The Social Inclusion Action Group (SIAG) is pleased to support the Australian Breastfeeding Association Greater Geelong Group through an Access Enabler Payment to help more local parents connect with community support, information and friendships.

For many new parents, early parenthood can be a time of joy, but it can also be a time when people feel isolated, disconnected or unsure where to find support. While valuable community activities and services exist across Greater Geelong, many people simply do not know about them.

The Australian Breastfeeding Association Greater Geelong Group provides free weekly meetups where parents can connect with others experiencing similar challenges, share experiences, receive peer support and access trusted breastfeeding information in a welcoming and inclusive environment.

The Access Enabler Payment will support a local advertising and awareness campaign to help more families learn about these free community gatherings. By increasing awareness of available support, the project aims to reach parents who may otherwise miss opportunities to connect with others in their community.

This initiative responds directly to findings from the  Belonging in Geelong Needs Analysis [ PDF, 5.49 MB] , which identified a lack of awareness of community activities, services and social opportunities as a significant barrier to connection. The research highlighted that people are much less likely to participate in community life when they do not know what is available or where to find support.

SIAG is proud to have supported 15 local community groups and organisations through the Access Enabler Payments program so far. By removing barriers to participation, these community-led projects are helping more people across Greater Geelong find opportunities to connect and belong.