YOUNGER VETERANS’ MENTAL WELLBEING THE FOCUS OF GRANTS

PROJECTS focused on mental health support for younger veterans will be prioritised in the next round of the Supporting Younger Veterans grants program.

Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel Darren Chester said the Supporting Younger Veterans grants help younger veterans and their families as they leave the Australian Defence Force and transition into civilian life.

“The Government is putting veterans and their families first and this grant program has been revised to support programs to improve veterans’ mental health and wellbeing,” Mr Chester said. 

“One million dollars has been allocated in 2019–20 and priority will be given to funding activities that are based on well-researched, tailored services which meet the needs of younger veterans and their families who are at-risk of experiencing poor mental health.

“This funding encourages partnerships with ex-service organisations and recognises the important role they, and community groups, can play in delivering local solutions to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the ex-service community.”

Funded organisations will be required to provide a detailed report to Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) explaining how effective the funded projects were in helping younger veterans and their families. This information will allow DVA to continue to improve and deliver services that better meet the needs of younger veterans.

Applications are now open and will close on 1 October 2019. Further information, including the Grant Opportunity Guidelines, Questions and Answers and details on how to apply are available on the Community Grants Hub or GrantConnect web sites.