and provide practical lessons on growing and preparing nutritious food. This will not only foster a healthier community but also empower individuals with the knowledge to make informed food choices. We are dedicated to maintaining the garden and expanding its impact through community workshops and educational programs. This project will be a model for future community-driven, inclusive green spaces across Sydney. • $267.00 for 1800mm star pickets - to build a robust fence that will support vined foods, enhancing the garden's productivity and aesthetic appeal. • $650.00 for irrigation materials - to install a drip irrigation system ensuring efficient water use and the sustainability of the garden during all seasons. • $83.00 for screws, nails, etc - to secure materials needed for constructing raised garden beds, making the garden accessible to wheelchair users. I am the founder of Mypower Foundations, focused on empowering individuals with disabilities through innovative community projects. With over a decade in disability advocacy, my passion is fuelled by my personal journey as a parent of two neurodiverse children and caring for a sibling with dementia. These experiences have deepened my commitment to creating inclusive spaces that promote learning and well-being, like our MPF Mamre House Community Garden Project.

Sydney – Warm Paws NSW - Being Pawesome!!

2024-12-12T00:00:00Z

At Warm Paws NSW, we admire the dedication of The Awesome Foundation’s high-caliber volunteers. Your mission to support overlooked or new ideas requiring a financial boost to get off the ground is inspiring, and we are grateful for the opportunity to present our project again! Warm Paws is dedicated to ensuring that regional pounds across New South Wales are equipped with the essential resources to care for their animals. Our mission is to streamline the distribution of donated items—such as food, bedding, and medical supplies—by creating a centralized storage system. This system will enable us to stockpile 12 months' worth of donations and distribute them monthly based on the unique needs of each pound. This December is an especially critical time for supporting animal welfare, as Christmas often brings with it the unfortunate reality of puppy dumping and overwhelmed pounds. Looking back at the Awesome Foundation Sydney’s recent winners, it’s clear the grants have been a catalyst for diverse and impactful projects, such as the “Kangaroo & Joey Rehabilitation Enclosure” in February 2024. With no animal-related project receiving the grant since, we believe now is the perfect moment to shine a spotlight on animal welfare, especially when the need is greatest. We envision this project as a critical step toward making Sydney and its surrounding areas more awesome by ensuring no animal in regional care goes without the essentials. This initiative not only promotes animal welfare but also strengthens the bond between Sydney's community and its regional counterparts. Warm Paws exemplifies the Awesome Foundation's mission by directly addressing a grassroots problem with a solution that’s scalable and community-driven. We believe this grant will help us inspire Inclusivity: By ensuring that underfunded regional pounds receive equal access to resources, we foster equity across communities which will have a lasting impact. Warm Paws NSW - Paawwesome will make the city of Sydney more awesome by connecting Sydney donors to regional pounds. Warm Paws fosters a spirit of inclusivity and generosity. Our project ensures that every dollar, donation, and effort is put to use where it’s needed most, making Sydney and its surrounding areas more compassionate and connected. Together, we can create a future where every animal in care has access to the essentials they need to thrive. This is our vision for a more awesome greater Sydney!

Sydney – Maxie's Polaroids

2024-11-06T00:00:00Z

Meet Maxie. For the past three years Maxie has been volunteering his time and money to capture the memorable moments had by guests at mental health-related fundraising events on his trusty polaroid camera. A passionate advocate for mental health, it brings him joy to make people happy and to give the guests their photos as a nice keepsake. According to him, ‘Everyone thinks the photos are AWESOME!’. In his own words, Maxie says, ‘I like doing something meaningful in my spare time. I spend my money on the film and entertain the guests. I think mental health is important because it's not talked about enough and your mood can affect a lot of things like your health, your immune system, your ability to think, your sleep’. The grant funds will allow Maxie to double the number of events he can take photos at, in the next two years.

Sydney – Studio Artes Visual Art Program: Art Supplies

2024-10-02T00:00:00Z

Our awesome project is the visual arts program at Studio ARTES, for which we would use the grant to purchase new paint. This program empowers our members to explore various art-making techniques and mediums, fostering creativity. Each project is driven by individual interests, with trained facilitators available to offer guidance and support for independent or collaborative work. Artists in our visual arts program have regular opportunities to participate in exhibitions and events. In addition to local and digital showcases hosted by Studio ARTES, we also facilitate exciting collaborative opportunities for global exposure. Extension opportunities are available for those eager to advance their art practice. Founded in 2000 and proudly based in Sydney, Australia, Studio ARTES is a non for profit that has been lighting up lives across New South Wales by supporting over 250 adults with disabilities. Our doors are open to individuals aged 17 and up with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, physical disabilities, Down syndrome, and more. We provide a supportive space for our members to explore visual arts, performing arts, and life skills programs. Our visual arts programs are offered at our Hornsby and Inner West studios, as well as through our online platform. Each week, we run over 28 different programs, each lasting 10 weeks and accommodating up to 10 artists. However, we have very limited art supplies. Our small budget means many supplies are donated, often of low quality, and we can’t always provide the colors our artists desire. This grant would make a significant difference! A brand-new set of paints for our two studios will inspire both our artists and facilitators at Studio ARTES. We have many talented artists, and being able to mentor them with new paints and canvases will be invaluable for their development. Our dedicated team works hard to enter artists in competitions and organize exhibitions, and with more art supplies, we can enhance the quality of their work, making a significant impact on their careers. We want to see our artists succeed in what they love! Additionally, we aim to increase the representation of people with disabilities in Sydney’s art scene. This grant would help us focus on ways to showcase their work to the public, highlighting the vibrant diversity of our city.

Sydney – Feeling the Wind in Their Hair

2024-10-02T00:00:00Z

The Parramatta Chapter of Cycling Without Age takes passengers along the cycle path beside the beautiful Parramatta River at Silverwater NSW. Our vision is for older adults and people with a disability to enjoy life, feel involved in their community and connected to the environment. We provide free rides on trishaw e-bikes, piloted by volunteer cyclists. The interaction of passengers, volunteers and their community promotes inclusivity, reduces isolation and helps to make our passengers feel valued. Nothing beats their smiles coming back from a ride with the “wind in their hair”, rosy cheeks and full of shared stories. Our 'bike' routes provide a clear public vision of community inclusiveness. The sight of our 'bikes' along the pathways not only raises awareness and visibility for older people and people with disability, it also engages community members. Smiles, waves, and conversations help improve mental health and wellbeing, strengthen connections, and build more inclusive communities. When we have monthly rides we provide morning tea for the passengers waiting for their turn on the Trishaw. We need to recruit more volunteers to cover rotation of volunteers. We also have ongoing costs for maintenance to ensure the Trishaw rides are safe for our passengers. Cycling Without Age is a global community service connecting elderly people and those less-abled with their community and the outdoors by giving them free rides on trishaw e-bikes, piloted by volunteer cyclists. Cycling Without Age Australia, Inc (CWAA) is a registered charity established to support and empower communities to make this happen throughout Australia. We believe the elderly (and those with mobility challenges) have the right to be visible and active in our society. By allowing our passengers to enjoy improved quality of life; joy connecting and engaging with others, their community, and the environment by: - partaking in an activity like cycling that would otherwise not be possible - enjoying fresh air, sunshine, nature and views - having a service that is accessible, inclusive, unique, fun and totally AWESOME!

