2024 saw the Manjimup SWDC Native Forest Transition team continue to engage with business, industry and community to facilitate the Native Forest Transition Programs. There are three pillars to the State Government’s Native Forest Transition (NFT) response – the Workforce Transition Programs (WTP), the Business Transition Programs (BTP) and the Industry and Community Development Programs (ICDP). Funding of $80 million has been committed.
The SWDC Manjimup team has been working with JTSI to assist worker transition, deliver the Industry and Community Development Programs (ICDP), as well as monitor and review impacts of the program funding on the ground within the Warren Blackwood. Effectively the ‘frontline’ for these programs and associated funding rounds as they have rolled out, the team’s workload has shifted between general enquiry response and specific program and grant support – working directly with businesses, industry and community groups to clarify funding available, develop project concepts, provide application assistance and business document review/feedback.
In addition, the team has been consolidating successful and unsuccessful NFT grant project information to determine wider context and create datasets. This work will enable detailed analysis, support impact evaluation and inform planning and ongoing regional economic development.
Current work also includes assisting with general new business and industry enquiries, as well as the dissemination of information related to arising grants which have local and regional economic value.
