Let’s innovate for thriving age-friendly Queensland communities

Have an idea for how we can make Queensland a more age-friendly state? The Palaszczuk Government wants to hear from you!

Minister for Seniors Coralee O'Rourke today (15 May) opened the second round of Advancing Queensland: Age-friendly community grants, providing up to $100,000 in funding for innovative projects to make Queensland’s thriving communities more inclusive of seniors.

“I’m urging councils, organisations, not-for-profit groups and the community to step-up to the challenge of creating an age-friendly Queensland,” Mrs O’Rourke said.

“Seniors are valuable members of our community, which is why we’re keen to hear your resourceful, creative, big ideas on how we can improve the lives for our seniors.

“Civic participation and employment, community support and health services, and respect and social inclusion will be the major focus areas of this grant round.

“It’s great to see some fantastic projects from previous rounds already making a big difference to the lives of seniors in their community and I look forward to seeing many more innovative projects being put forward this time. Total funding of $1 million if available in 2018/19.”

As one of the 12 recipients of the 2017-18 round of the Advancing Queensland: Age-friendly community grants, TESS project coordinator Maria Allen knows all too well the value of the grants for the Driving On project for seniors in the Fraser Coast/Hervey Bay area.

“The response was overwhelmingly positive and we found that people over 60 were positively engaged to the point where we ran way over time at each seminar,” Ms Allen said.

“The common thread for "Driving On" was, "we need this in our community.

“I would definitely say apply for the grants as the need is there to educate and engage with ageing members of our community.”

Applications for the Advancing Queensland: Age-friendly community grants close at 5pm, Monday 18 June 2018.

For more information about the grants, and to apply, visit http://www.qld.gov.au/agefriendlygrants.

ENDS

Media Contact: Benjamin Mulcahy 0419 562 389