Sydney – Ice cream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream

2024-10-02T00:00:00Z

Lomandra School, the largest Specialist Support School (SSP) in New South Wales, serves students with severe behavioural challenges, trauma backgrounds, and complex mental health conditions, from Years 5 to 12. Located in Campbelltown, Lomandra is committed to a trauma-informed approach to education, understanding the profound impact of trauma and socio-economic hardship on our students and their families. Our students often come from lower socio-economic backgrounds, facing limited opportunities and generational poverty. Many have never experienced simple joys, such as getting an ice cream from an ice cream van. At Lomandra, we believe education extends beyond academics; it's about preparing students for life. We address the holistic needs of our students, helping them develop practical skills, emotional intelligence, and social responsibility. Through programs focused on healthy lifestyles, self-regulation, and adapted sports, we empower our students to build resilience and face the challenges of the world. To celebrate our students' achievements and resilience, we want to make our end-of-year presentation special. For many of our students, having an ice cream from a van would be a first-time experience and a meaningful way to honour their hard work and dedication throughout the year. By bringing an ice cream truck to this event, we aim to provide more than just a treat; it will be a celebration of their perseverance and a joyful occasion for students and their families. This small gesture will recognise their efforts and create a lasting positive memory, reinforcing the value of their commitment to school. Our idea will make the city of Sydney more awesome by helping at-risk youth reach their full potential. By keeping high-risk students engaged in school through positive experiences like our sports program and the Duke of Edinburgh Award, we reduce the likelihood of them roaming the streets, which in turn decreases crime and critical incidents in the community. These initiatives provide a safe, supportive environment where students can build resilience, learn valuable life skills, and enjoy enriching experiences they might otherwise miss. By investing in these students, we not only improve their futures but also contribute to a safer, more vibrant city for everyone.

Sydney – Affordable Headshots for Artists

2024-09-04T00:00:00Z

In the midst of a cost of living crisis, the Old Fitz Theatre (OFT) is supporting our vibrant arts/culture sector with 2 days of affordable headshot sessions for artists, doubling as an integral fundraiser for the Fitz’s 2025 operations. Across 12 hours the OFT will offer 34x 20-minute sessions in which artists will be photographed by Patrick Phillips in a studio set-up at the OFT. These sessions will be priced at just $50, or $30 for students. This is an ENORMOUSLY competitive price, with average headshot packages in Sydney ranging from $445-$1100. Why are we doing this? As an independent theatre venue we have found that creatives often don’t have up-to-date headshots, especially non-actors. Reasons for this are the cost being prohibitive, waitlists for photographers being too long, and the effort of organising them being overwhelming. We want to provide an easy, accessible solution, and ensure all creatives can be visually represented/celebrated, and have the tools they need to pursue professional opportunities. It is important to us that this initiative fairly compensates our photographer, Patrick. Patrick is an emerging photographer, and we are very excited to support his professional development and help him build his portfolio, and through this grant we will be able to pay him a fee of ~$66/hour. As an independent theatre venue, we are constantly required to dedicate significant resources towards fundraising efforts to keep our lights on. We do not charge upfront fees to artists using the space, but instead risk-share with artists via a box-office split model. And the nature of that is, well, risky! Through fundraising efforts like this, we can not only service our sector now, but ensure that we will still be here standing strong in the years to come, continuing the good work! PLUS, this grant will allow us to purchase the equipment we need to make this activity a fixture of the OFT’s annual program so that we can have a long-term, sustainable impact. This project will make Sydney more awesome by (1) providing a vital and inexpensive service for Sydney artists, (2) supporting a not-for-profit independent theatre venue that is beloved by the community, (3) upskilling an emerging photographer, and (4) connecting creatives from across disciplines, (re)introducing them to the OFT, and contributing to a greater sense of community in the arts. The awesome impacts are further broken down as follows: + Support for Local Artists: These affordable headshot sessions will provide a critical resource for artists who might otherwise be priced out of high-quality photographic services. This initiative helps level the playing field for artists across different disciplines, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to present themselves professionally. + Boosting Visibility and Equity: By promoting these headshot sessions for “artists” as opposed to purely just “actors”, we are addressing the disparity in visibility between actors and other creative professionals. This project is awesome in the way it promotes a more equitable representation of all contributors on creative projects, enhancing recognition and appreciation for the entire team. + Supporting Emerging Talent: Through the professional development this opportunity offers photographer Patrick Phillips we are injecting fresh talent into Sydney’s creative community. + Sustaining the Old Fitz Theatre: By generating funds through this initiative, the Old Fitz Theatre can continue to operate and support the arts community. The success of this project will help ensure the venue remains a vibrant part of Sydney’s cultural landscape and nightlife. + Long-term Impact: The equipment purchased through this grant will allow us to create a sustainable model that benefits the arts community year after year, providing a valuable service and contributing to the overall health of Sydney’s creative sector. + Community Engagement: By offering this service at a significantly reduced rate, the project fosters a sense of community and collaboration among artists, reinforcing the supportive network that is essential for a thriving cultural scene.

Sydney – Anomalies

2024-08-07T00:00:00Z

Anomalies is a production that will be showcased at the inaugural New Works Festival, running from September 20th to October 5th at the Old Fitz Theatre. Anomalies is a world premiere and my debut work. I developed the piece as a challenge to the contradictions and demands of exploitation that historically excluded artists must adhere to. Instead, I flip the power dynamic, introducing audiences to the three descendants of Earth's billionaires facing the contradictions of their existence. By staging this work, I hope to spark meaningful conversations about our moral identities as Australians, inspire other theatres to embrace diverse voices entirely and without consequence, and show other underrepresented artists that they can pave the path to their artistic careers. We are a team of community-focused artists who are First Nations, disabled, LGBTQIA+, people of colour, women, and from low socio-economic backgrounds. I believe we are a collective of artists with the wealth of experience and expertise needed to creating inclusive, intentional, and impactful theatre. The opportunity to premiere Anomalies at the Old Fitz is exceptional, but it is important to us to overcome as many access barriers that our venue, which is a 150-year-old building, poses to welcome as many audiences and our communities as possible. I hope to transform our venue into an active community space by hosting community nights, Auslan-interpreted performances, and audio descriptive performances. We have found our fundraising efforts won't be able to cover many associated costs, so this incredible grant will be used to pay for the two Auslan interpreters and contribute to the development of the audio descriptive script. Anomalies is set to be a vibrant contribution to the Sydney theatre scene, the Australian linguistic canon, and our wider communities that often find themselves underrepresented in traditional theatre spaces. The local community will ultimately benefit from having access to a transformed landmark venue as an active community space. Our audiences will gain exposure to new, diverse perspectives, fostering greater understanding and empathy. Additionally, we are committed to ensuring that our productions are accessible to all, thereby including and empowering the diverse communities in Sydney.

