26 February 2025
“Most community groups in Tasmania are run by volunteers on very small budgets. It is so rewarding to see and hear what our grants allow community groups to achieve.”
Community Advisor Kate Hickey looks after Hydro Tasmania’s community programs – from partnerships and volunteering to community funding opportunities.
As Community Advisor, Kate does a lot of work to identify community partners and programs we can support that enrich communities and provide vital support for Tasmanians at risk.
Kate is also the driving force behind our employee volunteering, a way for us to support community organisations by sharing our people’s time, skills and knowledge. Around 30 per cent of our people volunteer in their community, helping to build stronger and more connected communities.
Kate has been at the forefront of the Community Grants Program for almost a decade! She loves this part of her role, being able to help deserving groups with much needed funding.
Our community grants are now in their 9th year! We receive a diversity of applications for grant support – from school fruit programs (main picture) and recycling initiatives to supporting arthritis programs for juveniles and new seating for community playgrounds. In 2024, we provided $28,000 to six deserving organisations.
Here’s a peek at just some of the fabulous stories we can share about how our grants have made a difference to communities across Tasmania.
The statewide volunteer-based charity Tassie Mums provides essential items to vulnerable and at-risk babies and children affected by financial hardship, mental health, homelessness, or family and domestic violence.
Their $5,000 grant went towards Tassie Mums’ Safe Travels program, ensuring families can safely travel to access their community and essential services, which will help improve health and wellbeing.
“We're very grateful to receive a grant from Hydro Tasmania that will help support our Safe Travels program,” said Tassie Mums Founder and CEO Clair Harris.
Tassie Mums has worked with more than 340 caseworkers from over 100 social services organisations, and in the last financial year they supported more than 2,500 children in Tasmania.
Elderly at-risk members of the Spring Bay community are enjoying peace of mind and increased confidence, thanks to our community grant.
The Spring Bay Suicide Prevention Network used its 2024 grant to purchase LiveLife Alarms. These alarms are small yet sophisticated devices, designed to be worn on the body. They send out an emergency alert to nominated contacts if the person has a fall or is concerned for their safety.
For Phil Pyke, treasurer of the Spring Bay Suicide Prevention Network, the grant is making a real difference in the community.
“We were able to purchase more LiveLife Alarms with the community grant. They provide reassurance not just to the person who has it but their family and friends,” Mr Pyke said.
“It’s also a confidence boost that they can go out, go walking and have peace of mind if something should happen.”
For local residents, Maurice and Helen, the alarms have made a huge difference.
We help support life-changing initiatives, like the Life Lab at Smithton High School, getting students work-ready and armed with life skills.
COVID-19 had far reaching impacts across communities and for Smithton High School, it created a need to reconnect with their students. What began as a small study group back in 2020 is now a dedicated space and program called Life Lab. Students participate in project based learning opportunities and develop work ready skills alongside basic literacy and numeracy.
Smithton High School’s Life Lab was a delighted grant recipient, receiving $10,000 in funding, which supported expansion of the space to include an all-weather outdoor area and boundary fence, built by the students.
Assistant Principal, Lindsey Blake, explains that Life Lab has grown into an essential facility that allows for the widest possible variety of learning to take place, right in our own community.
“The initial funding from Hydro Tasmania allowed Life Lab to realise its first dreams and show the students and community what a facility and program of this type can provide for our community.
A disused building was transformed into Life Lab, with the students hands-on in its renovation. It is now a space where students can obtain work ready qualifications and learn practical life skills - maintaining the lawns, washing and drying school laundry, and cleaning and maintaining the space and gardens.
“As well as literacy and numeracy learning, they can work on projects like creating new gardens beds from old tractor tyres, or reconditioning engines. With Hydro Tasmania’s funding, we’ve been able to make the space more practical and useable in all weather conditions. That means Life Lab can take on more students and projects,” Lindsey added.
Our community grants program is open until Friday March 28.
Click here to find out more and apply!
https://www.hydro.com.au/sustainability/community-support/community-grants
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