The Men Rockin’ Goals Together program has been co-designed with a group of local men who understand some of the challenges that Rockingham men may be facing when it comes to making healthier life choices to improve their mental health, nutrition, physical health and overall wellbeing. The program provides a safe, inclusive space encouraging men to make healthier lifestyle choices and reach their goals together.

Moorditj Koort Aboriginal Corporation (Moorditj Koort or MKAC) is a community controlled, not-for-profit organisation that supports the health and wellness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in WA. The organisation received a $5,000 grant in 2022 to help fund the development of a program that provides mental health first aid and pastoral care to the Aboriginal community. The goal is to run three mental health workshops with Community Elders groups covering the Kwinana and Rockingham regions. The MKAC staff responsible for delivering training will organise and deliver these workshops concentrating on Mental Health and Suicide prevention.

The Kwinana Djindas Netball Club focus on using netball as a vehicle to engage with the Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) community. The Club received a WesCEF Community Grant of $5,000 so that they could run a mixed netball carnival for juniors and seniors and activate their theme ‘Family, Connection and Culture’ with engagement activities with ATSI services and Elders. Their Moordijt Moort Kambarang Netball Carnival is scheduled to be held in October 2023.

Bungaree Primary School received a grant to establish a garden to grow edible native plants. The garden will be an interactive space where the 270+ children who attend the school can smell, touch and taste plants that indigenous people have used for centuries. The garden will be a gateway to learning about food and medicine used by Aboriginal people in the past and the present day. The hope is to have regular working bees at the school to encourage Aboriginal and non Aboriginal families to come together for a common purpose.

The City of Rockingham Libraries will use their grant to run a new Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) program for girls. The aim of the program is to grow a passion for STEM by giving the girls an opportunity to explore STEM-related topics. WesCEF Female STEM employees will also attend each session as real-life role models. Over eight weeks the girls will participate in hands-on workshops covering biology, physics, chemistry and engineering. The girls will collaborate, design, solve and experiment in a fun, relaxed environment.

South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare (SERCUL) will use their grant to purchase much needed data loggers to monitor the temperature of the nests of Phascogales in their nesting tubes. In conjunction with Friends of Paganoni Swamp, who will manage the on-ground component of this grant. Data loggers will be places in nesting tubes to replicate tree hollows for Phascogales to breed. As the weather changes, monitoring this data helps to ensure that the nesting tubes are at optimal temperature for nesting.

East Waikiki Primary School have been awarded a WesCEF Community Grant which they are using to run a science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) based robotics and coding program. The facilitates the children to build, code and power up their unique Lego creations. The program is designed to build an engineering mindset and allow the students to have a safe place to explore their passion for robotics and coding. The school plans to enter three teams into a coding competition later this year and the First Lego League in 2023.

Calista Primary School will use their grant to revive an existing greenhouse and establish a new chicken coop to grow food for a breakfast club, providing a nutritious start to the day for kids who may not have access to a healthy breakfast. The project will also incorporate cooking classes, and the school hopes to use fruit from the greenhouse to make jams to sell to the community.

Endeavour School's grant will help to establish a STEM Club, encouraging like-minded students and staff to come together to complete a project and collaborate with other networks on STEM challenges. A Year 6 Careers Day is also in the works, where WesCEF staff will be invited to talk about exciting career options in STEM.

Ngalla Yorga Waangkan encourages women’s gathering and yarning opportunities through cultural events and activities. The grant will be used to create polo shirts with cultural designs to help local women to connect to the land.

For the second year in a row, Rockingham City Libraries will use their grant to run an after-school STEM program for local girls. Over eight weeks, the girls will participate in hands-on workshops covering biology, physics, chemistry and engineering. Collaborating, designing and experimenting in a fun, relaxed environment.

Naragebup will use their to help rehabilitate Loggerhead Turtle hatchlings and educate the public on what to do if they see a turtle washed up on the beach. The grant will help provide food, tanks, heater and other items for the hatchlings.

Medina Primary School received a grant to establish a new school garden, helping students learn about agriculture, nutrition and healthy eating. Students grow their own fruit and vegetables and use them to prepare lunches for their school as part of their Healthy Minds Nutrition Program. The program encourages regular attendance by providing nutritious lunches to 200 students twice per week and educates them to make healthier eating choices.

The Coogee Community Garden WA Inc used its grant to purchase materials and equipment needed to develop a new community garden located in Coogee.  The garden will include areas for locals to meet and grow their own produce. The hope is that it will promote healthy eating, whilst creating a sense of community; bringing people together to share knowledge while they care for and use the garden.

The Australian Insulation Foundation used its grant to purchase and install thermal insulation in three social houses located in the City of Rockingham.  Insulation reduces heating and cooling costs by approximately $600 per annum, giving the recipients greater financial wellbeing. And the environmental outcome? The insulation will reduce the carbon footprint of each household by 1.8 tonnes per year!