Sydney – KinHub

2024-06-05T00:00:00Z

KinHub provides meetup opportunities for children, families and young people facing barriers to attending mainstream school ("school can't"). Our trauma informed approach addresses obstacles to participation and provides opportunities to connect. Our inclusive/accessible weekly meet ups enable marginalised young people (many of whom are neurodivergent) the chance to connect and collaborate fostering personal growth, learning and improved wellbeing. Participants come together to explore areas of interest to them, guided by dedicated Mentors. Our offerings will evolve based on participants' passions and learning styles with the aim of reducing social exclusion and building connected communities. Our goals are twofold: 1. Address obstacles to participation and social exclusion by building connected communities amongst the vulnerable population of children who don't/can't attend mainstream education. 2. Provide programs to support the health and wellbeing of young people (and their families) who don't/can't attend mainstream education. KinHub's impact can be measured by the following outcomes: Community engagement: Building a vibrant community through physical and virtual spaces, where young people connect with mentors for fun, collaborative, interest based learning experiences. Social Impact: Increasing social cohesion and breaking down barriers to social isolation for young people outside of the school system. Health and wellbeing: Our lively, trauma-informed space and caring mentors offer a safe haven for emotional expression supporting personal growth and self-esteem. Innovation and creativity: The very nature of our low-demand, flexible format encourages creativity, experimentation, and the exploration of new ideas. Inclusion & belonging: Inclusion and belonging are at the heart of everything we do. We create safe, welcoming spaces where young people’s thoughts and opinions are deeply valued and respected and where everyone can be themselves. KinHub makes Sydney more #awesome by transforming the lives of young people facing barriers to mainstream education. It brings families together, fosters connections and helps alleviate loneliness. The sense of belonging created by KinHub fosters improved mental health and young people by this marginalised group.

Sydney – Our Stories Through Theatre

2024-05-01T00:00:00Z

Kogarah Community Services (KCS) offers the Intergenerational Program to people from across generations in an effort to support and nurture new social connections and build relationships. The program is open to people from 0-100 years, with special effort taken to match younger and older participants based on their interests - for example, our preschoolers and aged care residents often enjoy playing light hearted games while some of our high school participants enjoy sharing their digital skills. Our Stories through Theatre will engage local seniors to take part in sharing their stories through theatrical form. In this project Kogarah Community Services (KCS) will partner with Shopfront Arts Co-Op, where local young people will facilitate this project. KCS chose to partner with Shopfront for this project as we both share a positive relationship with the local community, seek to empower local residents and to make them feel included in their local community through various initiatives. Through regular feedback of people accessing KCS, storytelling was identified as an interest and there is literature to suggest that storytelling creates a meaningful connection between participants and can also give each generation a different perspective of the of the world. KCS has been initiating Intergenerational activities since 2019, and are part of the Australian Institution for Intergenerational Practice (IGP) and have a dedicated IGP worker to coordinate intergenerational activities. Research conducted by Bolton Clarke on Intergenerational Storytelling enabled participants to be creative whilst sharing their personal journey and to reflect on their life experiences. KCS will invite seniors in the community to take part in a storytelling workshop incorporating theatrical techniques at Shopfront (Carlton), led by youth art practitioners. Collaboration between generations promotes understanding, tolerance, building on knowledge, not losing history from older people and most importantly having fun whilst sharing life experiences.

Sydney – The Good Life: Voices from Sydney's Streets [wt]

2024-04-04T00:00:00Z

For 6-months, I've led a creative writing group at the Ozanam Learning Centre, Woolloomooloo, (https://www.vinnies.org.au/nsw/find-help/ozanam-learning-centre) which serves the homeless and disadvantaged community with therapeutic, creative and practical experiences. The group has focused on poetry and also includes prose, humour and other forms of writing. The writers' talent is incredible and they have been overwhelmingly positive in their feedback for the group. Multiple participants have expressed the desire to be published and creating our own small-run volume of poetry and prose is more appropriate (and less stressful for writers) than mainstream publishing. I would like to print 100 copies of a 80-page A5, hardcover books. This would give participants a really special keepsake for them and friends, as well as offer copies at an open day to recoup costs. Leading the group is a highlight of my week and real joy, which has opened doors of understanding regarding literature to people who deserve access to beauty, creativity, historical context and the life of the mind and deserve to be heard. The theme of 'The Good Life' has been an overarching idea, one of the great conversations stretching back to Ancient Greece, Persia, China and beyond. Within this, we have explored the many sub-catalysts for writing - the many types of friendships, home, hospitality, new beginnings, hope, freedom and so forth. It has also been striking that when discussing the group, it's not uncommon for people to react with surprise that people who are / have been homeless are interested in and capable of literary acumen and accomplishment. It's something I was unsure of when starting the group but have been delighted beyond measure at the talent and brilliance in our creative writers. This will be a project that shares the profundity and sophistication of voices of people who've faced homelessness in Sydney. This is a non-commercial printing of poetry that I'd also like to excerpt in literary outlets and make available to public libraries/some schools potentially. "We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race." (Walt Whitman)

