Six Seasons Indigenous Art Project

Team Members: Rebecca Faris (Lead), Jarrod Woolley, Sarah Bubb-Dempster, Ryan Delony

Project Description

Fostering storytelling through a public artwork created by local Indigenous Youth, showcasing their culture and ongoing connection to country, with the wider community. 

A permanent installation replicating the ‘Six Seasons’ artwork, created by Indigenous students at Warrnambool College, in a prominent public space in Warrnambool City.

CFA/VFBV State Firefighter Championships Great South Coast Masterplan

Team Members: Will Kerr (Lead), Brit Watts, Aylish Tobin-Salzman, Rebecca Campbell

Project Description

CFA volunteer numbers are declining, the average age of volunteers is increasing, and regional towns are more at risk to extreme climatic events. Assisting local CFA brigades to attract volunteers is vital to keep communities safe now and into the future.

The development of the CFA/VFBV State Firefighter Championships Masterplan (the masterplan) will support local brigades to lobby for the event to be hosted in the region. The masterplan will assess existing facilities, supporting infrastructure, and required economic input, providing recommendations for improvements, current and potential capacity of the region and economic benefit of the championships. This will provide local volunteers with the background and regional focus information to lobby to both local government and the CFA.

Warrnambool Men’s Shed Strategic Plan

Team Members: Rhianna Burns (Lead), Mark Robson, Barbara Moll, Ashleigh Pruys

Project Description

A Legacy of Achievement, A Future of Connection:  Crafting a strategy for tomorrow’s Men’s Shed. 

Strengthen and support the sustainability of the Men’s Shed in Warrnambool by partnering with members of the Men’s Shed and the community in co-design of a strategic plan including plans for future growth, leadership, communication and engagement.

Thrive Youth Hub Scoping Project

Team Members: Janine Marra (Lead), Kim Ayling, Damien Mason, Tonia Wilcox

Project Description

To explore the need for a youth space in Portland where young people are supported and celebrated. 

Engage with community to assess the need for a youth hub in Portland and deliver a scoping report that includes a recommended governance structure for a Steering Committee.

Farmers’ Night Out

Project Description
The Farmers’ Night Out dinner, held on 22 September at Noorat Recreational Reserve, focused on fostering connections and raising awareness of mental health and support networks for local farmers and those in the agricultural industry.
The evening included:
• A panel sharing lived experience of suicide and local support networks
• A comedian
• Live music
• Three course meal
• A vast range of local mental health and wellbeing service information and resources
• A call to action for another organisation/ community group to take up this initiative to ensure it continues.
Of those who provided formal feedback, 100% said this event encouraged them to have a mental health/wellbeing conversation with a friend or neighbour, or they will in the future.

Community Outcomes
• 102 community members attended

• Increased understanding of mental health and local support available
• The Farmers’ Night Out Framework was published as a guide for other organisations to replicate a like event in the future

Project Status: Complete.

Fruit Rescue

Project Description
The project aimed to:
• Utilise a waste stream of local unpicked fresh fruit varieties
• Provide a health benefit to our region
• Support food security
• Boost health by increasing fresh fruit access and consumption
• Build stronger community connections and more resilient communities across our region.

Volunteer pickers rescue unused fruit from people’s gardens and public spaces. The produce is shared between the owner, the volunteers and organisations that provide food to those with
limited access.

Community Outcomes
• Branding and communications plan finalised
• Website and social platforms live
• Volunteer pickers registered
• Trees registered for picking
• Newsletter distribution list established
• Promotional materials produced
• Tools and equipment purchased to assist with picking and distributing the fruit
• Fruit Rescue Handbook, covering all processes and procedures produced
• A management committee established to take the project to phase 2

Project Status: Complete.

Community Climate Network Scoping

Project Description

The Community Climate Network Scoping project assessed the need for a community-led climate network in the region and researched possible governance structures for such a body.
The project focused on phase 1, working with individuals and groups focused on climate action to map and document existing activity and collaborations across the Great South Coast. The project sought the opinions from key stakeholders about the challenges and opportunities in the region, as well as those with extensive governance experience, with a view to establishing the need for a dedicated community climate network.

Community Outcomes
• Wide-ranging engagement with community members across the region
• Stakeholder map identifying organisations and champions working in the climate space across the five LGAs of the Great South Coast region
• Need and appetite for a community led climate network identified
• Two reports produced: A report that determines the need for a Community Climate Network in the region, detailing the consultation process, evidence and recommendations for a Community Climate Network; and a report that advises on governance structures that may be used in phase 2

Project Status: Complete.

Valuable Volunteers

Project Aim: To engage and re-engage members of the community to become part of volunteer organisations.

Project Descriptor: The Valuable Volunteers Day aims to educate, encourage, and re-engage members of the community toward volunteerism. The day will be held on 15 October 2022 in Hamilton to specifically connect with and engage participants to volunteer opportunities in organisations via guided tours and ‘experience workshops’.

Project team members Diana Dixon and Lachlan Farrington

Take a Step Forward

Project Aim: This project aims to provide an educational opportunity for individuals and organisations within the Great South Coast (GSC) region to learn how they can support and foster a safer and more inclusive environment for LGBTIQA+ members of the community.

Project Descriptor: This project will deliver a half day conference, including an evening celebratory event, in Warrnambool that focuses on fostering inclusion for LGBTIQA+ members of the GSC community. The conference and celebratory event will be open to all members of the GSC community; however, marketing will target businesses and the community services sector. The conference and celebratory event will be delivered in Warrnambool but will be open to all GSC local government areas. A conference framework will be produced following the conference, which will guide other organisations in replicating the conference in the future.

Project team members Kaye McDowall, Daniel Knight, Claire Dagley and Justin Harzmeyer

Garden Harvest Share

Project aims: To develop a mechanism for people with excess fresh produce such as fruit and vegetables from home gardens to share their produce with people in need and distribute among their small rural community.

Project Descriptor: The project will install two food pantries at rural townships in the Corangamite Shire. The launch of the Garden Harvest Share food pantries is on Saturday 29 October at the Little Acorn in Terang, all welcome. Once launched Little Pantries will be found at The Little Acorn, Terang, and Milk and Honey in Timboon.

Information about the worldwide movement Little Free Pantry can be found at little free pantry.

Project team members Raymon Barber, Sarah Irving and Alison Kemp (absent Matine Tondkar)

Great South Coast Community Fundraising Guide

Project Aim: To assist Great South Coast community organisations to understand and be successful at fundraising.

Project Descriptor: The project will deliver a comprehensive Great South Coast Community Fundraising Guide on how to develop and execute a research-based fundraising campaign. This document will assist community organisations with fundraising tips and tricks to consider as well as local intel from key figures in the philanthropic and fundraising space.

Project team members Jennifer Thomas, Anna Sanderson, Leesa ClausenBrown and Daniel Pearson

Tarrington Water Tower Green Space

This project team aimed to enhance mental and social wellbeing by connecting people in natural spaces. In scoping for an appropriate project, the team became aware of the Tarrington Water Tower Green Space Project which has had long term community support, but unfortunately the community had not been able to realise their dream.

Project Aims:

• In partnership with the community, create an accessible green space at the Tarrington Water Tower.
• Involve Tarrington Progress Association, Tarrington Senior Citizens, Tarrington Lutheran School, Wannon Water and other community members in the design and implementation of the garden.
• Create stewardship arrangements for the green space so that it is well looked after and used to its fullest capacity.

