Thanks to a Launceston organisation’s donation, a community service will be supported to help more children experiencing grief or trauma.

On Monday, City Mission chief executive Stephen Brown was joined by Inside Out 4 Kids coordinator Teennette Van Dyk at the Rotary Club of Central Launceston meeting, where it was announced the club would donate $15,000 to the program.

The need to assist young people in the community who are struggling with what they have experienced led City Mission to create the Inside Out 4 Kids program.

Established three years ago, the program operates in 20 Northern Tasmanian primary schools.

There is also a hub on Frederick Street where children and their families can feel safe and supported.

Mr Brown said the program assisted with everything from “lost parents to lost pets”.

“It’s just providing support for children when they need it,” he said.

“We train a lot of chaplains in the schools, so we can get a much bigger spread without having to do it all ourselves,” Mr Brown said.

Ms Van Dyk said Rotary had always been a friend of City Mission.

“I think the club exemplifies community and networking. It’s great to be able to see that the spirit they have matches our own,” she said.

The donation was raised from this year’s Circus Quirkus festivities, of which the club was a supporting partner. 

Rotary Club of Central Launceston president Jodie Lowe said the club was delighted to contribute to the initiative.

“Inside Out 4 Kids is an extremely valuable local service for supporting children who are experiencing grief or loss,” she said.

For Mr Brown, who is also a member of Rotary, the support of community groups was irreplaceable.

“Unfortunately, this year we have had a lot of cases of children who have been affected by suicide, so donations like this are very welcome,” he said.

“It will allow us to invest in another 50 to 100 kids and also put some more hours into it.

“The service is all supported through philanthropic donations, and it always works well when we collaborate with other community groups.”