THE Committee for Greater Shepparton has been announced as the lead agency for the GROW program in Greater Shepparton, and is committed to ensuring that the initiative results in better economic and employment outcomes for the region.
A pilot program called GROW – (G21 Opportunities for Work) was established by a group of organisations in Geelong/Barwon to promote local procurement leading to sustainable employment in the region, and ensuring disadvantaged people can participate in those employment opportunities.
GROW is now to be rolled out in Victoria’s other major regional centres – Bendigo, Ballarat, Gippsland and Greater Shepparton – a ‘circle of five’ regional population bases that can play a key part in the state’s growth. Regional Development Victoria state that GROW is a ‘place based local procurement strategy leading to increased economic activity and the flow job creation, targeted in some circumstance to identified target groups who have experienced disadvantage.’
Committee for Greater Shepparton CEO, Sam Birrell said, “Through our links with business, government and organisations working towards education and career aspirations, we are in a unique position to foster this program, and ensure it has real outcomes in terms of procurement and employment very quickly.
“There are a number of opportunities for organisations, both within the region and outside, to ensure that where possible goods and services are procured from the Goulburn Valley. With the associated economic uplift and a co-ordinated effort to increase work readiness among the population, we can significantly improve the social fabric of the region” Mr Birrell said.