Community Outcomes:

The resulting fully accessible Tarrington green space is designed to be an intergenerational space. It factors in the location of the senior citizens centre and primary school opposite the site, the interaction of both groups, and the broader community. The garden will be opened in December 2021.

Accessible Beaches Great South Coast

This project team is passionate about increasing accessibility to our region’s patrolled beaches, fostering inclusion and equity for all members of our community.

Project Aims:

• Complete initial stakeholder consultation and engagement to develop an action plan.
• Form a key stakeholders’ focus group – incorporating surf lifesaving clubs, coastal local government areas and representation from other user groups to scope the following:
  • • Co-hosting a minimum of two accessible beach trial days in December 2021.

   

  • Having the region’s patrolled beaches feature on accessiblebeaches.com
  • Scoping a user-friendly booking model for equipment.
  • Collectively applying for funding for equipment for the region’s patrolled beaches including wheelchairs, walkers and matting.
  • Promoting accessible equipment in our region.

Community Outcomes:

Accessible beaches trial days ran 3-5 December 2021 at Port Campbell, Warrnambool and Port Fairy patrolled beaches. The highly successful days were supported by Local government, local surf lifesaving clubs, Surf Life Saving Victoria, and Parks Victoria. A recommendation report was presented to Focus Group to take forward funding applications for equipment to ensure all Great South Cost Beaches are accessible.  A significant outcome of the project is the commitment by Surf Life Saving Victoria to support policy and systemic change to ensure any patrolled beach can be supported to become accessible.

Healthy Minds – Live4Life Advocates

This project team aimed to recognise and improve awareness and detection of mental health within younger members of our community to break down stigma around common mental health conditions.

Project Aims:

• Highlight and broaden the reach of live4life.org.au within Warrnambool City, Moyne and Corangamite shires.
• Facilitate introductions to maximise the implementation of youth mental health first aid training across these communities.

Community Outcomes:

After completing the Live4Life training the project team launched a multi-channel media campaign highlighting its experience of the training. This has helped break down stigma to improve mental health outcomes and resiliency within the community and confirm over 100 people for future training.

The project promotes the delivery of youth mental health first aid training to community members of the Moyne, Warrnambool, and Corangamite shires. Through training our community members we can better detect and support youth potentially dealing with mental health issues. This is done through connecting individuals who have completed the training with young people, and identifying where help and further education is needed, to create more resilient members of our community.

Great South Coast residents interested in participating in a youth mental health first aid course in 2022 can visit https://www.live4life.org.au/gsc-courses for more information, or to book.

Cooking Up Connections

In the context of the COVID-19 global pandemic, this project team aimed to help the more vulnerable members of our community.

Project Aim:

• Assist Warrnambool & District Food Share in its expansion to becoming a Great South Coast Regional Food Hub.

Community Outcomes:

The project assisted Food Share by producing a service delivery gap assessment report. The report outlined a community engagement process trial in two regional towns (Cobden and Hawkesdale) to measure the emergency food relief needs in these communities. Following the trial, the team developed a mapping tool, using online mapping software to document the regional reach of Food Share. The mapping tool will provide vital data on the organisation’s reach and outline any gaps across our region.

As part of this process the team updated the Food Share stakeholder engagement flyer. The team also completed a recommendations report to implement a cloud-based stock control system. This will help meet the organisation’s expanding needs into the future.

Indigenous War Memorial Mural 

Internationally renowned street artist ADNATE and his team completed painting the Heywood water tower in May 2021, view the making of the mural here.

Adnate’ s design for the iconic Indigenous war memorial mural includes the work of Gunditjmara man Tom Day using elements of his well-known work that was inspired by the World Heritage listed Budj Bim volcanic landscape and the traditional possum skin cloak.

Emerging local artist Levi Geebung has been selected as part of the team who will complete a 360-degree mural on the tower and will be mentored in large scale mural techniques by Adnate.

Through a seven-month consultation process the local community have agreed on the Gunditjmara tokens and ancestors to be included on the mural. Local landscape will form part of the mural background with eels and traditional eel baskets included.

NEWS 20/04/21 – The project team are very proud to have completed a 7 month consultation with community, a summary report of this process is available here
From Sept 2020 to March 2021 10 consultations were held (both virtual and face to face) and over 60 community members contributed to the process with an additional 331 viewing the online project presentation. You can read all the detail of these sessions in the report.

The collation of data and feedback from the sessions has confirmed the style of the mural, along with the tokens and servicemen to be represented. We would like to thank all involved in the process for your participation and input. Below is the final information that will inform the concept for the mural.

Stage 4 – Final Mural Concept Completed by Artist 04/21

Large scale mural artist Adnate will complete the final concept with a view to commencing the mural in April/May 2020. Adnate will include the following elements and individuals as endorsed by the community:

• Elements and tokens
  • Links to country i.e., Budj Bim, Lake Condah/land creation
  • Gunditjamara tokens i.e., possum skin cloak and eel traps
• Include Tommy Day artwork in the design (confirmed)
• Four Lovett Brothers (Fredrick, Herbert, Edward, Leonard) + Reginald ‘Reg’ Saunders

The Project Team are proud to announce that ADNATE has been appointed as lead artist for the Heywood project – Adnate brings extensive large scale mural  and international experience. He has worked closely with communities on numerous projects.

Local Indigenous artist Levi Geebung will be mentored in large scale mural application processes as part of the project.

29/09/20 News

This project will complete the application of a large-scale mural on the Heywood water tower that will serve as a conversation piece highlighting the significant sacrifices made by all our Gunditjmara service men and women, resulting in positive steps toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous members of our community.

Detail about the project and its background is available here Click here for Project Flyer

The aims of the project are:

1. Truth Telling. Sharing their stories. By installing a mural that represents the voice of Indigenous service men and women we start the conversation.
2. Education. Supporting a National conversation. The mural will assist to educate community on the achievements, contributions and history of our Indigenous service men and women.
3. Acknowledge. Mural plaques will acknowledge and inform community about the significant contributions Indigenous service men and women made for a country they were not equal in.
4. Empowering Community. We aim to empower the community by establishing a place for them to celebrate, heal and honour all service men and women.
5. Repurposing the Heywood water tower infrastructure to create a reflective mural that adds to a growing Great South Coast Arts Trail.
6. Economic Benefit. Increase tourist visitation and spending in Heywood and the broader Glenelg Shire, linking to the Silo Art Trail at the gateway to Budj Bim World Heritage listed landscape

Project deliverables:

Stage 1

1. Major partners confirmed – via letters of support and authorisation to proceed; Wannon Water, Glenelg Shire, RSL and Gunditj Mirring
2. Completion of community engagement and consultation. Note – First round of consultation at project commencement. Second round TBC before artists commence the mural.
3. Funding for project will be secured
4. Establish community selection panel to manage expression of interest (EOI) process for artists selection

Stage 2

1. Community selection panel confirm appropriate artists. Contract artists to deliver mural.
2. Completion of large-scale mural artwork on the Heywood water tower with completion of plaques and landscaping to assist in telling the story and honouring all parties involved.
3. Public launch of large-scale Indigenous War Memorial Mural

This project aligns to the following Great South Coast Strategic Plans:

GSC Regional Priorities Roadmap – Environment and Culture – A thriving arts and culture industry and a sustainable environment with celebrated natural beauty – Actions:

• • Supporting projects to strengthen and modernise arts infrastructure and facilities as well as cultural industries
  • Supporting projects to unlock sustainable visitor access to features of our natural environment, and connect tourism pathways

GSC Digital Plan – Page 7 – Improvement of regions population attraction for tourism Page 15 – Improving a permanent structure in the town as a tourism attraction

Master Plan for GOR Tourism Strategy – Page 8 – Increase business and community participation, engagement and support Page 10 – Assisting of renewal of an existing structure to include indigenous heritage of the area including Budj Bim

Glenelg Aboriginal Partnership Action Plan 2019-2020

Theme 4: Engaged, safe and healthy communities – 4.3 engagement of community in activities
Theme 6: Country and Culture- 6.1 …secure funding to recognise the service of Aboriginal Soldiers in the Glenelg Shire Council through the development of a permanent physical memorial.

