Essie Burbridge Sub-Fund

Young Essie copy2

Essie (Agnes) Burbridge OAM came to the attention of the Victorian Women’s Trust when she was nominated to be part of the ‘Ordinary Women Extraordinary Lives’ exhibition in 2001.

Inspired by Essie’s community work in Melbourne’s western suburbs and her desire to challenge racism and promote social cohesion, the Trust initially established the Essie Burbridge Community Award and then the Sub-Fund in her name.

The Sub-Fund supports projects that:

provide leadership and achievement in cross-cultural understanding, and strategies for combating racism;
promote values critical to a vibrant and non-racist society;
build bridges between European, Middle Eastern and Asian cultures;
advance tolerance, compassion and understanding in the community.

After conclusion of a funded project, organisations are required to submit a Project Report and Financial Acquittal.

DOWNLOAD THE PROJECT REPORT AND FINAL ACQUITTAL FORM

For more information please go to the grants FAQS.

Please email your completed report to grants@vwt.org.au.

2017 ESSIE BURBRIDGE SUB-FUND GRANTS

Community Music Victoria Inc – Voices of Peace: an Assyrian Chaldean Women’s Choir

$3,600 grant

Voices of Peace will empower recently arrived and settled refugees from Assyrian Chaldean background to establish a Women’s Choir. This project, supported by a partnership between Community Music Victoria and Foundation House, will involve leadership training, provision and development of resources, and opportunities for wider social connection.

Wellsprings For Women – Living, Learning, Belonging

$6,115 grant

Living, Learning, Belonging is a program for women of diverse backgrounds to come together for a common purpose of building and strengthening their sense of belonging to Australian society. This will be done through regular workshops, deliberations, meaningful engagement, facilitated by experienced group moderators. Apart from exploring and unpacking the diverse cultures the women come from, additional learning will take place around the challenges the women are facing in their daily life in Australia, such as parenting in a new culture and understanding Australian services and systems.

2016 ESSIE BURBRIDGE SUB-FUND GRANTS

The Youth Junction Incorporated, Sunshine – Girl TAWC Awesome Young Women’s Project

$9,000 grant

A series of 6-week programs to engage young women aged 12-25 from a range of cultural backgrounds impacted by domestic violence and social disadvantage by providing creative workshops including art, music and cooking to connect and empower young women to come together in a supportive and safe environment.

Footscray Community Arts Centre, Footscray – Women of the World Festival 2016

$1,341 grant

Women of the World (WOW) is a festival of critical conversations, cultural programs, workshops and performances celebrating women and girls. WOW is a global phenomenon, which will be presented by FCAC in Melbourne for the first time, in partnership with Southbank Centre London in March 2017. Specifically, it will help fund the Women, Art and Politics Mentorship program which will engage 15 young people in an intergenerational and intercultural mentorship for WOW Melbourne with local, national and international mentors.

“Ma Burbridge had the warmest smile, love and tireless care for many overseas students in Victoria – the best ambassador Australia ever had.”
– Raj Kannan, Bachelor Civil Engineering, Victoria University 1988, Managing Director, Tusk Investments