Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Gareth Ward said a share of $1.5 million is available for not-for-profits, community groups and councils.
“The last 12 months have been tough for communities across our state, and these grants are an opportunity to support programs that engage young people during this critical time,” Mr Ward said.
“We want to hear about projects that encourage young people to learn new skills, meet new people and create stronger, more cohesive communities.”
The program provides one-off, time-limited grants between $10,000 and $50,000 for projects that remove barriers preventing youth from taking up new opportunities. Since the program began in 2012, Youth Opportunities has provided almost $12 million in funding to 247 projects across the state.
Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women Bronnie Taylor said more than half of last year’s grant recipients involved programs in regional and rural NSW.
“This is a fantastic way of getting projects off the ground which empower young people and encourage them to participate in their community,” Mrs Taylor said.
“Last year’s recipients included programs promoting positive mental health, job-readiness and leadership skills for Aboriginal young people.”
Not-for-profit Hear For You received funding last year for a project supporting young people who are deaf or hard of hearing to improve their communication skills.
Hear For You CEO David Brady said participants are using their new skills to raise awareness about hearing health and deafness in their local schools and communities.
“They have been working together to create content, design materials, practice their public speaking skills and deliver presentations to their peers, educational institutions and community groups,” Mr Brady said.
For more information, or to apply, visit www.youth.nsw.gov.au/youth-opportunities
