- Cook Government announces $4.43 million boost to Community Resource Centres
- Funding includes $4 million over four years to support the ongoing operations of the CRC network;
- $250,000 to expand Staying in Place program to deliver aged care support and
- $180,000 to improve digital literacy in remote communities
The Cook Government will boost its investment to support the vital work of Community Resource Centres (CRCs) and deliver new programs to improve the lives of people living and working in regional Western Australia.
Regional Development Minister Don Punch announced today in Harvey that an additional $4 million over four years will support the ongoing operations of the CRC network, which provides critical support services and resources to rural and remote communities.
Linkwest will receive $250,000 to deliver the Assisting Staying in Place to Thrive program through CRCs in partnership with aged care service providers.
The program helps older people in regional areas to access Commonwealth ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Care Package services and local support staff to enable them to continue living at home longer.
It is currently delivered through 44 CRCs and other community-based organisations across the State, and the funding will enable the service to be expanded to another 10 communities with a particular focus on the Goldfields, Pilbara and the Kimberley
An online service platform will also be set up to share Staying in Place resources and learning materials between local program co-ordinators and additional training provided to upskill local support workers.
The Cook Government is providing an additional $180,000 for CRCs to deliver the Community Champions Program to remote communities to improve the digital knowledge and connection within communities.
The program, which is part of the Western Australian Council of Social Service WA Digital Inclusion Project, identifies CRC staff or ‘champions’ to upskill in digital literacy such as creating email addresses, how to protect yourself online from scams and viruses and how to navigate MyGov to enable them to organise and deliver training sessions to local people.
The initial rollout of the program through the CRC network will prioritise the Kimberley, Pilbara and Goldfields focusing on communities with a high Aboriginal population including Bidyadanga, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, Laverton, Leonora, Roebourne and Kalumburu.
Both programs will be rolled out in early 2025. More information about the programs can be found at https://www.wacoss.org.au/wa-digital-inclusion-project/ and https://www.linkwest.asn.au/
As stated by Regional Development Minister Don Punch:
“With 101 Community Resource Centres across Western Australia, the centres are well placed to continue to deliver a range of services to their local communities.
“The Cook Government is committed to ensuring people living and working in regional and remote communities from the Kimberley down to the Great Southern have access to vital services as part of their day-to-day lives.
“The Staying in Place to Thrive program is employing local people to deliver local services to support older people in rural and remote areas, while the Community Champions Program is helping to provide better access to digital services and improve digital literacy and knowledge to enable people to feel more connected.”
