2019 ANNUAL REVIEW - @RACV · STREAT co-founders Bec Scott and Kate Barrelle started STREAT a...

2019 ANNUAL REVIEW

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION02

RACV Community Foundation

The RACV Foundation exists to improve lives and community wellbeing.

Since it was founded in 1997, it has supported over 500 Victorian charity

and community groups through a variety of grants to support Victorians

in some of our most vulnerable communities.

2018-2019 at a glance

This year the Foundation Board re-set its purpose to

direct our support around efforts that aim to reduce

social isolation within the Victorian community.

We do this by funding organisations that support young,

new and older Victorians through programs that seek to

build new skills and confidence and create a sense of

belonging and purpose with others in their community.

This year, we have provided $751,000 to 14 grassroots

not-for-profit programs, with grants ranging from

$11,450 to $150,000. This report includes some of

the stories behind the organisations and programs

supported by these grants.

We’re excited about how these initiatives will provide

opportunities for people to engage at a human level

with each other, sharing in conversation, enjoying each

other’s cultures and learning from each other.

$751K

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14grassrootscommunityorganisations

There are three tiers of funding available.

1 Helping Hand Grant Grants between $5,000 and $20,000 are

available for organisations and projects that

require efficiency, capability or operational

improvements. This can include (but is not

restricted to) support for upgrading/replacing

equipment, resources, or process improvements.

2 Scaling Up Grant Grants between $20,000 and $50,000 are

available for organisations seeking to build

or demonstrate the effectiveness and impact

of their programs. Grants may be provided

(but are not restricted) to pilot test or evaluate

initiatives, scale up programs to increase

impact or build capacity to do so.

3 Scaling Out Grant Grants between $50,000 and $150,000

are available to support organisations and

programs with proven capability, capacity

and impact in RACV’s areas of focus and

the potential or desire to broaden reach

and/or impact. We are particularly interested

in innovative approaches and models that

have evidence of their proven effectiveness

and the impact that can be had by scaling

up or scaling out to assist more Victorians

2019 ANNUAL REVIEW 03

As part of its ongoing ‘matched giving’ program, RACV

gives $2 for every $1 raised from staff donations, and

selected events.

For more information about RACV’s Community

Foundation, you can visit

www.racv.com.au/foundation

Graeme Chipp

Chairman RACV

Community Foundation

Neil Taylor

RACV Managing Director

and Chief Executive Officer

We thank our members for their continued support to better the lives of all Victorians and in particular, the generous support of our donors, many of whom have been giving to the Foundation since its inception.

SCALING UP GRANT RECIPIENT

UMBRELLA DEMENTIA CAFES


STREAT

STREAT is a hospitality social enterprise

dedicated to helping disadvantaged

young people. Sip by sip and bite by

bite, STREAT is serving up a new start

and giving a future to those in need.


STREAT provides supported vocational training and holistic

personal support to young people aged 16-24 who really

need a hand.

Ultimately, after undergoing on-the-job training

and mentoring, STREAT participants graduate

with a Certificate II in hospitality and can be

supported into open employment through the

STREAT’s Ahead job placement program.

That is where the RACV Community Foundation has

stepped in. It is providing $100,000 to expand the

STREAT’s Ahead program which provides graduates

with the opportunity of six months in open employment

with a hospitality partner organisation.

“We piloted this program in 2015 with a commercial

restaurant providing six months work for STREAT

graduates which proved to be a great success – the

average time a STREAT graduate has spent with the

partner employer was 16 months” says Elise Bennetts,

the organisation’s Chief Relationships Officer.

One success story is Sarah (not her real name)

who has turned her life around since coming to

STREAT as a vulnerable, scared young woman.

She had overcome domestic violence, homelessness,

social isolation and anxiety but finally found a sense

of belonging through STREAT’s hands-on training and

mentoring programs.

Sarah discovered her talent for perfect pastries and

went on to join the STREAT’s Ahead job placement

program with a hospitality partner’s bakery. She is

currently doing an internship.

“Successful work transition is critical to whole of life

outcomes,” says Elise.