South West Kids (now Loved & Shared Inc)

South West Kids’ aim is to establish an organisation that repurposes and distributes donated children’s goods to families in need across South West Victoria using the existing St Kilda Mum’s model.

Stage one of this three-staged project will see the LGSC 2020 team deliver a scoping report to demonstrate the need for the local organisation, recommend an organisational structure and establish a functioning steering committee.

Stage two will see formalisation of the governance structure and its functions before launching the organisation in stage three.

Note for the purposes of LGSC 2020 this project plan will focus on Stage one only.

Meet the Team – Liam Tim Kara Cat

The aim for stage 1 of this project is to lay the foundations for a not for profit organisation servicing *South West Victoria.

*The region made up of Warrnambool City Council, Corangamite Shire, Moyne Shire, Southern Grampians Shire and Glenelg Shire.

The aims of the overall project including stages 2 and 3 are to:

1. Ensure families have all essential items to raise a thriving and healthy child
2. Reduce the financial burden of raising a child by assisting families with generational poverty and those in situational poverty as a result of COVID-19.
3. Provide a coordinated approach for distribution of packages to support agencies across South West Victoria.
4. Reduce landfill and unnecessary waste.

By the end of Stage One (November 2020) the project team will have delivered:

• • A completed scoping report outlining the current supports and the current need within the community.
  • A recommended organisational structure
  • An established and functioning steering committee of key stakeholders
  • A completed stakeholder engagement plan
  • Submit LGSC Closure Report

This project aligns to the following Great South Coast Strategic Plans:

• • Regional Partnerships Great South Coast: Outcome 4: Health and community wellbeing – a healthy, safe and resilient Great South Coast community.
  • Great South Coast Group Priorities: Priority 2: Great Communities “it is a place where our communities work, learn and socialise together in harmony”.

2020 Projects 

Greater Warrnambool Good Karma Network – Helping People Help Each Other

Greater Warrnambool Good Karma Network

UPDATE 07/20 Facebook Network Launched during COVID 19 restrictions to support community – Join Today

Good Karma Networks (GKN) are unique online community networks, via a dedicated Facebook group. At its core a GKN is a problem-solving tool combined with a strong value framework, meaning members interact positively and never expect anything in return for helping their neighbours. The network also brings together elements of other community pages such as “free to a good home”. Apart from being the right way to interact with people (even online) the function of maintaining polite, positive interaction means that members feel safe and empowered to ask for help whenever they need it, no matter how big or small the problem is. This is all achieved by careful and dedicated administration, which will initially be conducted by our project team. Part of our scope includes identifying future administrators to take the network beyond 2020.

So far GKN’s have been implemented successfully in metropolitan areas around Australia. We believe the model will work successfully in regional areas as well, once we gain some momentum and people begin to understand the network. We have decided to launch the network in the Warrnambool region with a view to include anyone who uses Warrnambool as a central hub for work or other services. In time we believe successful GKN’s could be established in other areas of the great south coast region.

The aims of the project are:

1. To establish local community connectivity through Facebook.
2. Design and create an online space where the community can go; to solve problems, connect, collaborate, communicate, care and cater. For the community and led by the community.
3. Explore, research, put together and then launch an online tool that is able to be utilised to provide a space where help is able to be asked for, offered and received.
4. Establish a viable network, utilising the existing documentation and procedures, to be able to be provided to the community stakeholders to manage moving forward
5. Ensure that anyone new to the area has an avenue where they can easily access the problems solving tools, advice and support that they may need.
6. Support the community through COVID 19 recovery and beyond

Project deliverables:

By the end of the current phase, which will be in line with the end of the 2020 Leadership Great South Coast Program (Dec 2020), the GWGKN will;

1. Use existing model to establish and build a Greater Warrnambool region Good Karma Network
2. Launch a Greater Warrnambool Good Karma Network on Facebook
3. Undertake at least 6 months of administration with identified key targets designed to promote membership, participation and education ensure all members understand and adhere to the GKN model.
4. Identifying, training and establishing future administrators (handing back to the community) as well as providing coaching for a period of 6 months if a founding guardian does not remain engaged.
5. Build a sustainable and active membership base – this will be determined over the course of the project depending on numbers (i.e. number of members vs number of engaged members vs population)
6.  Establish 4 administrators to continue the network beyond 2020
7.  Closure report by end of the 2020 Leadership Great South Coast course 2020

This project also aligns with the Great South Coast Road Map.

Health and Community Wellbeing: “A healthy safe and resilient Great South Coast Community”

• • Supporting planning for liveable and active communities.
  • To implement a Digital Strategy and Plan to share our knowledge across the region, Victoria and globally.

Saving Lives in Moyne Shire

UPDATE 20/08/20 The project team is currently consulting with community to locate and map all AED’s in Koroit, Yambuk, Mortlake and Macarthur – please contact [email protected]  0408627066 if you can assist.

This project will assist the Moyne communities of Koroit, Yambuk, Mortlake and Macarthur to respond more effectively to cardiac arrests, through supporting them to register and make automated external defibrillators (AED’s) more publicly accessible.

Priority will be given to increasing the registration and accessibility of existing AEDs in the communities (with particular focus on access during COVD 19 restrictions) and providing extra AEDs where possible and necessary.

Saving Lives in Moyne Flyer

On the search for AED’s

The aims of the project are:

1. To increase the survival rate of cardiac arrest victims in each of the four KYMM communities
2. Create a Gap Analysis Report of the current and required numbers, status and locations of AEDs in each community
3. Register AEDs & make publicly accessible

Project deliverables:

1. A detailed document of all existing community AEDs, their status, owners, location, accessibility, ownership history, perspective and any intentions to relocate provided to Ambulance Victoria
2. A detailed document of the number of increased AED registrations & number of willing AED relocations to 24/7 accessibility, provided to Ambulance Victoria & Moyne Shire.
3. Guaranteed funds to purchase weather-proof/secure cabinets and/or new 24/7 accessible AEDs (pending funding & need) for these communities
4. Support for AV to re-allocate available refurbished AEDs
5. Increased numbers of installed, accessible and registered AEDs in each of the nominated communities as recommended in the Stage One Report (refer Item 2, above) as funds allow & needs are identified

This project aligns to the following Great South Coast Strategic Plans:

Strategy and Goal: Strengthen the communities of the Great South Coast

4.9 Create an accessible health and community services system that excels in preventative health measures and equity of service p45

Regional Partnerships Great South Coast – Health and Community Wellbeing – a healthy, safe and resilient Great South Coast Community through supporting projects to strengthen local and regional health services

Great South Coast Economic Migration Project (GSCEMP) Phase 2 https://www.facebook.com/gscemp/
Project Partners – RDV, Jesuit Social Services, Moyne Shire Council

The Great South Coast Economic Migration Project (GSCEMP) assists migrants from metropolitan areas to move to the Great South Coast to build resilient, diversified, and sustainable intercultural communities. The GSCEMP is a place-based project and has, in its pilot stage, been a successful example of regional migration specifically designed to meet the population and economic needs of the Great South Coast region.

