Inner West Council’s Post

The onus of forging a brighter future rests not solely on established institutions, but squarely on the shoulders of today's youth. Their dynamism, unburdened by entrenched ideologies, positions them uniquely to challenge the status quo and champion transformative change. Let us empower this generation, providing the platforms and resources necessary to harness their boundless potential. Their active engagement in community development—through innovative initiatives, collaborative projects, and courageous advocacy—is not merely desirable, but indispensable to creating sustainable, equitable communities for all. The time for decisive action is now; the future depends on the empowered youth of today.

States and Territories across Australia are celebrating National Youth Week! A time to elevate young people and give power to their voices. The Federal Government’s new youth engagement strategy, ‘Engage!’, sets out a vision for a future where young people are empowered, valued, and contribute to government decision making. From this strategy, we know that young people see housing affordability, rent and homeownership as critical issues in their lives. Here at YWCA Australia, we recognise the importance of amplifying the voices of young people on the issues that impact them. Young women and gender diverse people’s leadership is core to our work, and we strive to create spaces where young people can shape their future to make safe, secure and affordable housing a reality. We elevate and engage young people on the issues of housing security and homelessness through: 💥 Amplifying Voices: our leadership program in Darwin equips young women and gender diverse people with lived experience to advocate for change. 💥 Young Women’s Council: a National advisory body who bring their passion and expertise to shaping YWCA’s advocacy and campaigning. 💥 Digital Activist Community: Our online member community, creating a space for people to grow, connect and shape our advocacy. Join now: https://lnkd.in/gRNXDdzB

This #PrideMonth, we celebrate the diversity and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community. It's a time to reflect on our progress and the work still ahead to ensure everyone feels safe and included in our communities. NLC has put together a guide for local leaders to learn more about how we can work together to build safer, more inclusive communities for all: https://lnkd.in/gN_Grew5

At Stonewall CCDC, we have spent 10 years building our housing practice, while developing innovative new strategies to deliver safe and LGBTQ-welcoming senior housing and healthcare. And now we are ready to make some moves... Statewide Expansion – The New York Attorney General’s office has approved an amendment to our articles of incorporation and Stonewall CDC is now a statewide organization. Monies raised for our New York City programs will remain segregated for City purposes, and our main focus of activity will continue to be the five boroughs, but this will allow us to engage some opportunities that have been trying to come our way from around the state. More on that as those opportunities develop. National Expansion - After a strategic framework planning process with our board of directors and the ensuing two years’ of discussion that followed, we have voted to create a new companion organization tailored specifically to allow us to: Own and lease property Provide LGBTQ-competent home care Work  nationwide Stonewall CDC has gathered a large network of highly qualified individuals and companies to help us work through the details.  This means that we will be moving to implementation with our two flagship innovations The Stonewall Bridge and the Community Properties Portfolio. Please help us understand how The Stonewall Bridge can work for you by taking the survey (15 minutes/anonymous) https://lnkd.in/egTRhVmY See our website for more information on The Stonewall Bridge https://lnkd.in/e3uG6xEe Community Properties Portfolio https://lnkd.in/eD6qQa8A Christiana Athanasiou Geoffrey Au. Melvin Browning Arsella Burton, DHA, MBA Lew Goldstein Jessica Greer Morris, MPH RYT Ed Haggerty Casey Horn Max Johngren Michael King Celia Kutcher CHHC, AADP, BFRAP Harsha Mallajosyula Michael McCarthy Idris Mignott David Scatterday Treviño Jackie Shapiro Tom Smith Mark Thompson Anissa T. Jerry Weinstein Joy Loverde #LGBTQSeniorHousing. #LGBTQ #CommunityPower #TheStonewallBridge

Youth, Power, Action! As a Member of Amnesty International Global Youth Collective, I recently participated in the Mid-Term Review of the Global Children and Youth Strategy 2022-2025, and it was an incredible opportunity to engage with passionate youth from around the world. As a member of Amnesty’s Global Youth Collective, I had the chance to: 🔹 Reflect on the impact of the strategy so far, identifying what has worked well and where we can improve to better serve young activists. 🔹 Share ideas on how to prioritize youth participation, ensuring that our voices remain at the heart of Amnesty’s work. 🔹 Dive into crucial topics, including: Youth leadership and its transformative potential. The wellbeing and mental health of child and youth activists. Embracing and amplifying diversity in youth movements. Building meaningful partnerships with children and youth activists worldwide. The discussions were both inspiring and action-oriented, focusing on how we can create a more inclusive, supportive, and impactful space for young people within Amnesty. A special thanks to the Global Children and Youth Team for their updates, insights, and the collaborative spirit that made this session so productive. Together, we’re shaping the future of human rights advocacy by empowering youth as leaders, changemakers, and allies.