Research shows if a young

person keeps their first job for

a year, they have a 85 per cent

chance of permanent lifetime

employment.

SCALING OUT GRANT RECIPIENT - STREAT


Background

STREAT co-founders Bec Scott and Kate Barrelle started

STREAT a decade ago with a food cart in Federation Square.

They began with six homeless young people and three staff

and have grown the organisation which now assists over

350 young people a year.

The organisation has seven cafes, a coffee roastery, bakery

and a catering and function business and is currently 75 per

cent self-funded by their own business operations, the other

25 per cent is funded through collaborations such as with

the RACV Community Foundation.

Over time, STREAT staff realised that creating a place for young

people to belong was important to the success of programs.

While the focus was initially on youth homelessness, STREAT

now supports young people from varied backgrounds including

social isolation, mental health issues, drug and alcohol problems,

victims of family violence and homelessness.

STREAT offers a full menu of support and guidance to

disadvantaged young people. Its youth program’s team

is made up of a clinical psychologist, youth workers, social

workers and a transition manager.

It offers hands-on programs like the “taster” which is an

introduction to STREAT and the youth programs team, to

shows them what STREAT is about. The “entrée” program

is a nine-week program in front and back of house

environments to gain real-life work experience.

The “main course” is a 20-week fully supported on-the-job

training and mentoring program with individualised support

and, if required, referrals to specialist services to ensure

they have the best chance of success. They graduate with

a Certificate II in hospitality that can lead to the STREAT’s

Ahead job placement and support program.

A strong sense

of belonging

begins the vital

building process

to connect into

community and

to thrive with

a healthy self,

home and work.

Bec Scott

STREAT co-founder


Switchboard

Switchboard Victoria provides a

peer-driven support services for

the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,

intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+)

people, their families, allies and

communities.


The RACV Community

Foundation supports

Switchboard’s “Out and

About Project” pairing

isolated and elderly

LGBTIQ+ people (often

with disabilities) with

young LGBTIQ+ volunteers.

The Foundation’s $150,000 funding will expand

the service under the “Scaling the Out and About

Project” (SOAP) banner to support people across

Victoria over the next three years, alongside

existing clients.

Multiple studies and research reveal that

elders of the LGBTIQ+ community are often

pushed back into the closet in old age when

they feel compelled to hide their identity in

places such as nursing homes.

The charity’s Chief Executive Officer Joe Ball says

We think of the

older people of our

community as elders,

people who went

before us, trailblazers

who won the rights we

enjoy today.

Joe says the Out and About project is

unique because its LGBTIQ+ volunteers are

compassionate and understanding when

visiting the community’s isolated elders and

engaging them in regular LGBTIQ+ events.

We have a history we share, Joe says.

And that history is often sad. There was the AIDS

and HIV epidemic and now IDS related dementia,

Joe says.


We (volunteers and

younger LGBTIQ+ people)

remember a time in

our history and have an

understanding and deep

compassion about what

it was like for our elders to

lose friends and partners

in an epidemic.

Ada Castle, who heads Switchboard’s Out

and About Project which has been running

since 2014, says the service is about making

friendships and connections crossing

generations in the LGBTIQ+ community.

“Service users of Scaling the Out and About

Project will be over 60, socially isolated and

most will likely have a disability, including some

with dementia”,” she says.

She says older LGBTIQ+ people who may have

been out and proud in their youth feel pressure

when they go into aged care and some end up

going back into the closet.

One elderly man in regional Victoria retreated

into his shell when he moved into a nursing

home, but then an Out and About volunteer

started regular visits, encouraging the man to

undergo LGBTIQ+ affirmative counselling and

make further connections to community. The

man regained his confidence and took pride

in his gay identity and attending LGBTIQ+

functions with the volunteer.

Ada says the program has seen volunteers

and the elders form true friendships like

Haydn a 30-year-old medical researcher

from Brunswick and Clynton a 77-year-old

former butler who lives independently in

a flat in Melbourne.

“I have a reason to live now,” says Clynton of

his friendship with the volunteer. “He is a truly

compassionate young man.”

