Grants for women's wellbeing centre and On-Country Pathways on Border

Her Women's Centre for Health and Wellbeing was one of two Border groups to benefit from the $10 million Qantas Regional Grants program, the other being Wodonga's On-Country Pathways which helps Indigenous youth in the region overcome life challenges some might take for granted.

Ms Nichol's group, which helps about 800 women each year out of sometimes terrifying domestic violence situations, received $10,000. She says she didn't ask for any flight credits which could have been part of the deal if she chose.

"What would I do with them?" she said. "This money is not for our operating costs, this is to help us help women and children fleeing domestic violence when it's urgent, and they haven't got time to wait around for other funding.

"So it'll help us get them into emergency accommodation, get a removalist to put their stuff in storage, it might be that we then give them some food parcels and essentials and things like that."

Ms Nichols said she received core funding from the NSW and Victorian governments and from other groups such as Rotary Club of Albury but that "every little bit helps".

"We can now increase our counsellors and group work and stuff like that, we need money so we can actually put more resources into the clients that come into our door," she said.

"Maybe it was the domestic and family violence situation that touched the selectors? I don't know. Probably."

On-Country Pathways general manager Jebb Hutchison said his group helps First Nations young people get "job-ready" with mentoring but it was their efforts to help Indigenous youth gain their driver licences that caught selectors' eyes.

His group received $25,000 to help buy a car with dual controls and to also help with paying part-time wages rather than rely on volunteer mentors.

"We're a massive advocate for Indigenous youth around the area and just trying to help them get the best possible start and one of the biggest things the youth have been telling me is they're struggling to get their car licences so we implemented a driving program," Mr Hutchison said.

"It's to help with their mandatory 120 hours that they're required to undertake to get to their provisional licences.

"Having a road registrable car in the family, sometimes it's a barrier for young people and then the financial implications to either take 120 hours' tuition or to have a qualified suitable driver to sit next to them, someone else with their full licence."

The grant is expected to help up to 60 young drivers get their probationary drivers' licences over the next two years.

Qantas said the program provides $10 million in grants over five years - $2 million each year - to support not-for-profit groups and projects directly benefiting regional Australia.

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