2026 promises to be a year when lots of long-term work comes to fruition for the Wangaratta Grit and Resilience Program.

Fully funded by the state government through Social Inclusion Action Groups, the community-led program supports workshops and events which bring people together, to strengthen social connections and inclusion.

Working with people of all ages and backgrounds, including those with lived experience, Aboriginal communities, LGBTIQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and culturally diverse groups, it aims to promote mental health and wellbeing through inclusive activities.

The program's consortium comprises 13 community partners, and representatives of six local organisations - Pangerang Community Hub, Gateway Health, The Centre, Albury Wodonga Health, North East Multicultural Association, and Northeast Health Wangaratta.

Lany Pund and Eileen Sidell are among the community partners who see the value of the Grit and Resilience Program to the district's residents.

Lany, Gateway Health general manager mental health and wellbeing, had previously been involved with the program as a delegate, and when the opportunity arose to become a community partner at the start of 2025, she jumped at the chance.

"I've never been involved in anything that does co-design so authentically, from the ground up," she said.

As a service provider, she said she knew this level of involvement went a long way to creating a sense of belonging for the people involved.

"I love watching people's growth, seeing them feeling confident to talk about what we do - and it's fun; I always look forward to our meetings," she said.

Lany said she valued the fact that from those meetings, "things actually happen".

While Lany was acquainted with the program before becoming a community partner, Eileen discovered it after retiring and seeking a way to give back to the community.

"The group's focus on inclusivity and connection are philosophies that are important to me," she said.

"I like that there's a plan and it's put into action, and there's funding for it. They explain every step of the process, and it's a really interesting group of people who are active in their community.

"I didn't realise there were so many groups in the community until I got involved with Grit and Resilience; it makes you more conscious of what's going on locally.

"It's also one of the few groups I'm involved in that has young people volunteering, and I'm impressed by the fact that people are from different backgrounds and work together so well."

With February well under way, the program's consortium is leaning in to supporting the Wangaratta community through a variety of avenues in 2026.

Some projects have been years in the making, and the consortium is excitedly preparing to roll them out to the community soon.

Others have already made an impression locally, and will continue to work their magic this year.

These include Old School Nights Out, which have already been a hit in local halls across the region offering simple, low-pressure ways to connect; the Grit and Resilience Festival, which brings the community together with a focus on celebrating 'the little things'; Community Classroom, an online platform for locally-offered training opportunities designed to build skills, boost confidence and strengthen community ties.

"The Community Classroom is absolutely packed at the moment, and we're lining up more free training focused on inclusion, confidence building and social connection," program coordinator Bek Nash-Webster said.

"It's been one of the clearest signs that people are hungry for opportunities to learn and link in with each other."

Community Classroom can be found at https://www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au/Community/Grit-Resilience/Community-Classroom

There is also the Safe Space Marquee, which recently made its debut and has quickly become a quiet anchor point at busy community events, to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Organisations will soon be able to borrow the marquee directly from the program for their own events.

With social connection at the heart of the program, the new 'social groups' section in the Rural City of Wangaratta Community Directory is helping locals find ways to meet people and get involved.

To check out the directory or list your group, visit https://www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au/Community/Community-Directory

"It's becoming a really practical way for people to break isolation and find their crowd," Bek said.

Lany said she was most looking forward to the 2026 Grit and Resilience Festival, which was expected to be bigger and better than ever.

Eileen is excited about listening to 'emerging needs' proposals, which aim to identify gaps in connection in the community and then fill them.

Bek said after years of groundwork, the energy in the new consortium was strong.

"This next chapter is all about building momentum and getting these projects into the hands of the people they're designed for," Bek said.