Applications are now open for the 2025 International Women’s Day Illawarra Scholarships and Major Projects funding opportunities

Every year International Women’s Day (IWD) Illawarra awards eight scholarships of $2,500 each to support local women in the community seeking to enhance their knowledge, skills and experience in their fields.

Scholarship categories include:  

• Cate Stevenson IWD Scholarship for Women (Education, Business & Community Service)
• Kerryn McCann IWD Scholarship for Women (Sports)
• Aunty Mary IWD Scholarship for Indigenous Women
• Creative Spirit IWD Scholarship for Women (Art, Design, Music, Theatre, Photography, other)
• The Beryl Lewis Scholarship for Older Women (must be age 55 or over)
• The Dr Margaret Gardiner Scholarship for Medical Research
• The Gracie Wallis Scholarship for Women with a disability
• Rising Star IWD Scholarship for Young Women (must be between the ages of 15 and 21)

In addition, IWD Illawarra awards a Major Project grant to a local community organisation which provides support services to women in the Illawarra. Additionally, we award smaller grants to organisations who may need them.

In 2024, $20,000 was granted to Women Illawarra who provide various women’s services in the region, spanning health, housing, and domestic violence support. We also awarded smaller grants to SWIFT, Dress for Success & the Patron Outreach Program.

If you are part of an organisation, or know of one that is deserving of such funding, apply now!

Furthering our commitment to Reconciliation

This week the Community Industry Group team spent a day learning more about Aboriginal culture and the impacts of colonisation at the new Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation headquarters in Port Kembla.

Long term friend of CI Group and well-known cultural educator, Errolyn Strang, from Culture Across Time led us through a busy agenda with a strong focus on Aboriginal culture, white privilege and structural racism. We were fortunate to spend time in a yarning circle with Aunty Sharralyn Robinson and Sharon Hanlon where we got to both experience the importance of truth telling and ask all the stupid questions. Many thanks to both Aunty Shaz and Sharon for their time and generosity in sharing their knowledge and experiences.

The CI Group staff have committed to a range of activities as a result of this insightful session, so keep your eyes out for some new offerings from us next year. 

Our STARS working hard to assist every older person in hospital

It's been an exciting establishment phase for the STARS volunteer program.  Since May 2024, we have recruited and inducted 19 STARS volunteers from a rich tapestry of backgrounds, including aged care, home care, residential, management, and lived experience. These diverse perspectives ensure we can cater to a wide range of needs. Along with their considerable expertise, STARS volunteers bring compassion, patience, and time to spend with older persons in the hospital and their families transitioning into aged care, which can be challenging and fraught with many emotions. 

STARS is now established in Bulli, Shellharbour, and Coledale Hospitals. Figtree and Milton Ulladulla Hospital will be next, followed by Wollongong Hospital in the new year. To date, we've managed 14 referrals and worked closely with the social work team to streamline processes. Eight older persons we've assisted- 57%, have transitioned to an aged care residential service within a few weeks of our connection. This success is largely due to the efforts of a dedicated team of ISLHD professionals, social workers, NUMs, placement team members, nurses and aged care providers working hard to assist every older person in hospital transition into aged care.  STARS volunteers complement this hard work, by sharing their aged care experience and willingness to provide as much time as needed 'in-person' with an older person and family to discuss options, have played a crucial role in these successful transitions. We were humbled to hear Margo Mains, CEO of ISLHD, speak at a large network group and state that the STARS volunteers made a fantastic contribution everyone valued.

We are excited to share the stories and experiences of our STARS volunteers. Read about Catherine's journey as a STARS volunteer in this online news article here. 

Training in person!!! Empower Your Leadership: Understanding Board Roles & Responsibilities in Community Organisations

For not-for-profit organisations, understanding board roles and responsibilities is essential to building a strong foundation for effective governance and organisational success. This training session covers the key duties of board officer positions, ensuring each role contributes meaningfully to the organisation’s sustainability. Participants will also gain insights into the Associations Incorporation Act, equipping them with critical knowledge of the legal framework that shapes their operations. Whether you're new to board leadership or seeking to strengthen your governance skills, this session offers the tools needed to navigate these responsibilities confidently and ensure compliance and stability for your organisation.

