Benalla’s Tomorrow Today Foundation will continue to receive funding from the State Government after being included in last week’s Victorian State Budget for 2024/25.
Tomorrow Today’s Education Benalla Program will receive over $1 million per year over the next three financial years.
Nationals Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland, who has been advocating for the foundation to receive recurrent funding, said she was very pleased to see Tomorrow Today’s name on the budget papers.
“It was essential that organisations like Tomorrow Today receive the crucial funding they need to continue supporting our community,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Long term funding will help Tomorrow Today increase its impact in the community and continue to deliver positive change for those who need it.
“While the growth thanks to Tomorrow Today has been incredible, Benalla is still very much a work in progress and funding to back this essential service was so necessary.”
Tomorrow Today’s Executive Officer Jodie Fleming said they were extremely thankful to receive funding to continue delivering their program.
“The funding for the Education Benalla Program will mean Tomorrow Today can continue to partner with our community to ensure every child in Benalla starts school ready to learn, that we see improved numeracy and literacy levels, and that the wellbeing of our young people improves,” Ms Fleming said.
“It is imperative that students in Benalla have the opportunity to achieve their potential – be it through completing school or an apprenticeship with the skills needed for future work.
“This type of funding helps our community to work together so that our young people can look forward to a bright future.”
Some of the improvements for children and young people in Benalla include:
- an 11.7% decrease in children who are developmentally vulnerable (on one or more domains) (AEDC data 2015 vs 2021)
- A 19% decrease in youth disengagement from school and work (ABS Census data, 2016 vs 2021)
- Education Benalla Program’s Early Years activities are reaching four in five families with young children.
- The reach of Education Benalla Program’s Future Work programs is conservatively estimated at 48% of the eligible cohort (young people aged 11-19 years)