Clynton was the son of a church minister

who married the daughter of another pastor

and the couple adopted children. They split

up amicably because Clynton says that in

those days he was afraid of shaming his

family should his identity be found out.

“In those days you could go to jail [for being

homosexual]; there were raids on clubs,

arrests, discrimination and more,” he says.

Haydn says he has true admiration for

Clynton and other elders. “They are important

trailblazers who sacrificed a lot for the rights

we enjoy today,” he says.


2019 Grant Recipients

Anam Cara House Geelong

Helping Hand Grant

Norlane Volunteer Recruitment

and Training Program

$11,450

Anam Cara House Geelong is establishing a satellite

Day Hospice service in Norlane. This area has been

identified as a lower socio-economic area with a

high-level of social isolation. Clients of Anam Cara in

Norlane find it difficult to access day palliative care

which is located in the Geelong CBD due to transport

disadvantage. The Foundation funding will be used to

recruit and train volunteers to complete the Palliative

Care Victoria Volunteer training program.

On completion, 60 volunteers will be certified and

ready to support the expansion of the Norlane Day

Hospice. The direct benefit in building volunteer

capacity is that patients with a life limiting illness

will have the opportunity to stay at home longer

and also providing respite for their carers.

Australian Multicultural Community Services

Scaling Out Grant

Senior Wisdom and the Mobile

Information Hub (SWAMIH)

$147,000

The SWAMIH project will provide a unique opportunity

to engage culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD)

seniors with their community, share wisdom, and

enhance intergenerational understanding. RACV’s

funding will be used to develop and implement a

program of ‘Park Bench’ conversations between

seniors and community members including young

people and students to enhance meaningful

connections and minimise loneliness. Foundation

funds will also resource a ‘Mobile Information Hub’

to provide CALD seniors with access to information

on available services and other resources that are

vital to their health, wellbeing and decision making.

Through this SWAMIH project, AMCS will pair up

and connect seniors and young people with the

support of a volunteer network (resources, skills,

companionship) to share their life lessons and skills.


Senior Wisdom and the

Mobile Information Hub

The program will aim to build long-lasting intergenerational connections to benefit participants and challenge ageism. This will lead to increased empowerment for seniors, enable informed decision making and improved access to services and supports in a timelier manner.

AUSTRALIAN MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY SERVICES


Cire Services

Helping Hand Grant

Engaging Dads in the Upper Yarra

$18,808

The Cire Services catchment area (Upper Yarra) is

one of socio-economic disadvantage and related

challenges including unemployment, isolation and

mental health issues. Local services provide well for

mothers as primary carers but not dads. Funding will

be used to expand a father engagement initiative which

has highlighted the need to provide greater support

for dads. Dads that are primary carers interact socially

much less than mums so through the establishment

of a dad’s playgroup the focus will be to help shift

stereotypes and promote gender equality. This program

will benefit up to 60 dads over a 12-month period. There

will be a series of activities delivered to dads such as

counselling services, dad’s groups, playgroups, and

social events.

Eastern Volunteer Resource Centre

Helping Hand Grant

Online Customer Transport Portal

$16,000

Foundation funding will be used by the Eastern

Volunteer Resource Centre to purchase an online

consumer portal called ‘Route Match’ as well as

delivery of training to staff to manage this system.

This portal will assist in improving the efficiency and

ease of booking trips that older people and those with

a disability who are housebound, socially isolated and

require transport to maintain social connections, do

their shopping, go to the cemetery, visit loved ones in

care, and attend health services and appointments.

Laverton Community Integrated Services

Helping Hand Grant

Cooking Up Success

$15,000

Laverton Community Integrated Services provides

social and educational services to their local community.

Foundation funding will enable the delivery of the

Cooking Up Success program. This program provides

support for young people by providing a safe space

where they can learn to research, shop and prepare

multicultural, budget friendly, healthy meals and obtain

their ‘Safe Food Handling, RSA (for 18+)’ and barista

training qualifications which will increase their chances

of securing ongoing employment. The project will run

for three terms during 2019 and will help up to 160

young people.

