Item 11.3 - Attachment 2

Examples of Successful Projects

Community Capacity Building – 100% Voluntary

1st Ermington Scouts received $2183.20 in 2007 to purchase essential scouting, camping and hiking equipment for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in the Ermington area. The Scout group experienced a 25% growth in young members and is now able to offer scouting opportunities at a reduced cost to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Parramatta Computer Pals for Seniors received $4,552 in 2008 to run a series of courses for not-for-profit organisations in the LGA. Participants gained confidence and knowledge to source and use specific software applications to enhance their capacity to produce letters, memos, reports, financial statements, budgets, newsletters, flyers, web pages and emails for their organisation and its clients. The project benefited Parramatta Computer Pals by raising their profile among local community organisations. As a result they have been invited to provide basic computer training for members of Granville RSL. The Community Grants Program enabled Parramatta Computer Pals to provide services that they would not otherwise have been able to provide.

Community Capacity Building – Paid Staff

Granville Multicultural Community Centre received $10,000 in 2007 to run sports, arts and education programs to support at risk and disadvantage young people to stay in the education system. Young people were supported through homework support twice a week and also had the opportunity to participate in various sports and arts programs. Outcomes have included young people joining local sports clubs, young people linking in with other service providers and ongoing partnerships with youth workers and agencies.

Parramatta Young Christian Workers received $8,649 in 2008 to build on partnerships with Parramatta Central Library and the Granville Youth and Recreation Centre to run workshops for young people covering work life and educational needs. Parramatta Young Christian Workers has established a project team of 10 young people who have developed a resource which will be used for ongoing training for tutor volunteers. The project has been successful in engaging 80 young people to date to participate in the workshops and workshops have continued to run as part of Homework Help.

Community Capacity Building – Social Enterprise

Information and Cultural Exchange (ICE) received $10,000 in 2007 to undertake a feasibility study to scope the potential of a social enterprise incubator in Parramatta. The research has enabled ICE to scope the key issues facing emerging artists and cultural enterprises in Parramatta and Western Sydney. ICE identified programs and activities that will assist in developing programs to support artists and entities to grow and become more sustainable. The project has contributed to the adoption of new approaches within the organisation, which ICE seeks to roll out through programs in Parramatta Supporting digital arts and creative enterprise development.

The African Food Project received $10,000 in 2008 to undertake a feasibility study and prepare a business plan to implement a social enterprise which consists of the growing and selling of African vegetables and other African food to the existing African communities in Sydney, and in time to other African communities in Australia. The project has been successful in securing state government funding and successful in receiving further social enterprise funding from Parramatta City Council in 2009 for the implementation of the business plan.

Arts Professional Fund

The Australian Chamber Orchestra received $20,000 in 2008 to get a group of young string players from a range of schools in the Parramatta area to form a small orchestra with the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s own musicians. The project has grown over the first part of 2009; which has meant a significant increase in the standard of results of the workshop performance. The Australian Chamber Orchestra is continuing to increase its numbers, workshops and performances with entering the Orchestra in competitions to perform next year.

Heritage and Stories Research Fund

In 2008 Bonney Djuric received $5,000 to research into the Parramatta Girls Home – the longest running institution of its kind in NSW; associated with many generations of females form the Stolen Generations and the Forgotten Australians. Research included stories through oral history, archival and other sources which will be compiled and presented as a booklet. This will be distributed to schools, libraries, Heritage Centres and the Visitor information centre.