A youth-run initiative in George Town has received almost $500,000 in funding from the Tasmanian Community Fund.
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Future Impact Group George Town - a joint initiative of key stakeholders that promotes positive community change - was seminal in assisting the students in the funding application of Our Futures George Town and was a project that executive director Grace Walsh was thrilled to have helped develop.
"Future Impact Group works very closely with community to understand what they want to see for their community and really try to shift some of those long-term barriers and create opportunities," Ms Walsh said.
Our Futures George Town is set to allow young people to develop new skills in a range of areas in addition to engaging in discussions and decision making about the township's future.
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Based in George Town, the program will support a full-time dedicated youth program co-ordinator to work with young people, to build confidence, engage with and raise the voices of the region's youth.
Mckayla Lawson, 15, was instrumental in the funding application and is excited about the potential to implement changes in her community.
Mckayla and another four Port Dalrymple School students created a short film about their lives in George Town that helped to cement the groups funding application.
Having moved around a lot over the last few years, George Town has been Mckayla's favourite hometown so far and she hopes to make it even better for herself and other young people in the community.
"It will give us access to the mentors and the support that we need to succeed," Mckayla said.
Teacher Libby Williams is ecstatic about the announcement of the funding and the opportunities the program will allow for her students at Port Dalrymple School.
Looking towards the future, all those involved in Our Futures George Town are positive about the future of the regional town.
And more importantly, the impact that enthusiastic young people can have on the town's ongoing development.
"There is amazing things and growth happening in George Town" Ms Williams said.
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