The last couple of years have been tough on everyone in Melbourne.

Metro’s ‘Back on Track’ Community Grants Program is supporting not-for-profit organisations doing important work to help improve people’s mental health right across the community.

This year, the grants program focused on funding projects around mental health wellness, education, and support services.

• Wellness – preventative care to reduce the risk of poor mental health.
• Education – activities that inform and promote awareness of good mental health
• Support services – assistance like counselling, psychiatric support or crisis care that directly supports people experiencing mental health challenges.

Metro’s CEO Raymond O’Flaherty says, “The last few years have been incredibly hard for Melburnians, and we want to do everything we can to give back to the community we serve.

“We hope that our contributions can support these fantastic organisations in delivering their important mental health programs and making a difference in people’s lives.”

This year, Metro will support a range of organisations right across Melbourne to deliver their important mental health projects, including hospitals and healthcare providers, crisis and homelessness charities and support groups, schools, community and youth groups.

Some of the work the grants will fund include the Les Twentyman Foundation’s ‘The Confident Traveller Program’, which encourages young people to feel confident in planning and executing travel by public transport.

As well as the cohealth grant which will allow it to run a series of mental health education sessions for Horn of African communities (Somali, Harari, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Tigrinian) to inform, educate and promote awareness of good mental health and access to support services.

A full list of the organisations being supported is below:

• Cohealth
• Les Twentyman Foundation
• The Man Cave
• Conscious Creative (HoMie)
• Melbourne Homeless Collective
• Radio Lollipop
• Longbeach Place
• Rossbourne

Metro’s grants program has provided $260,000 to community organisations over the past three years.