If successful, the Southern Riverina CUC hubs will be open for operation for the start of the 2027 education year.
Steering committee chair Leanne Small said a local CUC will greatly improve educational resources within the community and assist to keep skilled workers in the region.
“The establishment of a Southern Riverina CUC is heavily supported by both the Edward River Council and Berrigan Shire Council, with both councils having representation on the steering committee and including a local CUC as a priority in their strategic plans,” Mrs Small said.
“When you look at the stats surrounding education and youth within the region, it is not hard to see why.
“Across regional NSW, the proportion of young adults aged 18 to 24 is typically around nine to 12 per cent of the population.
“But in the Edward River LGA, it sits materially lower at around six to eight per cent of the population, placing us in the bottom 25 per cent of NSW LGAs for youth presence.
“Further to this, the Edward River LGA has a disproportionately high level of residents with no post-school qualifications, sitting between 55 to 60 per cent, where the NSW average is about 45 per cent.
“These stats are quite alarming and are not a result of a lack of interest or determination to progress with further education, but rather a lack of access to education, which is resulting in young people leaving the community to further their education, and not returning.
“The implementation of the Southern Riverina CUC will directly address these issues and bring a free educational resource into the community.”
CUC is a rapidly growing community-led movement spanning across Australia’s east coast.
Established in 2013, there are currently 28 centres across 41 communities that have assisted nearly 13,000 students to further their education while remaining in their community.
CUC hubs provide a variety of services to help students succeed including study support and advice, academic support ranging from essay writing and referencing workshops to one-on-one sessions with dedicated Student Service staff, functional study spaces, access to technology and more.
Further to this, each CUC hub has access to more than 170 education providers across more than 1600 areas of study.
One of the newest CUCs to open its doors is the CUC Snowy Valleys, which is based in Tumut.
Centre manager Janette Wilson said the response from the local community since opening earlier this year has been overwhelmingly positive.
“We officially opened our doors on April 15, 2026, and have 58 students enrolled already, 14 of which are the first in their family to pursue tertiary education, and three are aged 60 and above,” Mrs Wilson said.
“It really demonstrates the level of demand there is in regional communities for local educational resources.
“These enrolments range across multiple fields of study, with the primary areas being health and teaching, two vital resources regional communities are actively seeking and a trend that is seen across the broader CUC network.
“While the set up process and ongoing provision of these resources requires dedication from the staff and supporting committees, CUC Central, the overarching body, provide an extraordinary level of support throughout the whole process.
“It is a tried and tested method of providing education resources into regional communities, that is delivering tangible benefits across Australia.”
While the Southern Riverina CUC Steering Committee is confident at the prospect of securing grant funding, Mrs Small is also urging the community to rally behind this initiative to help bring it to fruition.
“As part of the Sustainable Communities Program, the Federal Government will pledge $3 for every $1 the committee raises," she said.
“As of July 8, we have received about $250,000 in pledges and donations from community members and local organisations.
“We are appealing to the community to provide us the extra support we need to get this over the line and bring valuable educational resources to our region.
“Any donation, small, large or in-kind is greatly appreciated and will materially assist the steering committee to bring the Southern Riverina CUC to life.”
Southern Riverina CUC has partnered with the Southern Riverina Community Foundation to take tax deductible donations in support of this cause.
To donate to the Southern Riverina CUC, visit southernriverinacommunityfoundation.com.au/cuc-information-page.
Alternatively, reach out to the following steering committee members for more information or to discuss possible in-kind contribution to the cause - Leanne Small 0429 846 670; Rob Brown 5877 7011; Felicity Michael 0488 054 536.