WELLSPRINGS FOR WOMEN


Little Dreamers Australia

Scaling Out Grant

Young Carer Mentoring and

Education Program

$130,000

Little Dreamers provides support to young carers who

are one of the most at-risk and socially isolated groups

of young people. Their caring roles have an impact

on educational outcomes and maintaining vital social

connections, wellbeing and quality of life. Foundation

funding will be used to develop information booklets,

support education opportunities and connect more

young carers to mentoring and peer support.

The Young Carer Mentoring and Education program

empowers young carers, and builds their capacity

to access people, places, information and services

that are crucial to improving social connectedness

and mental health. This includes providing one-to-

one support using a carer needs assessment tool

to determine the areas of support required and the

facilitation of warm referrals with necessary services.

Young carers are matched with mentors that they

can build relationships with. All families accessing

these services receive an individualised booklet with

helpful fact sheets and activities, providing access

to current health information and additional available

services. Little Dreamers also facilitate a peer support

group as well as The Dreamers Hub which is an

online community created by young carers for young

carers. Featuring forums; tips and tricks with articles

on self-care, bulk billing and tax; inspirational content;

upcoming community events and more, the platform is

facilitated by Little Dreamers to provide comprehensive

support for young carers.

STREAT

Scaling Out Grant

STREAT’s Ahead

$100,000

In 2015, STREAT piloted a program with Fonda Mexican

restaurants to support the transition of STREAT’s

graduates into open employment.

This program has had very strong results with a

number of participating young people maintaining their

employment. Following this successful pilot, STREAT

is seeking to scale out the program to provide open

employment opportunities to all STREAT graduates (up

to 30 graduates year). The STREAT’s Ahead program

will be developed using this funding to enable further

scale and provide all graduates with an additional six

months of transition support into their new job with up

to four STREAT’s Ahead employee partners.

Foundation funding will enable STREAT to employ a

transition manager, capture data/research, develop

professional development programs for both employee

and employer, develop program resources, develop

graduate alumni and jobs clubs.

LITTLE DREAMERS


Switchboard Victoria

Scaling Out Grant

Scaling Out and About Project (SOAP)

$150,000

Foundation funding will enable Switchboard to

scale out their services to further assist vulnerable

members of the community through the SOAP

program. This program aims to support LGBTIQ+

Victorians aged 60+ who are socially isolated and/

or living with disability by matching volunteers with

participants to develop community connections and

peer friendships through regular home visits and

attending community events. Switchboard will employ

a project coordinator who will oversee all elements

of the program, including advertising; encouraging

and processing referrals; supporting socially

isolated seniors receiving visits; and all aspects of

volunteer management including recruiting, training

and supporting volunteers. The project coordinator

will also design, implement, manage and evaluate

regular events scheduled at safe and accessible

locations (including regional areas) as part of the

service. Switchboard is the only Victorian service

that specifically targets the LGBTIQ+ community,

providing direct support to participants and helping

them to develop and sustain community connections.

Umbrella Dementia Cafés

Scaling Up Grant

Establish Umbrella Dementia Cafés

on the Mornington Peninsula

$24,200

Umbrella Dementia Cafés provide a safe and

encouraging social environment for couples living with

dementia, where people can meet others in a similar

situation, share ideas, support one another, and take

part in joyful café activities. Foundation funding will

assist in the establishment of Umbrella Dementia Cafés

on the Mornington Peninsula. The project will require

the development of a volunteer led social group for

couples living with dementia at home, with the goal

to improve their quality of life and support networks.

Local volunteers will be empowered to de-isolate,

bring awareness and connect couples living with

dementia with their local community.

UMBRELLA DEMENTIA CAFES


The Wellington Centre

Scaling Up Grant

Connections

$45,000

The Wellington Centre provides a safe and inclusive environment

for people who are excluded from fully participating in society to

meet, connect and address their health and wellbeing issues.