The project has received funding from the Victorian State Government to move into Phase 2 of the project in 2020/21. Phase 2 will be strengthened by partnering with a national partner, Jesuit Social Services, and creating a transferrable project model to assist other Great South Coast communities. Phase 2 will consolidate the learnings from the Pilot, into a tested project model, while continuing to support relocated families. The GSCEMP will move the project into Moyne Shire in 2021, the project’s third local government area, working closely with the Council, business leaders and community partners to meet the population, economic and social needs of the community.

Alignment to Great South Coast Strategic Plan Economy: A strong and diverse Great South Coast economy with more local jobs and a growing workforce.

Shop in a Box

The ‘Shop In A Box’ project envisions a vibrant town centre experience, encouraging local entrepreneurship and drawing tourism. The Portland Pilot aims to provide a framework to reactivate our CBDs through temporary uses of empty shops, modelled on the Renew Newcastle idea of free, short-term contracts between landowners and tenants.

A passionate community committee has been established as a sub committee of The Committee for Portland, who sponsor the pilot in partnership with LGSC.

With two shops NOW OPEN in Percy St, Portland the Committee have seen a reduction from 20% vacacny rate to 11% during the project.

Follow the first Shop in a Box https://www.facebook.com/Naturalsoycreations/

Cycling Without Age – follow on Facebook @CyclingWithoutAgePF

This project is about intergenerational connections. A shared experience, an opportunity to build social cohesion within communities and encourage an active lifestyle.

With a growing ageing population in our region there is an opportunity to engage younger generations  encouraging social participation and civic engagement in an active way. The project connected with community members who may not readily have access to getting out and about due to mobility impairment or may be living at home with support from community care services.

Project Aims:

1. To enhance social connectedness and promote active, healthy living through a unique intergenerational cycling experience.
2. To implement a Pilot Cycling Without Age project to tackle to issue of social isolation.

Deliverables achieved 2019 – project ongoing

• CWA Program training package and information pack
• Two x trio bike taxi trishaws
• Presentation of digital resource (video) sharing the stories of the project, it’s impact, challenges and successes.

Alignment to Great South Coast Strategic Plans – Health and Community Wellbeing:  A healthy, safe and resilient Great South Coast community; Supporting planning for liveable and active communities; Supporting projects to strengthen local and regional health services and mitigate lifestyle disease

https://www.facebook.com/CyclingWithoutAgePF/

Gateways to Growth
A Great South Coast Food and Fibre Agri-tourism Project- Propelled by the economic imperative to continue to the grow food and fibre output from our region’s businesses, this project aligns to and supports the Great South Coast Food and Fibre Action Plan to leverage agri-tourism as a key driver in the growth of our food and fibre industry. Project Aims:

• Assist the Great South Coast Food and Fibre (GSCFF) Council to put the GSC region on the map as a food and fibre destination and enhance the image and recognition of the region as an agricultural powerhouse.
• Increase visitor retention time in the region which will have an economic outcome of jobs and growth for the region’s community and Food and Fibre operators.

The project milestones:

• Investigate interactive digital signage and costing, its likely impact and any alternative options to direct visitors to the region’s food trails and agri-tourism providers.
• Explore options around signage/alternative option content.
• Work with GORRT and Grampians Tourism to identify gateways for placement of signage/alternative options.
• Work with all five Local Government bodies to obtain planning permits for signage/alternative options

Outcome – Gateway To Growth Report presented to the Food and Fibre Council Nov 2019

Alignment to Great South Coast Strategic Plans Economy: A strong and diverse Great South Coast economy with more local jobs and a growing workforce. Success indicators: Enhance Great Ocean Road visitor economy and expand our local food and fibre industries. Key focus and priorities: Supporting the implementation of the GSC Food and Fibre Action Plan.

Community Solar

This project plans to develop a framework that supports community groups across the Great South Coast (GSC) with implementing community owned solar projects.

Community Solar will also assist a selected community group with initiating a pilot project that other groups can learn from and refer to as required. Project Aims:

1. Up-skill and provide community groups with the relevant information and tools to successfully implement community owned solar projects; and
2. Increase the uptake of renewable energy by GSC community groups

With long-term goals to:

1. Assist communities with achieving energy security; and
2. Assist in reducing the impact of climate change through the reduced use of fossil fuels

The project will deliver a framework including:

• Project Business Case
• Solar Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Financial Model
• Project Risk Management Plan
• Solar PV Procurement Guide
• Lease and Power Purchase Agreements
• Workshops to launch the above framework and build community awareness.

The six framework documents were completed, peer reviewed, and handed over to South West Community Energy. Members of the community can download a copy of the documents from the following link:  https://www.southwestcommunityenergy.org.au/framework

Alignment to Great South Coast Strategic Plans – Environment and Culture: Climate change is impacting all corners of our region; we are taking steps to protect our region – safeguarding our environment while planning for growth and development.

Great South Coast (GSC) Veteran Retreat

This project gave veterans and their partners the opportunity to come together for a weekend of connection, rejuvenation and immersion into the GSC region in October 2019.

Local veterans were empowered to lead and facilitate the three-day retreat for ten veterans, and their partners from outside the region. The retreat aimed to increase connections with community and showcase our region.

The retreat provided an opportunity to raise community awareness of the issue’s veterans are presented with when they reintegrate into local civilian life. An area of focus was mental health and the impact this has on families and community.

The retreat model and learnings were handed over to RSL Warrnambool Sub Branch/RSL Active to continue the GSC retreat opportunity in future years.

Deliverables achieved

1. Actively engage veterans and their partner in a retreat in the GSC.
2. Empower local veterans to lead and/or facilitate the three-day retreat.
3. Showcase GSC attractions that promote social connectedness and awareness of our local region.
4. Raise community awareness of the impact on the lives of veterans reintegrating into community.

Alignment to the Great South Coast Strategic Plans– Health and Community Well-Being: A healthy, safe and resilient Great South Coast Community. Supporting planning for liveable and active communities; Proactively addressing suicide prevention; Supporting projects to mitigate lifestyle disease and prevent substance abuse

Couch2Coast

The LGSC Couch2Coast team  partnered with the Warrnambool Tri Club to deliver two new events to the 2018 program:

• A non-competitive Women’s ‘Come n Tri’
• An ‘all ages’ non-competitive Splash ‘n’ Dash event – We envisage kids, parents and grandparents participating in this event together, and participants can do all or part of the course as suits their preference or ability.

Follow the project on Facebook @couch2coast

These evetns were added to the suite of competitive events hosted annually by the Warrnambool Tri Club, which include Kids’ and Open triathlons, held at the picturesque Killarney beach.

The project aim is to promote and engage the community in fun physical activity, and address some of the perceived barriers to being active through removing the competitive elements and offering relaxed and supportive events with an emphasis on participation over prowess. The event will leverage and support the #ThisGirlCan campaign.