Registration: Interested NFPs can register at Community Industry Group Training or call Community Industry Group on (02) 4256 4333.

16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign brings together global movements and organisations to urge governments to address the critical issue of gender-based violence.

Launched by the Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991, the campaign calls for the prevention and eradication of violence against women and girls. Held annually from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to December 10 (International Human Rights Day), this year’s theme is ‘Safe, Everywhere, Always.’ 

CI Group is committed to this cause.

During the 16 Days of Activism, CI Group joins the global effort to raise awareness and drive meaningful change, emphasising safety, respect, and equality for all. We are dedicated to creating environments where women and girls can live free from violence, advocating for systemic change through partnerships, internal initiatives, and community engagement. 

CI Group believes that gender violence has no place in any community and strives to ensure that respect and safety are non-negotiable in every region it serves. 

Financial Wellbeing and Capability Activity

The Financial Wellbeing and Capability Activity, a partnership between the Australian Government and community organisations, aims to assist individuals and families experiencing financial crises and build financial resilience. The activity offers support in financial counselling, budgeting skills, and access to microfinance services, helping vulnerable individuals manage debt, improve financial literacy, and achieve financial independence.

Key services under the initiative include Financial Crisis and Material Aid, which provides emergency relief and food assistance, and Financial Counselling and Capability services, which offer guidance on managing finances and accessing low-interest loans. These services are free, voluntary, and confidential.

Grant opportunities are available for programmes delivered through The Financial Wellbeing and Capability Activity, with new five-year grants starting in July 2025. These include Emergency Relief, Food Relief, Financial Counselling, and the National Debt Helpline, 1800 007 007.

The initiative also focuses on Indigenous engagement, with support for First Nations communities through the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The Department of Social Services is committed to embedding Closing the Gap reforms into its services and ensuring that financial wellbeing programmes are culturally responsive.

Additionally, the No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS) offers safe, low-interest loans up to $5,000, provided through trusted community organisations. The Department of Social Services warns against unauthorised websites attempting to scam individuals seeking information about NILS. For more information, visit trusted sources like the Good Shepherd website.

Suicide awareness - specifically for LGBTQ+ in Wollongong - registrations have now opened

TouchPoints is a four-hour interactive workshop designed specifically to give LGBTQ+ community members an insight into suicide through the lens of people who have personally experienced it (lived and living experience) and equip us with the right knowledge and practical tools to be with others’ emotional pain or distress. LGBTQ+ people are often ‘TouchPoints’ in each other's lives to seek and receive support. 

Date and Time: 7 December 2024, 10 am to 2:30 pm 
Location: Wollongong Library, 41 Burelli St, Wollongong    
Lunch and refreshments are provided  

Who is the workshop for? LGBTQ+ people (over 18 years old) and friends, family (chosen or of origin), and carers of LGBTQ+ people (over 18 years old).   

For more information and to register an expression of interest, please visit https://here.org.au/workshop/touchpoints-wollongong/ 

Have your say in improving access to Transport in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven

Transport disadvantage is a significant issue across much of the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, particularly in towns and suburbs with low socio-economic indicators. Transport is essential for accessing jobs, education, and critical services. The vast distances throughout the region, coupled with often isolated towns and villages, have left many people facing limited opportunities as well as geographic and social isolation.

The groups most vulnerable to this isolation include young people, individuals living with physical or mental illness or disability, those on income support payments, pensions or low incomes, older people, and carers.

Access to active transport routes and reliable, affordable public transport is inequitable across the region. Some areas have good access, while others only have one daily bus service, with fares that make regular travel unaffordable. Some villages in regional NSW have no active or public transport options at all, forcing residents to rely on private vehicles to access essential services, education, employment, and recreational activities.

How can I have my say?

Your feedback on the transport experiences of your client groups will ensure the submission better reflects the actual needs of the region. Send your thoughts, case studies, or specific concerns directly to Ed Birt at [email protected].  You can also:

· Talk to your clients and staff, let them know about the inquiry, and encourage their participation​

· Visit the website to stay up to date and subscribe to the mailing list https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/sritp/Illawarra-shoalhaven ​

· Have your say directly by emailing your thoughts to [email protected]​

· Drop a pin on the interactive map online at the website to highlight a particular concern, insight , or feedback.​

Members News

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