The Victorian Government has announced a new funding program for crime prevention and community safety, targeted at 11 communities across Victoria.
City of Brimbank, in Melbourne’s west, was among the first of the identified communities to be targeted for the Empowering Communities grants.
Under the program, funding of up to $700,000 will be available to support innovative, evidence-based approaches to address crime and improve community safety.
The Empowering Communities grants aim to build community capacity to understand crime- related issues, strengthen community relationships to deliver crime prevention initiatives, build the evidence base for successful community development initiatives, and engage and mobilise the community to address issues of local concern.
The Empowering Communities grants are expected to provide a significant boost to evidence-based crime prevention initiatives in Brimbank.
The Brimbank Empowering Communities Action Group has been formed to support the allocation of local funding. The Action Group will establish goals and initial activities, with specific projects expected to receive funding from September.
Brimbank Mayor, Ranka Rasic, said, “Council has recognised that we cannot build safe and inclusive communities by ourselves. It requires community capacity building, as well as partnerships with business, Victoria Police, and health and community services.
“The ‘Empowering Communities’ approach brings together the key players at the local level to understand the issues and encourage innovative and evidence-based responses.
“Council is looking forward to being part of the Brimbank Empowering Communities Action Group, and to supporting the work of building safer and more inclusive communities.
“We welcome the provision of funding for evidence-based crime prevention initiatives in Brimbank.
“This funding is an overwhelmingly positive step toward a safer, more inclusive, and more liveable Brimbank.”