The project aligns with The Great South Coast Strategic Plan goals: 4.2.  Strengthen community health, wellbeing and resilience and 4.3.  Increase inclusion and participation in recreation, arts and community life.

Outcomes:

In addition to building momentum around the existing events, the new events attracted approximately 66 new participants of varying ages and abilities.

In immediate response to the sucess, the Warrnambool Tri Club have added a new, low cost “Come n Tri” membership option, and will be running a “Come n Tri” (or ‘mini tri’) option at all 2018/19 season events, providing access to future non-competitive events and project sustainability.

Building on many of the social connections made on the day and during the lead up to the event, Warrnambool Tri Club members will continue to stage various ‘social’ physical activity options and question answer sessions, encouraging people of all ages and abilities to try open water swimming, jogging, cycling or other physical activities free of charge.  It is hoped that these groups will help build social connections, with the aim that they become self-sustaining over time as relationships are established.

Shop In A Box Warrnambool

This project seeks to create a vibrant Warrnambool CBD by encouraging local entrepreneurship.  Building on the recent rejuvenation, Shop In A Box provides a framework to invigorate Liebig Street. It offers free, short term agreements between landowners and tenants for vacant shop fronts, based on the successful Renew Australia model.

Shop In A Box Warrnambool will:

• Assist in revitalising the Warrnambool CBD using the Renew Australia model.
• Reduce vacancy rates for Liebig Street.
• Foster civic pride and assist in community engagement of the Warrnambool CBD.
• Support local entrepreneurs and innovation.

The project team will liaise with real estate agents and landlords of vacant shops within the designated CBD area, as well as promote the program within the Warrnambool and surrounds area using a number of methods including social media.  Prospective participants and stakeholders will be invited to a Launch Event featuring a guest speaker from Renew Australia.

Following an application and evaluation process, the project team will facilitate a rent free contract between landowners and tenants.  Support will be provided to participants during the program, including access to mentors.

This project aligns with the Great South Coast Strategic Plan Goals: 1.3 Build our leadership and entrepreneurial capacity, with a particular focus on small to medium enterprise and on innovation, 1.4 and 4.3

The project also aligns to Great South Coast Regional Partnership priorities: Strong and diverse regional economy with more local jobs – Investing in our future economic strengths by developing our CBD, capitalising on tourist attractions such as the Great Ocean Road and Budj Bim, supporting the Great South Coast food and fibre sector, as well as attracting people to engage, shop, eat and socialise in our CBD and providing industry with energy, certainty and security.

Attractive, safe, vibrant and livable community – invest in health and wellbeing of our communities through improving our facilities aesthetically and economically.

Outcomes as at 2/04/19:

The shop vacancy rate in Warrnambool CBD (designated Liebig St zone) reduced by 50%.

Supporting the opening of one start-up businesses in CBD zone plus two additional businesses in the wider CBD.

Mind Your Mates 

Mind Your Mates Great South Coast aims to assist people to be responsive to the early warning signs of suicide, by strengthening their awareness and ability to take action, through promotion of, and advocacy for, suicide prevention training.

Suicide remains the leading cause of death for Australians aged between 15 and 44. There are 7.85 deaths by suicide in Australia each day and the GSC region has a higher rate of suicide than the state and national average. We need to do more to prevent suicide.

Mind Your Mates GSC will:

1. Raise awareness that high rates of suicide are an issue in our region
2. Develop a communications strategy and marketing material to promote suicide prevention training to communities and organisations across Great South Cost (GSC)
3. Through the promotion of training delivered by Lifeline, we will build the equip people across the GSC with the knowledge and skills to appropriately Recognise, Respond and Refer someone at risk of suicide
4. Advocate for the importance of suicide prevention training in organisations and community groups across GSC.

This Project aligns with the Great South Coast Strategic Plan goal 4.2:  Strengthen community health, wellbeing and resilience; and Great South Coast Regional Partnership priority of: Attractive, safe, vibrant and liveable community – Invest in health and well-being of our communities through improving our health facilities and tackling lifestyle diseases, substance use, suicide and family violence.

Outcomes:

Development of a communications and engagement strategy to guide and promote the roll-out of suicide prevention programs, developed in collaboration with Lifeline South West, to promote suicide prevention across the Great South Coast. In addition accessible Mind Your Mates (1hr training) was piloted, tested and rolled out as part of the partnership.

LGSC Economic Migration Project

The LGSC Economic Migration Project 2018 are a sub-project group of the wider Great South Coast Economic Migration Project (GSCEMP) which commenced in 2017.
The GSCEMP is a partnership with Leadership Great South Coast, iGen Foundation, Great Lakes Agency for Peace and Development International, Southern Grampians Shire Council and Glenelg Shire Council.

Working closely with the Great South Coast communities we aim to:

Increase the population, diversity and economic growth of the Great South Coast region by supporting a small number of families, originally from Africa, to relocate to the Glenelg Shire.

The families are either Australian Citizens or permanent residents who have settled in metropolitan areas.  The project will work with the families and communities to match them with schooling, housing, community groups and clubs, land to grow crops and suitable employment. The family’s backgrounds in a range of occupations, such as agriculture, will help to fill the needs of local communities.

The wider project’s focus community was Southern Grampians Shire and the focus of this project team is Glenelg Shire Council, in particular the townships of Merino and Casteron.

 Our project milestones are to:

• Establish a working group in Casterton to help drive the project and make it sustainable
• Showcase our townships to potential families by hosting a Welcome Weekend in December 2018
• Explore the possibility of ultimately relocating up to 10 families to the Shire

The project aligns with The Great South Coast Strategic Plan goals to:

• Better understand levers to population growth with a view to increasing the Great South Coast population
• Grow the value and capacity of the Great South Coast’s food and fibre industry
• Increase inclusion and participation in recreation, arts, culture and community life

The project aligns to Great South Coast Regional Partnership priorities.

Outcomes:

The project established a community working group in Casterton. Held a Welcome Weekend showcasing the region to African families in December 2018. Is currently supporting up families to move to Glenelg Shire.
Feb 2018 update – four familes have moved into Casterton and are being supported by the community.

Our Story

This project aims to create awareness of cultural diversity through media and art in the Great South Coast region.

The Our Story project will:

• Give a profile and a story to the migrants and refugees of the Great South Coast.
• Create a broader understanding within the community of the challenges and hardships faced by migrants and refugees.
• Create a reflective art piece that encompasses the stories and experiences of migrant and refugees.

The outcomes of this project have been staged.

The first stage told the stories of six local migrant and/or former refugee in local media (see stories liked below).

The second stage is a mural celebrating and symbolising the six stories developed is on the Wannon Water’s west Warrnambool water tower.

The digital story created as part of the project is live on the Warrnambool Street Art website.

Our Story publications

Meet the 2017 Leadership Great South Coast team and read about their personal motivations behind bringing Our Story to life Intro article

• Story 1 – Agnes McLaren shares her story of migrating to Warrnambool
• Story 2 – Lee Chhor finds his way from a refugee camp to Warrnambool.
• Story 3 – Gaetano Remine was tailor-mage for Warrnambool
• Story 4 – Family’s ‘dream’ life
• Story 5 – Migrant chef Suman Kandel seeks a future in Australian hospitality 
• Story 6 – Dharshini has finally been offered a sense of peace and stability in her tumultuous life

Background

An Expression of Interest (EOI) was run in March 2018 by Juddy Roller Studio to source an artist with large scale mural experience to complete the mural. Several artists, including two locals, were assessed by a local stakeholder panel. The successful artist was Wollongong artist Claire Foxton. Installation of the mural took three weeks in October 2018.