Sydney – If/When

2024-03-06T00:00:00Z

If/When is a 6-minute stop-motion animation about lonely Ollie - born with a unique time-traveling condition who struggles to make lasting connections; until they meet Az - with her grey restless eyes, who are worth trying to defy the universe for. If/When is about fighting to be with our loved ones and holding onto them for as long as we can. We’re proud to share that our inclusive crew is primarily made of women and non-binary crew members. This story is adapted for the animated screen by Courtney Westbrook and is based on the original short story by Richie Black. Not only is our story awesome, but our emphasis on creating a warm and positive environment that is female focused. The labour of love involved with handcrafting has become increasingly valuable in an AI obsessed world. If/When has completed production on our lead puppets ‘Ollie’ and ‘Az’ and major set design. We are moving into the stage where we are making the last of our sets and getting ready to start camera tests. As our sets and puppets are completely handcrafted they require very particular materials to work for the animation process, as well as the overall aesthetic. Keeping this in mind, we’ve adopted a sustainable approach by selecting materials from 'Reverse Garbage' who extends their lifecycle and diverts them from landfills. Additionally we utilise landfill diverted paper wherever possible for set construction and puppet creation. We’ve conducted extensive research into animation, female and LGBTQIA+ focused grants; however due to the nature of the industry they are few and far between. When we came across The Awesome Foundation we were excited that projects would be judged based on the merit of how they create a positive and lasting impact on the Sydney community. Our Director, Courtney’s hope for If/When was to hire a female identifying crew to help create equity on and off Australian screens. Likewise, we have also created learning opportunities in a variety of roles: bringing on board art, production and sound trainees to gain mentoring experience. The Awesome Foundation will be a significant help in bringing our characters from the page to the screen with intricate backdrops and complex puppet designs. It will enable us to move into the next stage of production involving camera and animation tests. Overall, our commitment to sustainability goes beyond just the choice of materials, it encompasses the entire production process from design to disposal. By prioritising environmental responsibility we aim to create a positive impact both within our project and the broader community. If/When hopes to shine a light on animation, mental health issues, and women and non-binary representation within the film industry. Our aim is to show this film at festivals and hope that its impact will continue to be felt for many years to come, giving hope to those lost or seeking comfort.

Sydney – MYST Madi Gras parade screening party

2024-02-07T00:00:00Z

MYST Katoomba brings Sydney city to the Blue Mountains for one night to entertain and celebrate Mardi Gras for the local youth. The Mountains Youth Service Team (MYST) is hosting a live stream of the 2024 Gay & Lesbian Sydney Mardi Gras on a big outdoor screen. The event is specifically for LGBTQAI+ individuals and supporters aged between 12 to 17 years living in the Blue Mountains area. It is designed to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all. Another community service from the region will support the event by providing activities and prizes. These activities include a fashion parade, a Bop it Passes competition, a glitter stand for making pronoun badges, a sexual health wheel, felting and decorating pot plants, planting flower seeds, a pool table, Xbox, and PlayStation.

Sydney – Kangaroo & Joey Rehabilitation Enclosure

2024-02-07T00:00:00Z

I am working with a volunteer rescuer/carer Helen Coy from Sydney Wildlife Rescue to help build a much needed kangaroo rehabilitation and orphan joey enclosure in the Windsor area. Helen is an aged pensioner and the sole supporter of her husband, an ex NSW police officer suffering from dementia. Her respite from looking after him is volunteering to save native animals. Sadly this much needed service is unfunded in our communities right across Australia and all costs are borne by the individuals who help. Sydney Wildlife Rescue is in need of an enclosure for kangaroos injured by cars and their orphaned joeys. There are a lot of kangaroos and joeys in Sydney that are euthanased because of a lack of rehabilitation facilities so Helen very generously offered that it could be constructed at her property. To build this enclosure means saving many animal lives not only now but into the future so that they can be returned to a safe environment in nature. Our native animals are born to live healthy and free instead of being a victim of urbanisation and societal apathy. It is wrong that these beautiful Australian animals are killed unnecessarily because of a lack of resources and money. I believe our wildlife and the people who care for them deserve to, and should be helped. I know Helen very well and she is a dedicated and sincere lady who puts all her spare time and money into our precious wildlife. I've never applied for a grant before and do not want assistance for myself. If funds were granted I would like them allocated to Helen Coy on behalf of Sydney Wildlife Rescue to help save our kangaroos and joeys. I have secured the best quotes for the materials to build the enclosure and have organised volunteers for its construction. Your grant would mean making this project possible. The future of wildlife is everyones responsibility and making that a reality is more than awesome. A $1000 would be the difference between life and death for our wildlife.

Sydney – Deb's Pouring and Craft Sanctuary

2023-11-01T00:00:00Z

I live in a vulnerable community in Social and Affordable Housing in Mt Druitt and have reached out to the community to start an art and craft class, where I bring together men and women of all ethnic and financial backgrounds to learn different art techniques. Many of the men and women who participate in this group experience mental ill health, isolation and loneliness and this workshop gives them a safe place to meet people, to find friends and to build life skills. This art class has created a lot of purpose for this community, and has helped people to make social connections and feel safe and welcome to come out of their units to interact. So far, I have been self-funding this project. I, myself, am financially burdened by this class but cannot stop it as it helps so many people. It also helps me, as I experience mental ill health, and running this class helps me to come out of my self-isolation once a fortnight and connect with some wonderful people, who are eager to learn. In this class, I have taught the community how to dirty pour, how to decoupage and have many plans for other techniques that I am skilled in, and that people have been requesting to learn. Most recently, we have moved into holiday enthusiasm and are currently working on and brainstorming ideas for Christmas art and craft for gifts and decorations. A huge part of my project is bringing together people who would normally isolate themselves and become disconnected from the community. This project brings together people from all backgrounds to work and learn and laugh together to create unique artworks. It will make Sydney (Western Sydney) a more #awesome place as it brings positivity, community and connection to its residents.

Sydney – Pride Morris

2023-10-04T00:00:00Z

Pride Morris is a new community group that combines queer self expression with a traditional folk dance form that brings us joy. The group comes together each year for a limited season around a special pride event, and its debut will be during the Sydney Mardi Gras festival in 2024. In the past Morris dancing was strongly divided along gendered lines, with many pervasive sexist attitudes making the scene an unwelcoming place for anyone who was not a cis-straight-white man. Thankfully great strides have been made in recent decades. As Morris teams have become more inclusive they have attracted queer members drawn to this unique and joyful performance art form. The broader folk scene can still be an incredibly hetero-normative and traditionalist place. With Pride Morris we aim to provide a space where queer morris dancers may push the boundaries of self-expression usually imposed by traditional costumes. We aim to provide colourful and entertaining public spectacle to help break down toxic aspects of traditionalist attitudes whilst celebrating all we love about this joyous communal dance form. Most Morris sides are self-sustaining, in that they take paid performance bookings and use the incoming money to pay running costs. However the setting up of a new team involves significant outlay costs in a period where we have no incoming bookings. This funding would be game-changing for us, and we will use this funding to purchase equipment and costume material that we be reused by the side each year. Many of us are students, retail workers, pensioners, and artists; many of us lack the funds to make Pride Morris happen without your valuable assistance. We are not asking for funds for a once-off event that will soon grow distant in our memories, but asking for assistance at critical time to set up a lasting organisation whose mission is to bring joy to all Sydneysiders, including queer people. Sydney is one of the most fabulous gay cities in the world, and has a wealth of LGBTQIA–welcoming sports clubs and support organisations, but there is a dearth of similar social clubs focussed upon dance and music. In this beautiful little gap, Pride Morris is seeking to create a community that revels in the joys of queerness at the same time as revelling in the power of dance to connect to our bodies and to each other through movement and music. Additionally, many of these Sydney-based clubs are based on gendered participation. Sports clubs are often built around single-gendered competitions, while Oxford Street has a wonderful, fabulous nightclub scene that largely caters to the gay male community. Pride Morris will be open to people of all ages and all genders, creating a community that transcends boundaries.

