Click here to see the successful projects

About the Youth-led Recovery Grant?

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has partnered with the Local Government Association (LGA) and provided South Australian councils with the opportunity to apply for a one-off competitive small grant.

Recognising the role of young people as innovators in their communities and their ability to be pioneers in addressing a range of local community needs; the Youth-led Recovery Grants has enabled councils to undertake activities and initiatives, led by young people aged 12-24 years, that respond to the impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Young people are identified as one of the cohorts most impacted by the short and long-term effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic and through the Youth-led Recovery Grants, they are provided with the opportunity to be leaders in the recovery effort by addressing emerging community needs and improving resilience, for themselves and their local communities.

The Youth-led Recovery Grants provides youth in South Australia with the chance to develop the knowledge and confidence needed to build life skills and resilience to achieve their goals in these uncertain times.

The Youth-led Recovery Grants has given councils the opportunity to undertake and be supported in their proactive engagement with their young residents as South Australia moves from crisis responses to recovery and the ‘new normal’.

Outcomes Youth-led Recovery Grant

The Youth-led Recovery Grant funding round closed on the 28 September 2020 and thirty-one applications were received, seeking a total of $925,820 in funding. This was almost double the available funding of $500,000.

The assessment panel consisting of members from the LGA, DHS and two young Australians (12-24) assessed the applications based on the criteria in the Youth-led Recovery Grants Funding Guidelines.  Overall, the assessment panel was impressed by their high calibre and wide range of innovative proposals for youth-led activities to assist our collective recovery from COVID-19.

Further to this 14 projects were approved by the assessment panel. The projects spanned across 23 local government areas. With a mix of rural, regional and metropolitan councils awarded grants.

Over 1950 people were involved throughout these projects. This included the involvement of more than 1600 young people in the target age group of 12-24 years. The projects were led by young people in the target groups. Many were supported by project mentors in local councils and several projects have led to ongoing collaborations between councils and their young citizens.

Many of the project participants involved came from one or multiple priority groups including young people from the following priority groups (Please note that the numbers are an estimate):

• Facing disadvantage (503)
• Remote or regional (475)
• Culturally or Linguistically Diverse (CALD) (384)
• Unemployed (384)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders  (ATSI) (87)
• Disability (30)
• LBGTIQ+ (23)
• Other (20)

Together the project had some great outcomes for young people in South Australia including:

1. The improvement of individual and/or community social and emotional wellbeing and resilience.
2. The improvement of individual and/or community wellbeing and resilience.
3. The reduction of social isolation and increase the participation of priority groups in the local community.
4. The improvement of digital inclusion as a tool to create social inclusion through the facilitation of digital access, digital literacy and digital enablement.

Successful projects

• Pillars for Success, City of Charles Sturt
• Onkaparinga Youth-Led COVID Recovery Project, City of Onkaparinga
• Thrive. A positive psychology program to support young people achieve optimum wellbeing and happiness, City of Salisbury
• Building up HOPE, City of Playford
• The Starship Enterprise - a social enterprise space for Whyalla's young people, Whyalla City Council
• Adelaide Youth Support Program, City of Adelaide
• Karoonda Youth-Led Recovery Technology Initiative Project, District Council of Karoonda East Murray
• Fleurieu Coast Pump Track, District Council of Yankalilla
• Riverland Skillin' It (working title), Berri Barmera Council
• Our Voice - Ceduna, Wudinna and Streaky Bay, District Council of Ceduna
• Young women’s program – addressing barriers to employment in the Mount Barker district, Mount Barker District Council
• Youth-Led Resilience after Lockdown, City of West Torrens
• Adulting Post 2020, City of Port Lincoln
• Youth on Country: Developing the Knowledge and Confidence of Aboriginal Youth across Lower Eyre Peninsula post COVID-19, Eyre Peninsula Local Government Association

Click here to see more information on the Youth-led Recovery Grant projects