May 17th, 2026Just briefly…

Castlemaine’s Jeanette Pope is among five recipients of the Paul Ramsay Foundation Fellowship Program, a cohort of leaders driving systemic change to stop disadvantage in Australia through community-led innovation.
The 18-month fellowship provides each recipient up to $250,000 to pursue bold, transformative ideas around fostering self-determining First Nations communities, ensuring positive life paths for children and young people free from entrenched poverty and harm, and empowering connected communities to lead their own futures. Ms Pope is the founding director of the Castlemaine Community Investment Co-operative. Her fellowship will explore how community co-operatives can counter disadvantage in regional towns by owning local assets, building wealth, and participating in democratic decision-making.