📊 In the analysis "Youth Social Inclusion Index at the Local Level 2023-2024," the indicator group on Access to Information for youth focuses on how municipalities target young people as a specific demographic and whether they have dedicated tools for informing them. The results reveal that, in terms of access to information for youth, 30% of municipalities are categorized as unsatisfactory, 39% as good, and 31% as excellent. The top-ranked municipalities according to this indicator group are: 🔸 Kisela Voda 🔸 Ohrid 🔸 Berovo 🔸 Zrnovci 🔸 Dojran 🔸 Kratovo 🔗 The full analysis is available at the following link. https://lnkd.in/dybv8zs5 Follow us to learn more for the other indicators of social inclusion of young people! ✨ This analysis is part of the "Youth Inclusive Local Communities" project, which is implemented in partnership with the Local Community Development Foundation, Youth Empowerment Platform - YEP and SFERA INTERNATIONAL Bitola, with support from the European Union. #LocalYouthAction #LocalYouthParticipation

Grants Facilitate the Digitization of Cultural Heritage Material    Council on Library and Information Resources: Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives   Application deadline: October 30, 2024, for initial applications Geographic scope: United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico   Grant amount:  $50,000 to $300,000   Description: Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives: Amplifying Unheard Voices, a program by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), supports the digitization of rare and unique materials held by collecting organizations in the U.S., including Puerto Rico. For the 2024-2025 cycle, up to $4,000,000 in grants will be awarded to projects that digitize materials in a variety of formats, enriching public understanding of the histories of underrepresented communities—particularly those whose contributions and perspectives have been insufficiently recognized.    Launched in 2021, this program focuses on deepening public understanding of the histories of people of color and other underrepresented communities. These often "hidden" histories include, but are not limited to, the stories of Black, Indigenous, Latine, and other People of Color; Women; LGBTQIA+ communities; Immigrants; Displaced populations; and individuals who are Blind, Deaf, Disabled, Colonized, Disenfranchised, Enslaved, or Incarcerated.    Eligible applicants include nonprofit, academic, independent, and community-based organizations, as well as government entities in the U.S., Canada, and U.S. territories. These organizations must collect, preserve, and share rare and unique materials with the general public. The program is generously supported by the Mellon Foundation.   For more details: https://lnkd.in/eDBGH3GE   #DigitizationGrants #CulturalHeritage #UnderrepresentedCommunities #ArchivesDigitization #CollectingOrganizations #NonprofitFunding #MellonFoundation #PuertoRico #RFP #digitalization #museos #HiddenHistories   Las convocatorias de subvenciones facilitadas por IMAGINE Consultores, LLLC, se ofrecen como un servicio público. Síganos si desea mantenerse informado sobre las oportunidades de subvención.

Check out a recap of our Youth Summit at Cornell Tech!

TLGBQIA+ communities have long been at the forefront of creating spaces for mutual aid, liberation, and essential resources. Yet, systemic inequities and escalating anti-TLGBQIA+ attacks make ownership of these spaces especially rare—particularly for TGNC BIPOC-led organizations. Queer the Land in Seattle is a powerful example of resilience and self-determination. Founded in 2016, this QBIPOC-led group is working to combat gentrification and displacement by creating a self-sustaining cooperative hub. From purchasing a historic house in Beacon Hill to hosting events, building a garden program, and envisioning a vibrant, multigenerational community space, their work is inspiring. I'm thrilled to see their story featured in the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Community Research and Impact team's new report, which explores the intersection of capital access, community ownership, and economic power for queer and trans communities. Check out the report to learn more about what’s needed to expand this critical work and ensure these spaces thrive. #LGBTQIA #QueerTheLand #CommunityOwnership #EconomicPower #Seattle

Libraries are working hard to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone. This article explores how libraries are diversifying their collections, offering inclusive programs, and training staff to better serve their communities: https://lnkd.in/e8DXm7ht #DEI #Libraries #Inclusion