FEDERAL Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce has congratulated the Glen Innes Family and Youth Support Service Inc., on its success in receiving a funding grant of $140,300 under the Building Safe Communities for Women funding round.

Mr Joyce said at a time of heightened community concern about family and domestic Violence the Building Safe Communities for women grants will provide a valuable contribution in supporting communities to develop and implement practical solutions to reduce violence against women and children in their own community.

“They will also help prevent this violence into the future and make a positive difference for women and their children who are victims of domestic violence,” Mr Joyce said.

He said under the Building Safe Communities for Women initiative, successful applicants must participate in action research to support the sharing of learnings with other communities.

The learnings will be combined into a final report by Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety. This report will take the form of a practical community user guide, bringing together information and case studies from the funded projects, providing a valuable resource for other communities into the future.

“I look forward to hearing about the outcomes of the Safe in Our Town project, “Mr Joyce said.

He said it is a project which will engage local business and the community to identify ad hoc refuge options and promote awareness of local services and domestic violence through an education campaign.

Glen Innes Family and Youth Support’s Danielle Lightfoot said the grant would push greater awareness and a coordinated response to domestic violence.

“Our community has really got on board with schools, the Aboriginal community, Glen Innes Severn Council and the business sector united in an effort to help stem domestic violence.”

Ms Lightfoot said raising the awareness of the campaign to reduce domestic violence was of “huge importance” and the funding would certainly help the cause.