Katoomba and Springwood High Schools will roll out two new projects next year as part of the second round of the Blue Mountains community bushfire grants program.
Federal and state funding of $367,900 for 10 new projects was announced last Friday by NSW premier Mike Baird and federal justice minister Michael Keenan.
Katoomba High will receive $23,436 to run a program for Year 10 students that develops team building, optimism and resilience skills to cope with challenging situations like bushfires.
Springwood High School's Parents and Citizens association will use a $46,000 grant in two ways - to develop fire resistant gardens in cleared bushfire buffer zones within the school grounds and to join with Faulconbridge RFS to establish an RFS secondary schools cadetship program and purchase uniforms, hoses and fire hydrants to be permanently stored on site.
Springwood High principal Mark Howie said both parts of the project "will have the added benefit of building practical skills, team work and knowledge about bushfire season preparation in students and allow them to build a pathway towards jobs, further training and membership of a local bushfire brigade".
Winmalee Neighbourhood Centre, which was overlooked for a grant in the first round of allocations, will receive $42,500 to implement a renewal, resilience and community connections project for the villages of Winmalee and Yellow Rock.
Other funded projects include:
* $50,000 to council to run the Kids Matter and Mindmatters programs in schools
* $56,000 to Blue Mountains Economic Enterprise to develop a brand identity for the region's creative industries
* $11,000 to Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre for creative projects including a mural at Memorial Park in Mt Victoria
* $34,000 to Blue Mountains Family Support Service for resilience programs at Kids Connect and $31,100 to build resilience in parents supporting their children
* $48,976 to Catholic Care's Youth Resilience
* $24, 334 to Mountains Outreach Community Service to support bushfire preparedness for families with young children
Member for Blue Mountains Roza Sage said the range of funded projects struck a balance between helping residents of all ages build resilience following bushfires, protect their livelihoods in the future and also boost the local economy.
"Strengthening the diversity and prominence of Blue Mountains industries means that the local economy may not be dealt such a heavy blow in a potential future crisis," Mrs Sage said.
Member for Macquarie Louise Markus said she was "very impressed" with the quality of all the projects.