Sydney – WWYW Survivor Healing Groups

2023-09-06T00:00:00Z

A group of 12 to 15 victim-survivors that meet together monthly and learn about ways to heal from sexual violence. WWYW’s groups are conducted within a safe peer-support environment and are facilitated by two experienced professionals. The facilitators create a safe environment for recovery with clear rules and guidelines for the peer-group to ensure appropriate conduct and confidentiality. The aim is to be an open and safe space for survivors of sexual violence to come together and to connect with others with similar experiences and leave with gained knowledge and tools for healing and recovery. Each session will be run by a trauma informed facilitator, a counsellor/psychologist and no group will run if a counsellor/psychologist is not present. The role of the counsellor/psychologist is to monitor the group, step in if needed and provide one on one support if any participants become triggered or overwhelmed. The group is totally free of charge and currently running in Newcastle where we have our grass roots, however we are looking to expand into Sydney and other cities in line with the expansion of our organisation. These groups are significantly important for the community because there is currently very little sexual violence support groups in the area (especially free ones). Multiple sexual assault services have found that a particular successful method of working with survivors of sexual assault and trauma is by bringing survivors together in groups. Groups are an effective tool in providing support, validation, connection, healing, empathy and giving hope. It will create safe spaces for victims who really need the community to not feel isolated and alone, whilst also helping them find ways to manage the emotions and trauma that comes post experience of violence. Expanding these services into Sydney will also allow us to spread our voice into the city, raising awareness of our other services and work (including upcoming drink spiking education to venues) that will make Sydney a safer area for all on nights out. #awesome for all! Unfortunately pics of the groups are unavailable due to confidentiality however please see some of the other amazing work we have done!

Sydney – Sydney Pollinator Lab

2023-08-02T00:00:00Z

The Pollinator Lab is a design research project investigating ways to put pollinator habitat back onto the lands of the Eora people. We are a community led initiative run by a collective of landscape architects, academics, ecologist and biologists developing and testing alternative methodologies for creating habitat for pollinators in the built environment. We have been researching how to implement a pollinator habitat corridor between Sydney Park and Centennial Park. This has involved collaboration on the kinds of plants and habitat requirements of pollinators and how these need to be installed and maintained. Our aim is to increase pollinator habitat as a means of increasing the ecoystem services of our built landscapes in a way that provides benefit to both human and non-human inhabitants of the city.

Sydney – Back to Birdy

2023-07-05T00:00:00Z

Back to Birdy was written by Zach Bui as part of Fruit Box Theatre’s RIPE Development Program; an innovative development program that saw a collective of queer actors and writers work together to develop five original plays for Sydney WorldPride. The play explores the relationship between queer women and trans men, and was formed out of the experiences of Zach and fellow members of RIPE. Taking place in the aftermath of a falling out between protagonists Warren and Emily, Back to Birdy is a candid and humorous look at the chasms that can form within friendships whilst navigating identity politics, coming out, and one's relationship with queer spaces. Set against the backdrop of queer women’s night ‘Birdcage’, the play takes the characters back to Birdy (ie. Birdcage) through a series of flashbacks as they interact with their younger selves. Back to Birdy was first presented as a staged reading at KXT during Sydney WorldPride and received an incredibly warm reception. Audiences and reviewers alike were eager for this play to see its full form. Wishing to bring the play to life in a unique and immersive way, we are currently in talks with various bars about producing the play as a site-specific piece. This will allow us to engage community in an exciting way whilst centralising the significance of place to the production. As Sydney's nightlife and live entertainment begins to return to where it was pre-Covid, our idea will be a crucial contribution to activating public spaces for the benefit of our city. We will bring queer community to a Sydney nightlife venues throughout multiple evenings, creating an exciting evening of theatre for our patrons and contributing to the turnover of the venue. Fruit Box Theatre is a Sydney non-profit committed to staging and developing original LGBTQIA+ theatre. Our mission is to strengthen queer representation, wellbeing, and collaboration in the arts. Too often, artistic representations of the LGBTQIA+SB community are constrained by tropes of shame, isolation and discomfort. The team at Fruit Box Theatre are passionate about developing and staging original theatrical works that reflect and explore the full spectrum of LGBTQIA+SB lived experience.

Sydney – The Bass Hill Pre Kindy Program

2023-06-07T00:00:00Z

This awesome project is running a six week all inclusive pre kindy program - that looks at supporting children (3-6yrs of age) and their families transition from home life to school. It will be an opportunity to experiment, explore and discover the world in a safe and nurturing environment whilst developing life long skills needed in social and educational settings. Each week the program will deliver information (using a variety of methods) to the children and their families. The aim of the project is to have children in their early years be socially, emotionally and academically ready in order to adapt and transition to school easily. The program will focus on sensory, motor, intellectual and emotional skills. Each week there will be structured play based activities with a specific task/skill as the focus. The program requires school, community and teachers to work collaboratively with experts in order to design and implement the program. The money will be used to purchase play equipment and resources needed to implement the program and make it more inclusive. We will have kids who are resilient and ready for school and parents who aren't stressed out! We will be able to offer not only the community of Bass Hill but Sydney on the whole - an excellent pre kindy program.

Sydney – Deaf Festival Sydney

2023-06-07T00:00:00Z

Deaf Festival Sydney is happening at Cathy Freeman Park, Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday 26th August, 10am – 4pm. The Deaf Festival Sydney is an annual inclusive, family-friendly event celebrating the diversity of Deaf and hard of hearing people and the community’s culture, language and history. The primary audience are Deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing people and their families. The secondary audience includes hearing people who engage with the Deaf community, e.g., Allies, Auslan students and anyone who would like to learn and understand more about the Deaf community, its language and culture. The Festival has the goals of: 1. Create a safe for celebration, learning and inspiring deaf people, especially young deaf people, with a sense of pride in the Deaf Community, culture, and history, leading to greater optimism and sense of connection to a community. 2. Inspire the wider community to engage with the Deaf Community, get an understanding of Deaf Culture and Auslan to encourage greater inclusion for deaf people. 3. Increase awareness of community initiatives available for the Deaf community and the Deaf Ecosystem. The Deaf Ecosystem is a collection of information and resources presented in Auslan with the intention of providing the Deaf community with access to facts and information of interest. We are looking for grants to support our KidZone area, having enough funds to provide activities and workshops provided for Deaf/all children are fun, inclusive, safe and creative to keep the children, and young families throughout the 6-hour event occupied. Such as art materials, face-painting, hair-styling, balloons and supporting Deaf artists. We aim to have a few workshops in the KidZone run by Deaf artists to support their businesses and inspire the young generation to be creative.

