The Beyond the Bell project by the Great South Coast Group — an alliance of local govenment, industry and community — is one of 11 national projects to have been shortlisted for The Search, which is a new program that aspires to address Australia’s toughest social challenges. 

Great South Coast Group spokeswoman Vicky Mason said The Search was interested in understanding how communities could tackle big issues such as poverty, alcohol-related violence, homelessness, youth unemployment and childhood obesity. “The Beyond the Bell initiative is a whole-of-community approach to improving the life outcomes of our young people,” Ms Mason said.

Ms Mason said only about 57 per cent of young people in the Great South Coast region at present achieved a year 12 education or equivalent.

The statewide attainment figure is almost 75 per cent, with parts of metropolitan Melbourne recording significantly higher attainment rates.

“It’s an issue we all need to take responsibility for because it’s our view that every child living in the Great South Coast deserves this,” Ms Mason said. To date, the Beyond the Bell project has received $60,000 funding from the six Great South Coast councils and $47,000 from the Barwon South West Regional Development Australia committee. 

The Great South Coast Group has also contributed $20,000 to the initiative and a range of other organisations, including the South West LLEN, Southern Grampians Glenelg LLEN, Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon SouthWest, South West Primary Care Partnership and the South West Community Foundation, have each made contributions.

The funds are being used to develop place-based action plans within each of the council areas and to develop a regional strategy.

An announcement of the winner is expected to be made early in 2015.