How will the funding be spent?

A skilled group coordinator will be engaged to facilitate up to 20 'Gravity' groups with an average of 10 people per group. These groups will meet in various community facilities. The funding will be spent primarily on the salary for the coordinator, set up costs and the associated running costs (printing/ phone/ administration/ hire of facilities).

How will the project be delivered?

A CareWorks coordinator will seek referrals from community groups, disability groups, aged care providers, churches etc. and organise small gatherings of people who will be invited to commit to twelve weeks, during which time they will:
* Get to know each other and build relationships (through relationship building activities and games)
* Share their own stories, and
* Undertake one community project (Tidy a garden/ Clean up a park/ Remove graffiti/ Form a choir etc.)

How many people will directly benefit from this project?

200

How will you measure the impact of this project?

CareWorks will measure:
i. How many participants attended group sessions.
ii. The satisfaction of the participants - this will be measured by way of a final interview/ questionnaire.
iii. The number of participants (and the proportion of participants) who report that they are socially/ relationally better connected and have an improved sense of wellbeing - again, this will be measured by way of a final interview/ questionnaire.
iv. The number of participants who join a second group

How will the project fit this year's theme of ‘Connect, Grow, Build, Belong’?

Gravity Groups are all about Connecting people experiencing Social Isolation, Growing relationships, and Building a sense of Belonging to a local community.
This project consists of the gathering of small self-directed groups of people who are experiencing social isolation, and facilitating relationship building activities, personal story telling, and the undertaking of one small community project together.