Sydney – Multilingual storytellers ready to fly

2023-05-03T00:00:00Z

I am the lead artist for The Forked Tongues Storytelling Collective. I train and support newly arrived and migrant women to share oral stories bilingually or multilingually. It encourages the sharing of cultural stories, cultural learning, it offers a safer space to talk about our similarities and differences, promotes maintenance of first languages at home and increases literacy. Importantly it assures and affirms women who arrive that they have the means to make money, they have a voice and people want to hear them. These fabulous women have worked over years and now for the first time in 4 years the Sydney Storytelling Conference will happen. I want to take these fabulous socio-economically disadvantaged women and support their access and exposure to professional storytelling. Help their dreams grow bigger, help storytellers see what multilingual powerhouses are up and coming in our community and develop their networks. For the Forked Tongue tellers this will inspire their understanding of where storytelling can take them. It can offer them a network of professional storytellers (from NSW, Australia and abroad) to inspire what stories they tell and how and lead to further performance opportunities. The conference is daunting for them as it is two days away from family - a difficult undertaking for those of a refugee background and it is entering an environment that is English language/culture dominated. Adding women's voices from the margins and empowering them to speak up, feel confident and share stories. The women will also commit to regular performances at the To Your Door events facilitated by Think and Do Foundation.

Sydney – Free Lightsabers in Darling Harbour

2023-04-05T00:00:00Z

Last Year in June and October I organised 2 lightsaber battle's in Darling Harbour with about 100 people attending each. I want to run a similar event again to hand out free 500 lightsabers to Children and Children at heart to battle in Tumbalong Park. Each person will get to take their lightsaber home at the end of the day, and have good memories of their Duel of Fates. I will also try and contact Guiness World Records about setting the record for largest lightsaber battle in the Southern Hemisphere. I will set the record unofficially if they ask for a fee. I will do this on a Saturday, when Darling Quarter has a lot of foot traffic and fireworks on. This will brighten the landscape of Sydney for a day, and give a lot of children happiness and glee. In my first 2 events a lot of people came in professional looking cosplay and a lot of kids got dressed up as their favourite character too!

Sydney – DSA Sydney Rashies

2023-03-01T00:00:00Z

The Disabled Surfers Association has been running for 38 years and I have been apart for about 35 of those. I have seen the organization change from a group of surfers that were learning as they went to a professional organization that has procedures and policies even a train the trainer course whilst maintaining their grass root beginings. After 2 years of hiatus due to Covid we were back for our 38th year taking people with a disability for a safe surfing experience. Our equipment is quiet old and one our amazing volunteers pointed out the condition of our rash vests - very thin with several holes. We are in the process of replacing but just dont have enough funds... At $48 a rash vest it quickly adds up when we need to replace 250 but a start of 20 would cover all of the green beach marshals.

Sydney – NWME Inc - Nurrgingy Miniature Railway

2023-02-01T00:00:00Z

North Western Model engineers are a dedicated group of volunteers with an interest in Model engineering. "Model Engineering" covers a variety various interests, including Scale Model Locomotives (Steam, Diesel & Electric) and their rolling stock, Model Railways, Steam Trucks, and also Traction, Stationary Portable Steam Engines. Opening its southern loop in Nurragingy Reserve (November 2019) to raise the funds to complete the track the volunteers have tirelessly given their time to the project. We run Scale Model locomotives on this Southern loop every 3rd Sunday of the month for a nominal fee of $3, the money raised from these running days is then put back into working towards the completion of Stage 1 of Nurragingy Miniature railway Through the setbacks of floods (February 2020 & March 2021) in Nurragingy Reserve, the volunteer members keep going. Redesigning elements of the project and coming up with flood mitigation strategies to ensure the safety of the railway assets. During the Covid lockdown the club drew on the skill sets of its volunteer members to find a way to keep the railway open during this strange new way of living. The volunteer members were able to formulate a COVID safe plan and resume a basic form of COVID running in August 2020. This enabled the railway to share their love of the project and model engineering with the Blacktown City Community under the Covid Lockdown Period. They have reached out to other community groups such as Blacktown Lions and Blacktown Rotary and built a community partnership with these organisations, building a better community in the Blacktown area. They also received grants through My community Project and Community Building project. These partnerships and running days will enable the volunteers of North Western Model Engineers after 4 years of hard graft to open the completed stage 1 of Nurragingy Miniature Railway in April 2023. With all the hard work the volunteer members have put into this project, a big Grand Opening Ceremony is planned for the weekend of April 15th and 16th 2023. The grant will be used to decorate the site and run the event. The Miniature Railway will bring the community together with rides for adults and children alike while also providing a place to build friendships learn new skills and reduce loneliness with the community. The railway will help share the rich history of trains with the current generation.

Sydney – Art Kits for Kids & Women in Refuges

2022-12-14T00:00:00Z

Classbunny (an arts facilitator) is using surplus, leftovers and upcycled art materials gleaned from big corporate events and festivals to create fun craft kits for kids in domestic violence refuges in Sydney. Kids craft kits are already being distributed and contact has been made with local refuges and charities. As well as the kits, classbunny provides a 'how to' video for each new project' which is accessed via you tube for case workers to reference or to be viewed directly by the children. This Project is awesome because it 1) Saves materials from landfill 2) Recycles left over materials 3) Supplies and brings art to kids & women in domestic violence refuges 4) Is a therapeutic activity for those in crisis The craft activities are artist designed and high quality. As classbunny already delivers regular classes online to the public, there is an opportunity to expand the outreach to adults in the refuge in addition to the kids. What is needed is investment into water colour kits and postage to deliver the kits to various outlying refuges, so women in those refuges can join a water colour class that are already running regularly via live stream for the paying public. One kit per refuge would be able to be used multiple time . Logistics 1. A kit for multiple attendees is delivered to a refuge 2. An email call out is sent to the refuges taking part in the scheme for participants to join a class when it is running (usually monthly) 3. As the teacher is already paid for by the general public, it can accommodate complimentary spaces for the women from the refuges. Online classes can have many more participants than a live class. 4. Women are given a zoom link and can join a scheduled online class via the refuge computer or a phone as would a paying student. They will participate beside the general public and not be identified or singled out in anyway. One kit with paints and brushes can be used 15 times. That means a staggering 450 women could take part in a classbunny watercolour class for so little outlay!

