North Cyprus Turkish Community of Victoria members are ready to get started on a new project after receiving a $7500 grant as part of the federal government’s stronger communities program.
President Dr Lutfiye Ali said the grant will be put towards a multipurpose space to accommodate a diverse range of student cohorts.
“The space will promote inclusive participation from students of all ages. This project aligns with our broader vision of fostering connections and increasing engagement with the centre among younger members of the community,” Dr Ali said.
“The news motivated us to get started with the project, to work towards our goal to create a warm and welcoming community space that benefits pre-school, school and university students.”
Established in 1956, the centre provides a vital space for the Cypriot Turkish community of Victoria.
“It has been the heart of our community for over 70 years,” Dr Ali said.
“I also appreciate how inclusive it is. We have many different community groups that use the centre to celebrate their social and cultural traditions and practices.”
Dr Ali said grants are important to community groups and organisations as they are mostly volunteer-run and operate with limited resources.
“Such grants allow us to bring projects to life and, more importantly, bring the community together—not just through the outcome, but through the process of undertaking projects,” she said.
“The act of designing and building together brings in students, parents, young people, and regular volunteers from the community so it creates valuable volunteering opportunities, in turn fostering social connection.”
