Richmond’s community organisations, Korin Gamadji Institute and Bachar Houli Foundation, are thrilled to have received a $220,000 grant from the Victorian State Government as part of the Department of Health’s Diverse Community Grants Scheme.

Notably, the support will see the establishment of two postgraduate psychology placement programs, one with the KGI and another with the BHF and Islamic College of Sport.

Richmond’s Wellbeing and Community Programs Psychologist, Dr Justin Trounson, said that the Club would proudly begin offering identified placement opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Muslim postgraduate students.

“This is notable for a number of reasons, particularly because there is a critical lack of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Muslim psychologists in Australia,” Dr Trounson said.

“By the end of 2025, we will have supported three Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander provisional psychologists and two Muslim provisional psychologists to move toward registration and refine their craft within their communities.

“This is very meaningful and impactful work only made possible by the expertise of the KGI and BHF and with the support of the Richmond Football Club. This work will not only impact the mental health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing of young Victorians but will work to upskill the Victorian education sector.

“We thank the Victorian Government for supporting us to do this.”

KGI and BHF will also continue and expand on the mental health and wellbeing support they provide those in their communities, using the funding to increase culturally appropriate mental health activities in the education sector for Indigenous and Muslim young Victorians.

With key support from Connected Minds Psychology, KGI and BHF will also lead the development and delivery of 16 online workshops designed to support Victorian school staff better support both their Muslim and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

The online workshops will be open to teachers, principals, teacher aids, school-based faith leaders, and sporting coaches. They will both run live and be recorded to remain on offer to the Victorian Secondary Education Sector.

 In 2023-25, the Victorian Government will provide $4.2 million for projects that will deliver extensive programs, direct services, advocacy, research, and workforce development to help create a more diverse and inclusive mental health and wellbeing system.

 More information on the grants be found here.