Save the Free Library and Bring FedUni to Clunes

FedUni is keen to develop the community-based delivery of its innovative Bachelor of Social Science at the Free Library, Clunes, following a model already being used in Daylesford, Ararat, Werribee, and Bairnsdale. The iconic Clunes Free Library would also host FedUni students undertaking research into goldfields history and regional economic development. We aim to return this building to its original role as a site for community learning and make tertiary education accessible for those learners in need of local opportunities. To open the doors, we need to make repairs and fit out the building with amenities suitable for running classes.

Creating links with local schools and community education providers, FedUni's model of peer-supported learning will benefit school leavers and other residents seeking pathways to higher education. The Free Library will also provide space for informal learning, meeting, and the sharing of knowledge, with community education as its aim. Importantly, we need to address shortfalls in opportunities for young people in the region who are facing long-term unemployment and, with limited opportunities, experiencing isolation and mental health issues. This project will help them, other learners, and the community as a whole, by giving them a chance to grow their futures locally.