Scenic World’s Managing Director Anthea Hammon said the program was part of Scenic World’s vision to help close the gap on local disadvantage and work towards a more sustainable future for the community and the environment.

“The Blue Mountains community is incredibly vibrant and diverse, but it faces many challenges such as a fragile ecosystem and a community that is touched by low socio economic factors that impact education and employment outcomes,” she said.

“Scenic World Shared addresses these challenges in a structured way to help strengthen our community and give back to the region we’re proud to be a part of.”

Building on decades of local philanthropy, Scenic World will invest three percent of its profits to support diverse partnerships that assist the community and environment.

The Scenic World Shared partners include:

• The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR): Scenic World will work alongside FRRR to provide two targeted grants that will have a meaningful impact on the local community; Back to School Vouchers, and Small Grants for Rural Communities (SGRC). Submissions for the inaugural Scenic World Shared SGRC program open on August 14. Visit www.scenicworldshared.com.au/opportunities for more information.

• Western Sydney University: The Western Sydney University (WSU) partnership will award local students from disadvantaged backgrounds with scholarships to support their environmental and/or tourism studies at WSU. One scholarship will be awarded annually over the following four years, valued at up to $30,000 per student.

• Schools Plus and Katoomba High School: The Schools Plus partnership will help to unlock the potential of students at Katoomba High School by funding a community liaison officer role and developing a mentoring program for KHS students.

• Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute (BMWHI): The flagship partnership with BMWHI will support capacity building within the organisation and fund key BMWHI projects such as a wildlife monitoring station, archaeological survey of the Ruined Castle Mining Village, and an education program for the tourism industry.

Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute executive director John Merson said the flagship Scenic World Shared partnership would extend the reach of the Institute’s work and translate to greater benefits for the community and environment.

“Scenic World Shared is a wonderful example of corporate philanthropy. Its generosity will make an enormous difference to our Institute’s ability to address the many environmental issues that confront both the Blue Mountains community and the World Heritage area in which we have the privilege to live and work,” he said.

Ms Hammon commended staff, locals and visitors who helped to shape the program, and invited the community to take part in the evolution of Scenic World Shared.

“We’re incredibly proud of Scenic World Shared, and we feel honoured to have the opportunity to play a leading role in supporting our local community to grow. We invite you to join us on our Shared journey and support the Blue Mountains community we’re proud to call home,” she said.

The Scenic World Shared launch event was hosted by Katoomba High School (KHS) on July 25, with catering provided by the school’s students. The Scenic World Shared video was also produced by local film company, CloudHerd Film Company.

Visit www.scenicworldshared.com.au for details.

This article first appeared on the Blue Mountains Gazette website.