In addition a community capacity workshop delivered by Claire Foxton developed the skills and knowledge of our local arts community.

Stage 2 of this project has been made possible with contributions from Leadership Great South Coast, the A. L. Lane Foundation, Warrnambool City Council, Lyndoch Living and Amnesty International (Warrnambool) with in-kind support from Wannon Water.

Stage 1 was supported by The Warrnambool Standard.

This project aligns with the Great South Coast Strategic Plan Goal 4.3 Increase inclusion and participation in recreation, arts, culture and community life and Goal 5.4 Build and foster collaborative networks within the Great South Coast region, identifying and addressing barriers to cooperation.

SculptED17

This project aims to create an interpretive arts installation that represents the unique cultural, historical and geographical features of the Koroit area.

The SculptED17 project will;

• Contribute to the continuation of the arts trail in the GSC region (adding on from the Ngatanwarr Mural, Charged Landscapes and Camperdown Cones project).
• Increase the awareness of the Port Fairy – Koroit rail trail region and  encourage further use of the trail.
• Facilitate the development of an arts piece aims to inspire users of the trail to learn more about the cultural, historical and geographical features of the Koroit area through interaction with the piece.
• Profile and promote environmental sustainability in design and construction of a significant public art(s) piece along the Port Fairy -Koroit rail trail.
• The creation of an interactive art piece along the rail trail aims to excite and inspire local artists to tell a lasting and impactful story within their own region.

Background

In October 2017 an open Expression of Interest process selected James Voller, an outstanding Victorian artist to showcase his work in this unique opportunity. https://www.instagram.com/jamesvoller/ 

The EOI was distributed through a both regional and national networks, and was open from the 28th of July 2017 until the 18th of August. The SculptED17 project team would like to thank all of the highly skilled applicants who responded to our EOI.

Outcome

Regrowth by James Voller is a short walk along the Rail Trail at the Koroit Railway station (toward Port Fairy). The installation changes is varying light and is dramatic at sunset.

This project aligns with the Great South Coast Strategic Plan Goal 3.5; Promote sustainable nature-based tourism within the Great South Coast region, ensuring the environment and cultural values of our natural assets are acknowledged and protected

Connecting with Mental Health Carers in the Great South Coast Region

The project conducted research to identify the needs of mental health carers living in the Great South Coast region. The team produced a report that communicates carers’ stories and support needs. Connecting with Mental Health Carers Report

The Project aimed to:

• Identify and document the stories and needs of mental health carers from the Great South Coast region.
• Compile the findings into a comprehensive resource including recommendations for delivering unmet needs.
• Present the report to stakeholder organisations including Fight For Your Life, Wellways Australia and Headspace.

Outcome:

A survey was completed to gain feedback from mental health carers living in the Great South Coast region. The data was compiled with results and recommendations presented to the Fight For Your Life, Wellways Australia and Headspace (March 2018). Connecting with Mental Health Carers Report

This project aligns to the Great South Coast Strategic Plan section 2.4 Identify and seek to address the connectivity needs of all of our communities, 4.2 Strengthen community health, wellbeing and resilience and 4.3 Increase inclusion and participation in recreation, arts, culture and community life.

Caffeine Dream

This project raised awareness of the impact non-biodegradable single use coffee cups have on our environment. Encouraging individuals and organisations to start their #WarOnWasteAu one #BYOKeepCup at a time. LGSC War On Waste Flyer

Project aims:

• Raise awareness of the waste story in our community by focusing on the issue of non-biodegradable single use coffee cups.
• Empower individuals, businesses and organisations to change behavior with a campaign to #BYOCoffeeCup
• Encourage cafes to join the www.responsiblecafe.org movement.

Outcomes:

Local cafes were encouraged and supported to join www.responsiblecafes.org

As a Project initiative, the Caffeine Dream team gifted 150 FREE #BYOKeepCup to help the Warrnambool community start their own #WarOnWasteAu

Learning from the South West Health Care initiative to provide free reusable coffee cups for staff the team supported Wannon Water and the Commonwealth Bank to look at establishing similar #BYOKeepCup programs. Since the completion of the project other regional organisations have come onboard initiating their own #BYOKeepCup campaigns significantly reducing the number of single use coffee cups that end up in landfill.

This project aligns to the Great South Coast Strategic Plan section 3.4 Promote and advocate for programs that encourage sustainable waste management and better management of environmental hazards and 3.2 Support activities and other measures that help us to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.

Accessible and Inclusive Play Equipment

This project will provide accessible and inclusive play equipment for a community within the Great South Coast. Specifically, the project aims are to:

• Install an all-inclusive piece of play equipment within the Warrnambool City Council.
• Compile and distribute a research report to  Great South Coast Local Government Areas specific to the project.

Outcome: With $25k funds from Variety an all-inclusive carousel will be installed at the Cramer St, Warrnambool Play Space in early 2017. The project total is $37k

This project aligns to the Great South Coast Strategic Plan section 4.3 Increase inclusion and participation in recreation, arts, culture and community life.

Literacy Buddies Great South Coast

This project plans to introduce the Ardoch Literacy Buddies Program to the Great South Coast by supporting one primary school in the region to participate in a Pilot letter exchange program with a group of volunteers. Project aims:

• Introduce Literacy Buddies to the Great South Coast
• Provide pathways for students to use their literacy skills in the real world by exchanging letters.
• Provide a fulfilling avenue for retirees within the community to assist primary school students to improve their skills and engagement at school.
• Provide a pilot for other schools to adopt this program in the future.

Outcome: After a successful pilot in 2016 the literacy buddies team worked to sucessfully hand over the pilot project to East Warrnambool Primary and Lyndoch Living to run in 2017.

This project aligns to the Great South Coast Strategic Plan section 4.1 Drive educational attainment and build a learning community.

Mental Apportunity

This project aims to develop a mobile APP. The App will include a calendar of events throughout GSC Region that specifically benefit mental health. It will include, but not be limited to, events that are hosted by mental health organisations as well as other not-for-profit community events that have known mental health benefits. It will also provide information about mental well-being and relevant contacts. The project aims to:

• Provide knowledge and local support via events and networking for all mental health communities
• Bridge the gap between mental health events/support/information and individuals and carers challenged by mental health conditions
• Educate, support and inspire the community via the App
• Assist in breaking down misconceptions about people with a mental illness and ‘normalise’ the 
spectrum of mental health
• Support a collaborative approach between mental health support networks throughout the region

This project aligns to the Great South Coast Strategic Plan section 2.4 Identify and seek to address connectivity needs of all our communities – Deteriorating levels of social connectedness, decreased levels of social isolation

Outcome: www.headout.com.au website was developed and launched in partnership with Lets Talk in 2018.

Supporting the Basalt to Bay Landcare, Green Line Sustainable Shelter Belts Project 

The Green Line is a 37 kilometer strip of former railway line from Koroit to Minhamite. This project aims to education the community about its critically endangered native grasslands and woody grasslands leading to greater appreciation of its environmental importance.

