BENDIGO groups can apply for grants of up to $10,000 to develop local solutions to tackle the impact of the drug ice in the community.
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The state government announced $500,000 to fund grassroots community ice action groups across regional Victoria. It forms part of the Labor Party's $45.5 million statewide action plan.
The funding will allow community groups to come together and develop solutions to help in the fight against ice.
A range of activities will be supported - including forums, production and development of communications and promotion of educational opportunities.
Bendigo Community Health Services chief executive Kim Sykes welcomed the funding.
"It is great to see support for community action as well as other interventions we may have already heard about. We certainly have a number of ideas we can look to," she said.
Ms Sykes said successful intervention against drugs required a multi-pronged approach.
"There is better capacity to reach more and do more with a collective effort. We need to make sure the work we all do is aligned," she said.
"Some ideas will work best with a number of agencies coming together and applying for a grant in partnership, others may only require one agency. The important thing is that what we all do around the City of Greater Bendigo is aligned and we work together to make sure we get the best efforts."
Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan and Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards announced the funding on Tuesday.
Ms Allan said too many lives were being ruined by ice.
"It's a devastating drug, with tragic consequences in our local community," she said.
"We’re taking action now, giving users the treatment they need, families the support they deserve and coming down harder on those who sell this drug on our streets."
The Ice Action Plan was developed on the advice of the Premier's Action Taskforce.
For more information on the grants, visit www.ice.vic.gov.au