Council & Business
12 June, 2023
Go Goldfields secures $225,000 in funding
Go Goldfields will continue until the end of the year after the Victorian Government announced a further $225,000 for the initiative, however the Central Goldfields Shire Council will continue advocating for the program to continue beyond 2023. The...
Go Goldfields will continue until the end of the year after the Victorian Government announced a further $225,000 for the initiative, however the Central Goldfields Shire Council will continue advocating for the program to continue beyond 2023.
The government’s budget, released last month, failed to allocate funding for the continuation of Go Goldfields which had been funded since 2010.
Last week however, after council wrote a letter to the government advocating for the continuation of funding, the government announced $225,000 for Go Goldfields’ Every Child Every Chance initiative meaning it would be able to continue through to the end of the year.
Go Goldfields was established and operating in 2011 and has sought to address social disadvantage and ensure children get the best start to life in the shire since.
Central Goldfields Shire CEO Lucy Roffey welcomed the funding announcement, which she said provides certainty for Go Goldfields for the remainder of the year.
“We are pleased and grateful to the Victorian Government for their quick response to our letter calling for the funding needed to continue Go Goldfields’ Every Child Every Chance initiative,” she said.
“The $225,000 announced by Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing gives us certainty that the initiative can continue to the end of the year.
“Go Goldfields is a high priority for our council to address social disadvantage and ensure that children get the best start in life through programs that promote and support early literacy, numeracy, social-emotional skills, and overall school readiness.
“We’ll continue to advocate to the Victorian Government for the funding needed to continue the initiative into 2024 and beyond.”
Member for Ripon Martha Haylett said the funding meant Go Goldfields would be able to continue delivering for the community.
“This investment will support Go Goldfields and its partners to help continue to deliver programs to Maryborough’s young people and their families,” she said.