General News
12 December, 2024
A year of progress and community building
The year, Wimmera Southern Mallee (WSM) Development continued our strategic vision to foster economic growth, advocate for communities, and facilitate a collective vision for a sustainable future.
We faced challenges, but at the same time, we created opportunities to enhance the region’s liveability and prosperity.
By listening, partnering, influencing, and engaging with stakeholders across governments, industries, and communities, we made progress possible while staying true to our values of innovation, support and bravery.
Strengthening resilience across the region was a big focus this year and we rolled up sleeves to get ready for drought, tackle workforce and housing gaps and prepare for the national energy shift.
Drought resilience initiatives include Midday at the Oasis – a project that builds connections between councils and communities to prioritise green spaces.
We’re also supporting multicultural youth with activities that develop their understanding of our landscape and the changes that drought can bring.
The WSM Housing Innovation Pty Ltd (WHIP) has been addressing critical housing shortages through partnerships with several townships.
Meanwhile, workforce initiatives like the Accessing Latent Care Industry Workforce Project in partnership with Federation University started breaking down employment barriers, providing pathways for individuals to re-enter the workforce in vital sectors such as care services.
These efforts are key as the region prepares for population growth and workforce demands.
We were also instrumental in advocating for community-first approaches to planned renewable energy and infrastructure projects.
Collaborations with organisations like The Energy Charter has strengthened our ability to influence, engage, and build frameworks that ensure government and corporate accountability.
This year, the By Five Early Years initiative continued to transform early childhood development in the region.
By partnering with the Royal Children’s Hospital, our team of experts improved access to paediatric care, childcare, and allied health services, ensuring young residents receive the support they need to thrive.
And, through empathetic engagement, our settlement team continued to empower migrants and refugees to integrate successfully into the Wimmera through casework support, language assistance, and initiatives funded by the State Government’s Building Better Regions Fund.
We were also thrilled to partner with Comfort Care to begin delivering care services to elderly and disabled migrants and refugee – a first for our region.
As we look towards a new year, the WSM Development team remains committed to securing the best possible social and economic outcomes for our magnificent region.
To learn more about our work, please visit www.wsm.org.au, where you can also find the 2023-24 annual report.
Finally, I’d like to take the opportunity to wish everyone a happy and safe Christmas and we look forward to collaborating with communities in 2025.