City of Albany and Rio Tinto renew youth funding partnership, sealing $210,000 boost to city’s youth events

A renewed partnership between the City of Albany and Rio Tinto will see the mining giant increase its annual financial boost to the city’s youth-focused activities, events and programs to $70,000. The new three-year agreement will see Rio Tinto provide the city with $70,000 a year to help fund activities and programs for Albany’s young people — a $10,000 increase on the previous annual sum. The agreement was announced in February but officially came into effect in 2025, and will run until 2027. Key events on the cards which will be supported under the partnership include an all-ages music festival, the Great Southern Noongar Festival, Youth Week, and annual NAIDOC Week events. The funds will also ensure the city can continue to deliver popular events like school holiday programs and workshops, and youth markets. In addition to the established programs, the funding will allow the city to expand its youth development work through a review of the Youth Friendly Albany Plan; continue running the Youth Advisory Council; and introduce new age integration initiatives and all-abilities programs. City of Albany chief executive Andrew Sharpe said the agreement was a strong example of collaboration between organisations delivering real outcomes for the community. “This partnership with Rio Tinto allows us to invest directly in our young people — creating spaces, programs and events where they feel connected, heard and supported,” he said. “The increased funding means we can not only continue what’s working well but also respond to emerging needs and ensure Albany remains a great place to grow up.” Rio Tinto Iron Ore communities general manager Molly Singline said the miner valued its ongoing partnership with the city of Albany and what it allowed the city to deliver for its young residents. “We are proud to expand our support for initiatives that empower young people to help them feel included and build connections in their community,” she said. “By supporting a diverse range of programs, we hope to help deliver better outcomes for young people across the region and build a stronger, resilient community for the future.”