Hi Landcarers

Do you, or someone you know, demonstrate a passion for rural communities and commitment for any career that will ensure the future success of rural and regional NSW?

Scholarships under the of $6,000 for full-time study or $3,000 for part-time study are available through the Royal Agricultural Society Foundation.

There is no limit on the types of courses that qualify or the age of the applicant. You could be studying anything from physiotherapy, engineering, teaching, agricultural science, horticulture, medicine and commerce – and almost everything in between. You could be studying at University, TAFE or VET courses, on campus or by distance learning.

Applicants for a Rural Scholarship must: be enrolled in or applying for study in any accredited tertiary course at an approved Australian education provider; demonstrate a desire to contribute to the future of rural NSW; demonstrate how a scholarship would assist them in achieving their education or training goal; be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Applications close 31 August 2018.  Find out more here.

Also on the RAS website you can access the JB Fairfax Award for Rural and Regional Journalism. This is a prestigious national award that encourages and supports a young university student who is passionate about pursuing a career as a rural or regional journalist upon graduation. The Award was established through a private donation from Mr John B Fairfax AO.

This Award is an outstanding opportunity for a budding journalist to gain a diverse range of practical experience at the coalface of rural and regional reporting, with three relevant internships that will provide a launch pad to a career telling the rich stories from country Australia.

The Award includes a $10,000 cash scholarship along with the following suite of internships providing practical work experience with: the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW Media Team at the Sydney Royal Easter Show; Fairfax Agricultural Media at The Land Newspaper; or the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in their Brisbane newsroom.

Applicants for the Award must: Submit a strong article, blog post, video or audio report of up to 600 words on a topic of your choice relating to Australian agriculture. Please include a minimum of three sources including one primary producer. The piece must be original and not previously published or broadcast; be enrolled to study in any undergraduate or postgraduate degree of relevance at an approved Australian education provider; demonstrate an active interest in rural and regional affairs and in pursuing a career in journalism upon graduation; be an Australian citizen or permanent resident; and be aged 30 years or under. Applications close on 31 August 2018. Find out more here.

Round 3 of the Federal Government’s Stronger Communities Fund is about to open and local member Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack is calling for community groups to ready their projects.

The grants team at Parkes Shire Council (PSC) will put forward a document showcasing the projects for the Shire including project details, costs etc and photographs to put forward for consideration.

Applicant organisations need to have: an ABN and be a not for profit organisation.

The grant request must be between $2,500 and $20,000 for small capital projects that improve local community participation and contribute to vibrant and viable communities and make a social impact. The 50% mandatory co-contribution from the applicant for the projects can be cash or in-kind. Contact Sally Chapman at PSC on 02 6861 2395 or email sally.chapman@parkes.nsw.gov.au

For more information about anything in this article, please contact Central West Lachlan Landcare on 02 6862 4914, cwllpo@hotmail.com, facebook or our website at centralwestlachlanlandcare.org

 Until next week, happy Landcaring!