$650,000 to our communities

Rio Tinto Coal Australia’s community development funds are working to help improve safety in the regions where we operate, as well as education, training and employment, business development, culture and heritage and sport.

Our eight funding bodies recently approved 25 new projects, providing a total of $655,944 to our communities in Queensland and New South Wales to help build local capacity.

General manager – External Relations Fiona Nicholls said at least two of the 25 new projects were selected for their focus on improving safety.

“In Queensland, the Hail Creek Mine Community Development Fund is providing $5000 to train four Nebo residents to be swimming instructors, so that local children will have access to qualified instructors who can teach them how to be safe in the water,” Fiona said.

“Meanwhile, the Coal & Allied Aboriginal Development Consultative Committee has provided more than $50,000 to the Upper Hunter Drug and Alcohol Service,” Fiona said.

“The money will fund a research project to better understand the drug and alcohol intervention needs of Aboriginal communities, with a view to advancing the services available and improving community health and safety.

Other recently approved projects include:

A development course for youth and children, known as ‘Shine’ for girls and ‘Strength’ for boys, approved for $13,578 in funding by the Kestrel Mine Aboriginal Community Development Fund. The programme is designed to promote self-development in Aboriginal children in Emerald through a three day leadership camp during which the children will learn about mateship, courage, perseverance and teamwork
Succession planning workshops for farmers in the Emerald/Capella region. The Kestrel Mine Community Development Fund has approved $10,000 in funding towards the workshops, which will teach families how to transfer their farming business from one generation to another
An Indigenous literacy and numeracy programme at Clermont State School. The Clermont Community Development Fund has approved $29,000 to help fund an Indigenous teacher aide to deliver the programme
The Clermont State High School leadership and citizens scholarships, which will support up to two 2008 graduates in their university studies. This programme will receive $20,000 from the Clermont Community Development Fund.

Rio Tinto Coal Australia has three community development funds in Queensland which accept general funding applications, and three new Aboriginal community development funds.

In New South Wales we have the Coal & Allied Community Trust and the Aboriginal Development Consultative Committee, each providing funding opportunities to our communities in the Upper Hunter.

Information about our community development funds, including how local groups can apply for funding, is available on the Rio Tinto Coal Australia and Coal & Allied websites.

Pictured: Local children from the communities in which we operate are among those set to benefit from the support of our community development funds.