LGSC Project Team will support to a number of the following project priorities. Woolsthorpe Siding actions:

• Establish 2 x 20m wide by 400m long belts fenced in Woolsthorpe siding site
• Establish belts be used to demo creating a shrub shelterbelt method e.g. till direct seed, one tube stock planting.
• Complete weed control trials using fire and/or steam to kill pasture grasses and stimulate native species growth prior to planting (no herbicide)
• Plant species tube stock to replicate a Victorian Volcanic Plain grassy woodland using plants grown from seed collected on site and nearby
• Produce a YouTube video showcasing project
• Install interpretive sign on site about works.

Outcome: The project team have competed 2016 support of the Green Line project and  volunteered in 2017 to complete fencing of the siding.

This project aligns to the Great South Coast Strategic Plan section 3.3 Help to educate our community about sustainable use of natural resources, including groundwater and inland waterways, the marine environment, land use etc.

SculptED

SculptED aimed to establish an arts trail to reveal and celebrate the geological and cultural history of our region.

The 2015 SculptED project developed one large scale interactive and educative artwork (up skilling local artists as part of the process), with the long term vision for the Great South Coast to proudly host a trail of works scattered across our region offering creative, inspiration and an opportunity to learn about our shared history.

Project Outcome – The initial sculpture titled Charged Landscape was launched on the Port Fairy to Warrnambool Rail Trail (off Regent Street, Port Fairy) on 18 March 2016. See our Gallery and News tabs for more details.

We suggest you visit Charged Landscape both day and night to experience the glowing elements of the work. Dusk is a perfect time to visit the piece which is only a short walk (5 mins) from the Regent Street, Rail Trail, car park.

This project aligns with the Great South Coast Strategic Plan, section 4: Strengthen the communities of the Great South Coast- 4.3 Increase inclusion and participation in recreation, arts, culture and community life.

Standing Taller

The Standing Taller Project has delivered a professional marketing prospectus to the Warrnambool Standing Tall Youth Mentoring Program and represents a template for other Standing Tall groups and not for profit organisations in the Great South Coast Region. The prospectus aims to promote the work and benefits of the Standing Tall Program and to develop mutually beneficial business partnerships. Underlying this project was the need to support and enhance educational attainment for young people in the south west. The potential benefits for young people through educational attainment flow on into their relationships, health, economic and social wellbeing and that of our whole community.

Project Outcomes – Standing Tall Prospectus was completed and presented to the Standing Tall Committee to assist in attracting Business and Industry financial support for the program.

This project aligns with the Great South Coast Strategic Plan, section 4: Strengthen the communities of the Great South Coast -4.1 Drive educational attainment and build a learning community.

Your Paddock Classroom – Sustainable Growing for Tomorrows Generations

Your Paddock Classroom is a social enterprise project to assist in supporting disengaged youth to develop a small acreage farm enterprise. The aim is to improve educational and entrepreneurial opportunities for young people who are disengaged from the formal education system. An informal group have been meeting previously (in Hamilton) to improve educational attainment explore employment opportunities for youth through non-traditional pathways, pursue sustainable local food production and stimulate the local community.

Project Outcome – Objectives of creating a strong foundation including formation of steering committee, governance model and securing public land to run the trial were all met. The value of this foundation phase should not be under estimated in the progression and ultimate success of “Your Paddock Classroom” . If the trial is successful, the model can be easily rolled out in other communities within the region.

This project aligns with the following Great South Coast Strategic Plan objectives: 1.2, 1.3 and 4.1.

Shop in a Box

The ‘Shop In A Box’ project envisions a vibrant town centre experience, encouraging local entrepreneurship and drawing tourism. The project aimed to provide a framework to reactivate our CBDs through temporary uses of empty shops, modelled on the Renew Newcastle idea of free, short-term contracts between landowners and tenants.

Project Outcome – Stage One produced a  feasibility study analysing the issues, options and path towards facilitating such a program. Shop In A Box Feasibility Report 2015

This project aligns with the following Great South Coast Strategic Plan objectives: 1.3, 1.4, 1.6 and 4.3.

Update April 2016 – Both Warrnambool City Council and Glenelg Shire have shown interest in taking the Shop in a Box project to pilot. Projects are currently being discussed/scoped. The project ran in Portland in 2017 and in Warrnambool in 2018.

Ngatanwarr (Welcome) Mural – Preserve Past Embrace Tomorrow

A community project delivered by Leadership Great South Coast 2014 participants to implement an arts/environmental community project.

The Ngatanwarr (Nat an war) Mural was painted by world renowned artist ‘Adnate’ www.adnate.com.au on the corner of Merri and Kepler Street, Warrnambool March 13th-16th, 2015.  The mural incorporates information detailing and celebrating significant cultural sites and narratives of the Gunditjmara people and Great South Coast region.

The project has been led by a steering group consisting of Leadership Great South Coast in partnership with Warrnambool Art Gallery, the F Project, Gunditjmara Aboriginal Cooperative and South West TAFE.

Funding for the mural has been made possible through seed funding from the Hugh Williamson Foundation (Bug Blitz) and through contributions from the State Government (Anti-Graffiti funds), Gunditjmara Aboriginal Cooperative and the Isobel & David Jones Family Foundation.

Project Outcomes – The Ngatanwarr Mural was opened on 20 March 2015 by Marcus Clarke, CEO Gunditjmara Cooperative, members of the Gunditjmara Community and the Steering Group. The mural is located on the corner of Merri and Kepler Streets Warrnambool. You can view the making of the mural here .

September 2015 Update – Philanthropic support was secured to install flood lighting of the mural. We suggest you visit the mural both during the day and in the evening to view the art work in varying light.

The project aligns with the Great South Coast Group’s Strategic Plan goal to ‘better integrate nature based and indigenous tourism products into state, national and international marketing structures’ and the goal of ‘building rural communities sense of place through investment in community arts projects’.

Active Great South Coast was an evidence based project as research indicates that increased involvement in physical activity has a positive impact on physical and mental health. We aimed to link services which work with vulnerable individuals and families to low cost accessible movement orientated activities – through the Community House Network benefiting the community as a whole.

The project aimed to get people involved in physical activities and support/encourage them to have a go at some new activities/sports in a supportive environment. Utilising existing Community House Network to develop links between services working with vulnerable people and existing fitness and health activities and opportunities.

The  pilot project was based in WCC. The intention is to build linkages that continue beyond the end of the project.

Project Outcome – Objectives were successfully met, within the reduced  project scope (WCC  only). The project was downsized to a localised pilot project and achieved higher than expected results with strong uptake of offered activities with significant support and enthusiasm from the Warrnambool Community House. Project plan and report were made available to the Community house to assist with planning a sustainable project within the local area and to encourage roll out across the region.

Great South Coast Strategic Plan alignment includes “Enhance the quality and increase the use of community and sporting assets and open space areas in rural communities.” Pg. 35 and “Improve access to housing, employment, recreation and education facilities for rural communities and disadvantaged groups.” Pg. 45

On the Shoulders of Giants – Inspiration through Conversation

This community project recorded 13 initial audio conversations with professionals from our Great South Coast community, who shared their wisdom, strength and stories in overcoming challenges; providing insight into their professions and how education played a role in their achievements.

A hyperlink to the YouTube channel will be made publicly available  as a resource for young people who require career advice and inspiration.