Sydney – Dharawal Language Book and Gift Pack

2022-11-30T00:00:00Z

Ngumby jodi! Our project is the Dharawal Language Book & Gift Pack. With the help of our chairman, a Yuin man with community links to Dharawal Country, we have written a Dharawal picture dictionary that children can colour in. The pictures depict actual Dharawal rock art and illustrate the words being defined. These books are gifted to every First Nations kindergarten student in the Sutherland Shire (one per family) at special school ceremonies where families are invited to attend. The books are packaged in cotton bags with the Aboriginal, the Torres Strait Islander, and the Australian flags, a First Nations language map, a pack of coloured pencils and a notebook, and a copy of Young Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe. This simple gift of language and culture builds self-esteem and community connection. Students feel a sense of pride when they are gifted with the pack at the special ceremony and that pride grows when they are invited to share the contents of the book with their classrooms and their families. It's a small step toward cultural mental health, but a valuable one none-the-less. The ceremonies, sponsored by the schools, are also valuable as they build community between First Nations families, many of whom had not connected with others in their school system previously.

Sydney – Coogee Surf Life Saving Community: Beach Safety

2022-10-28T00:00:00Z

As a part of their surf awareness initiative Coogee Surf Club has conducted a number of beach safety information sessions for both international families and students, a demographic effected by ocean tragedy in the Sydney area. We are filling the need for beach safety for overseas citizens who might not have the privilege of beaches where they are from. Sydney boasts a long coastline of picturesque beaches which we all enjoy, however the seas are very dangerous and if uneducated, can cause some serious injury. These simple programs ensure that more people are aware of the dangers and inform them on how to be safe during a day at the beach. Funding would go towards facilitating additional workshops and purchasing hi visibility singlets to use for our beach safety program when the students go in the ocean with the lifesavers. This will increase safety and increase our branding within the wider community

Sydney – NICI Gadigal Skills for Success Program

2022-10-05T00:00:00Z

The National Indigenous Culinary Institute provides developmental pathways for Indigenous people to gain employment in Australia’s restaurants to become qualified chefs as an apprentice. We currently have a group of students finishing their development program and will begin their work placement Thursday 13th Oct. If successful in their work placement, they will be offered apprenticeships to start immediately. Each of our students will then be provided with a set of chef knives and bag, along with additional uniform to be able to successfully work as an apprentice. $1000 would go a long to provided these essential resources which our students are unable to purchase on their own. We make sure they have the correct footwear, top level industry knives and the required chef whites and chef pants as required by their restaurants. Our students will go on to work in restaurants such as Bentley, Rockpool, Margaret, Catalina with world renowned chefs like Neil Perry, Matt Moran, Luke Mangan and many more. The NICI continues to mentor and support our students for their entire apprenticeship, where they graduate our program and continue into our Alumni Program.

Sydney – Yanadi Ladies Group

2022-09-05T00:00:00Z

Yanadi women’s group is a Social Support group run through Kurranulla Aboriginal Corporation. We are the ONLY Aboriginal community controlled organisation in the Suthlerand Shire. The Yanadi Women’s Group meets weekly on Fridays and brings together Aboriginal women to participate in a range of activities such as Yarning Circles, Arts and Crafts, Candle Making, BBQs, Traditional Weaving, Jewellery making, Cake baking and much more. Yanadi women’s group also have regular health and well-being activities. Kurranulla Aboriginal Corporation (KAC) is a not for profit organisation that incorporated on 21st November 1994 under the Aboriginal Councils and Associations Act 1976..KAC is a drop in centre for local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community living in the Sutherland Shire and St George areas. Kurranulla strives to develop closer ties between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal groups and promote Aboriginal culture. Covid-19 has caused serious health implications for the Aboriginal communities of Sutherland Shire and St George, particularly in relation to our Social and Emotional Wellbeing and community connectedness. The program will assist our mob with rebuilding social connections in a culturally safe setting.

Sydney – Holroyd High School Multicultural Day

2022-09-05T00:00:00Z

On the 16th September, Holroyd high School will be hosting a multicultural day for all of the students. Multicultural day is generally held every year, however due to Covid it has not occurred for the last 3 years. We hope to make this year bigger and better! Due to the school having a large Intensive English School, we have the pleasure of experiencing over 44 different cultures within the school! This is a big reason we wish to celebrate such a special day. The purpose of the day is to celebrate the diversity and enhance the sense of community that is experienced within the school. We will be starting the day with a morning ceremony, including a flag march, and multicultural speakers.There will also be different cultural performances and speeches from students and external providers showcasing their culture. The school will be hosting food trucks and stalls from as many different cuisines as possible that students will have access to at lunch. We will also have cultural activities running, in which students can participate and learn about all the cultures within the school! The project has been on hold for 3 years, and its the largest event for the school. The funding will assist with financing speakers, performers and food stalls for students to access Due to majority of our students coming from low socio economic communities, the funding will assist with reducing out of pocket costs for the students on the day. For example, we could utilise the funding to ensure the food vans are free or only a gold coin donation is required. Similarly, the funding could assist with financing performers and activities for students to participate in. This event will allow the community to embrace the diversity and experiences of the Cumberland population. Multicultural day will allow the community and students to engage with, learn about and embrace different cultural identities. Many of our students spend time with students of similar backgrounds, ethnicities and world views. In orchestrating this event it will be an opportunity for students to expand their world view, have conversation with students different from them, and in so doing may reduce prejudice and bias, associated with a lack of understanding of other cultures.

Sydney – OddHearts Connect Through Art

2022-07-04T00:00:00Z

OddHearts was designed by two queers of colour who believe in the power of art to process emotions and transform life's challenges. The workshops are targeted at all humans who self identify as 'odd'. Our art experiences are held in queer, POC and neurodivergent friendly spaces and venues and aim to connect people and build bridges between the sub cultures and communities we are part of. We are based back in Sydney now after the devastating floods that wiped out our Northern Rivers town. Through practicing art together and working on a collaborative piece or process, participants are guided by the facilitators to open their hearts and reconnect. We trialed this model recently with a group of 15 oddballs in a Newtown venue. We propose a series of 3 workshops using the mediums of 'painting and alchemical paper weaving', 'Tarot collage' and 'Drawing the Shadows'. The last workshop of this series will be accompanied by live music. This project will make Sydney more awesome by providing art experiences that help queers, POC, neurodivergent and other people who wouldn't normally feel comfortable in mainstream art workshops connect with their emotions and their shared humanity. We facilitate enjoyable, meaningful experiences creating a collective piece and learning about artistic processes.

Sydney – Musical Milestones

2022-06-06T00:00:00Z

Reflecting upon the positive milestones after a life of challenge is not usually an easy process. The "Musical Milestones" program is centred upon the importance of supporting previously incarcerated women through their rehabilitation journey from drug and alcohol addiction. As part of the existing group music therapy program at Kathleen York House, "Musical Milestones" is based upon the creation and recording of songs as part of the therapeutic process: by drawing upon the challenges of the past, as well as the hopes for the future, the music therapist supports the women in creating something beautiful and meaningful out of their challenging experiences. In recognising the powerful impact that songs have, the women are safely encouraged to verbally and musically explore the hardships of their life in a way to help them process the past, acknowledge their progress in their rehabilitation journey and give hope to their future. This approach to therapy has a beautiful flow on effect whereby the women of the program become empowered to then offer support to new members by simply sharing some of the group songs to help validate and give hope to the new group member on arrival. After the songs are written, the group often sing along to the words that they have created, and thus take the time to start processing the challenges of their past, arriving at the musical milestone of reframing these challenges, and feeling hopeful for their future. To ensure that these women continue to feel empowered whilst in the program and beyond the program, we would like to create recordings of these songs so that they can continue to draw upon them as a resource, to help them along their way. The money will go towards the purchasing of relevant instruments and equipment for this program. This idea will make the city of Sydney more #awesome as it will give voice (literally!) to the importance of second chances and hope for the future.

Sydney – Promote the Goat Uplift

2022-04-05T00:00:00Z

Promote the Goat (PTG) is a very special basketball program located in the Western suburbs of Sydney, providing coaching lessons and games to underprivileged kids aged 14-19. We are not only teaching them how to be part of a team and how to play an amazing game, we are also teaching them valuable life lessons, which helps to build their self-confidence and self-esteem in a fun way. When I created PTG, I noticed there was no real cultural representation of athletes at a higher level in basketball, so I decided to promote celebrating cultural diversity in Australian basketball, as well as the health benefits of the sport. Mental, social, emotional, physical and spiritual. I have been playing basketball for over 2 decades, travelling and playing interstate and internationally. My day job is at the Australia's biggest basketball store, but my biggest passion is Promote the Goat and helping the kids build their confidence, self-belief and life skills through basketball. I’m also using the sport to promote hooping for mental health and would really like to use my passion and experience to help women’s basketball as a whole and to have more females, coaching and playing! We would like to enter our team into a local competition which runs for 12 weeks. It would be an amazing experience for the kids and help to not only hone their basketball skills, but also give them a real sense of working as a team and, hopefully success. By allowing us to improve the lives of the kids in our program, you will be making them even more awesome than they already are. If Sydney's kids are more awesome, then Sydney too is more #awesome.

Sydney – The New Normal - A Trans-inclusive Women's Day Gig

2022-03-01T00:00:00Z

The New Normal - a musical cosmos for trans, nonbinary and female identifying folks. The New Normal aims to open up a traditional jazz venue to more diverse performers and audiences alike, fostering greater community connection, inclusiveness and fresh creative expression. For the first time at Lazybones Lounge, this trans-incusive International Women's Day event not only showcases women in music but also welcomes non-gender-conforming folks into the space to nurture and strengthen community connections and networks. On International Women’s Day, Sydney vocalist Ms. G (in association with Noisy Girls Productions) is taking over both levels of Lazybones Lounge to re-imagine live music sites as welcoming, nurturing, fun spaces for women and gender-non-conforming artists and audiences alike. Hosted by Jannah Beth, and featuring Blues Legend Marlene Cummins, Percussionist Chloe Kim, all grrl neo-soul/funk powerhouse Monstress, pop sensation Anieszka and special guests, PLUS a female led jazz jam where transgender and non-binary singers who want to explore their voices in an affirming environment are most welcome. We believe our idea will make the city of Sydney more #awesome by rejuvenating struggling venues and bringing a sense of fun, safety, inclusion and encouragement back to a local live music scene that has faced significant challenges over the last two years. Instead of going back to how things were before, why not make womXn-led initiatives and gender-inclusiveness, the new normal? How #awesome would that be?! Insta: @thenewnormalnight

Sydney – The strength and resilience of refugee women

2022-02-08T00:00:00Z

Street Art/Mural to celebrate resilience and strength of refugee and migrant women. After operating in the asylum seeker and refugee sector since 2015 Mums4Refugees NSW Inc (M4R) has witnessed amazing strength and resilience of refugee women. Despite hardships and trauma endured, refugee women are the lifeblood of their communities. We now want to celebrate them and create a mural featuring strong refugee women and girls. M4R will hire a graffiti artist to paint a mural. Our first choice for an artist would be a female from a refugee or migrant background. The mural will contribute to the street art in one of Sydney's suburbs. At the moment we have permission to use a shopfront in Western Sydney (Penrith), but we are keen to find something along the train line to maximize exposure and impact. Asylum seekers women and girls are often painted as victims. Whilst they are victims of the cruel Australian government policies and places they escape, they rarely see themselves in that light. They are strong, brave, resilient, and hopeful. Our aim for the mural will portray that. It's important to show Sydney-siders the contribution these women make to our community. The mural, while beautiful, won't serve simply to brighten any person's day, but also will become an integral part of creating a more accepting, humane and awesome community.

Sydney – Intercultural Connection Through Artwork

2022-01-11T00:00:00Z

Mentoring Men helps adult men who are experiencing distress or a sense of helplessness by providing free one-to-one life mentoring with a professionally trained volunteer Mentor. Through non-judgmental support and encouragement, our program focuses on proactive prevention by engaging with men who need help before they spiral into crisis. This project will bring two of our cultural groups together for an intercultural artwork workshop that brings socially isolated men together to form community connections. Mentoring Men is currently working with the Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council, training Indigenous leaders as Mentors, empowering them to assist at-risk men from their community. Part of this training centres around the power of Indigenous art to tell stories, make connections and develop a deeper understanding of self. We would like to bring together men from the Gandangara with our walking group from Claymore. Our men from Claymore are socially isolated with a range of physical and cognitive disabilities. Through Mentoring Men, they have formed a peer support group that comes together regularly for short walks around their neighbourhood and a coffee. They have expressed an interest in participating in other activities. This funding will enable us to bring these two groups of men together for an art workshop led by an Indigenous artist from Gandangara. Participants will work on an artwork individually and together, making connections with men. Sydneysiders sometimes live in their little pocket of a suburb - this project will make intercultural connections across the suburbs thereby making Sydney more #awesome