The project aims to inspire and encourage retention of students to Year 12 or equivalent by providing an online medium through which they can learn from other’s career pathways i.e. professionals articulating alternative pathways to higher education (both vocational and university).

Background Stats

One of the key Priority Projects identified in the Great South Coast Strategic Plan, is the Great South Coast Education Attainment Project (Beyond the Bell).

The fact is that whilst the average attainment rate of students completing Year 12 is 74% across the state of Victoria, our region fairs poorly in comparison.

The following statistics highlight the challenge; Warrnambool 60.6%, Colac Otway -57.2%, Moyne – 57%, Southern Grampians – 56%, Corangamite – 52.5% and Glenelg – 51% (2015)

Project Outcome – On The Shoulders Of Giants YouTube Channel is now available. This resource can be used by students, parents, teachers and career advisors to assist young people in making informed career decisions

This project aligns with the Great South Coast Strategic Plan Goal 4.4 – Provide opportunities for young people to participate in decision making process

The Strengthening the Strong Project assisted in establishing a group of high profile Western Victorian female dairy leaders with a view to expanding leadership capacity within the group and act as a support mechanism for aspiring female dairy leaders.

Project Outcome – Through a facilitated process the project team assisted the group to establishing an agreed network structure, Terms of Reference, code of conduct and proposed annual meeting schedule. As well as advising the group to link to existing dairy networks (including but not limited to The Gardiner Foundation and Dairy Australia/ WestVic Dairy) where additional support can be provided.

Group members were involved with the DairySage mentoring program in Dec 2014/Jan 2015 and organising a social ladies lunch for upwards of 300 women in March 2015. Beyond March the group will come together and plan using the process that this project assisted them to develop.

The project aligns to the Great South Coast Strategic Plan Goal 1.4 – Build the capacity of our agribusiness sector to become the Australian centre for agricultural/dairy research. Pg. 19,
Goal 1.6 – Build our leadership and entrepreneurial capacity, particularly in the small and home based business sectors. Pg. 19 and Goal 5.3 – Build leadership and knowledge capacity by establishing reference groups with expertise, experience and influence in key areas of regional focus. Pg. 53

The Turf2Surf project team ran a free camping weekend (summer 2014) for farming families within the Great South Coast, to provide easy access to health and wellbeing services which may have a beneficial impact on health and wellbeing awareness.

The project aimed to increase farmer’s awareness of health and wellbeing services available to them by providing an opportunity for farming families within the Great South Coast to get off their farms and participate in a free camping weekend. Health and wellbeing information and services will be made available over the weekend.

Project Outcome – The free camping weekend was held for farming families over the Wunta Festival weekend 2014. Activities included a Friday night meet and greet, BBQ dinner Saturday with Guest Speaker Dr Bernie Crimmins (topic men’s health). Health checks and referral services were made available to all participants. Physical activities e.g. karate and bike riding were offered.

A survey of participating farming families included: postcode, farm type, when was last break from the farm, if weekend was not free – would you have taken a break from the farm, has this weekend improved your knowledge of local Health and Wellbeing service providers available in the GSC region. The survey identified if farmers engaged with health and welfare organisations and activities. Survey data and recommendation report were made available to 2014 participants with a view to picking up the project.

The Milk in Schools project team  investigated potential interest and partnerships with the view to commencing a milk in primary schools pilot program. The project aims to provide a nutritious dairy drink option to primary school children in the GSC with the AIM to improve physical and oral health outcomes.

A strong emphasis of the Great South Coast (GSC) Regional Plan is the building of human and social capital by improving the health and wellbeing outcomes within our community. By concentrating on children’s physical health (which includes their oral health) whilst striving to support the social determinants of health; ensures positive steps to building a lifetime of wellbeing.

Health and wellbeing is a focus the Milk in Great South Coast Primary Schools project team have concentrated on.

According to the GSC strategic plan (p44) risky behaviours such as unhealthy eating (this includes consumption of highly acidic and sweetened beverages), occur at significantly higher rates than the Victorian average and are also higher than the rural Victorian average. As a consequence, the region has high levels of obesity.

Project Outcome – After extensive researched the project team identified an appropriate healthy milk product. A UHT option was found to meet the health requirements (fat and sugar content) as well as transport and logistics requirements. Due to lack of stakeholder engagement the pilot project did not proceed. The project team foresees an opportunity to progress a pilot in the future with confirmed stakeholder engagement.

Great South Coast Strategic Plan Alignment 4.1 Address the lower than average health and wellbeing status of our people.

The Work Experience Framework for Business project team planned to develop a draft framework document to act as a best practice guideline for the placement of Yr. 10 students in work experience. The purpose of the framework document was to enhance work experience for both students and local businesses. It was intended that the draft document would have input from the local schools and businesses.

The project aimed to improve relationships between secondary school students and local employers and in turn develop clearer pathways for career choices and assist in increasing the aspiration and retention rates for Year 12 or equivalent attainment.

Project Outcome –Although project outcomes were not achieved in the documented timelines the project Lead and team members gained valuable project management and stakeholder engagement skills throughout the project.

The  Year 12 or Equivalent Attainment Project team has developed a database of key stakeholders across the Great South Coast region that can be used to run community and stakeholder forums to inform the community based action plans.

Project Outcome – As documented the project team developed and populated a regional stakeholder database that was completed and handed to the Great South Coast Yr. 12 or Equivalent attainment Project/ Beyond the Bell Project in 2013.

The project aimed to assist the Great South Coast Yr. 12 or Equivalent attainment Project 10 understanding contributing factors to the relatively low Year 12 or equivalent attainment rate and retention rates of year 10-12 students across the Great South Coast. The project closely consulted with the Great South Coast Yr. 12 or Equivalent attainment Project working party to ensure alignment.

The Healthy Active Environment project investigated ways of enhancing Great South Coast participation in national Health and Environment Days specifically National Tree Day 2013.

The team planned to increasing awareness, support and participation for National Tree Day event at the Killarney Reserve on 28 July 2013.

Project Outcome – The project team achieved increased participation on National Tree Day 2013 at the Killarney planting site. Increased participation included volunteers who had previously not participated in environmental activism.

The Youth Mentoring project team investigated youth mentoring opportunities within the Great South Coast region. The Standing Tall Program was identified as an organisation with an ongoing commitment to developing youth in the GSC region that would benefit from LGSC support.

The project team are assisting Standing Tall to set up fundraising systems that will be of ongoing benefit to the organisation and the region into the future.

Project Outcome – The project team developed a 20:20 Vision with a view to increasing financial support from individuals to the Standing Tall Programs. Deliverables included a web presence indicating coverage of the program across the region i.e. in Hamilton, Warrnambool, Heywood, Camperdown and Colac.

The project established a My Cause online portal where individuals can make donations to Standing Tall.

The LGSC Alumni project looked at establishing the parameters for the LGSC Alumni Program and Community Skills Bank to ensure ongoing linkages with former Program participants who have a strong affinity with the objectives of the LGSC program.

The team surveyed current participants to confirm parameters and framework for the Alumni program and assisted in the establishment of a future Alumni Program.

Project Outcome – 2012 Program participants were surveyed to inform the structure of the LGSC Alumni schedule. Results informed the annual calendar events which included targeted professional development and networking opportunities.

The calendar has grown since 2012 to include participation in the Victorian Small Business Festival annually and hosting of an event. LGSC annually run the AICD Governance Foundation for NFP Directors course.