The Wellington Centre delivers free chiropractic treatment,

myotherapy, osteopathy, counselling, optometry, naturopathy,

and Chinese medicine including acupuncture and massage

treatments. Funding from the grant will be used to establish the

‘Connections’ project which will identify and reach out to lonely

and socially excluded people in the Collingwood/Fitzroy area.

The project will include the employment of a part time Inclusion

Worker who will work both at the Centre and on an outreach basis to

public housing tenants who feel isolated and excluded. The project will

work to build people’s capacity to participate more fully in community

life by addressing the underlying causes of poor physical and mental

health as well as deep, persistent disadvantage and social exclusion.

A strong focus will be given to increasing access and engagement with new arrivals, Indigenous Australians and public housing tenants who are socially and economically excluded.The Wellington Centre


Wellsprings for Women

Scaling Up Grant

Creative Enterprising Women

$20,000

Wellsprings for Women is a women-only organisation

that provides educational and social support to vulnerable

and disadvantaged women.

The aim is to build women’s

skills and capacity to improve

their social, economic and

emotional state.

Foundation funding will be used to set up the Creative

Enterprising Women program which is designed to help

vulnerable and isolated migrant and refugee women to build

confidence and know-how to utilise their existing skills either

as a source to earn a modest and occasional income or to

contribute to help others in the community.

With the Community Foundation grant, Wellsprings will

conduct a skills audit with migrant and refugee women

currently in other Wellsprings programs. The purpose of

the audit would be to list the skills the women are willing

to use to either contribute on voluntary basis or to use as

a source of earning an income.

At the conclusion of the audit, a group of 30 to 40 women will

be selected to participate in the Creative Enterprising Women

program. The workshops will cover communication skills,

community engagement skills, financial literacy and budgeting,

marketing, branding, how to establish a micro-business or get

involved in a social enterprise.


Whitelion Youth Agency

Scaling Up Grant

Chatterbox Bus refurbishment

$20,000

Whitelion is a non-profit organisation delivering

programs to improve the social and economic

capabilities of some of Australia’s most high-risk

young people.

The Chatterbox Bus is a mobile outreach service

that provides critical information, support and

resources to youth that are homeless. Foundation

funding will upgrade the interior of the Chatterbox

Bus by replacing cabinetry, upgrading electrical

works, restoring air conditioning, re-upholstering

and replacing computers (used by young people

to access the internet to make professional

appointments, secure places to stay and

contact family).

The bus needs significant works to be undertaken

to increase the number of young people it assists

and improve access to food, warmth and vital

information and advice to help them reconnect

with family or professionals who can address

their health and shelter needs.

YMCA of Ballarat Youth Services

Scaling Up Grant

Recranked in Schools

$37,200

Recranked in Schools is an 8-week program

that targets young people aged 10 years+ who

are at risk of disengagement and absenteeism.

Foundation funding will enable the YMCA to deliver

and evaluate its Recranked in Schools program to

ten disadvantaged schools in the Western Region

which will benefit up to 100 young people.

In each school, up to ten students will participate

in the program. Students are provided with a

bike in need of repair and they work intensively

with YMCA facilitators to rebuild this bike. They

develop mechanical skills, literacy and numeracy

skills, cycling skills, leadership, teamwork and

communication skills, as well as meaningful social

connections with each other and with the facilitators.

Each participant leaves the program with a bike and

safety equipment, so they can cycle. This enables

and empowers young people with their own form of

transport, so they can access employment, activities

and places they want and need to go.

RECRANKED IN SCHOOLS


Youth Off The Streets

Helping Hand Grant

Wyndham Youth Resource Booster

$16,550

Youth Off The Streets (YOTS) provides support to

young people (aged 12-25) facing homelessness,

substance dependency, abuse and other issues.

Every year, they help over 3,000 vulnerable youth

(with a particular focus on Sudanese and African

youth) in turning around their lives. YOTS has been

operating in Wyndham for just 1 year.

Foundation funding will be used to buy equipment

for the youth drop in centre, this includes couches,

table tennis and music equipment. By providing

these resources YOTS will create a warm and

welcoming environment for young people to

connect one another and the YOTS staff.


Foundation Results in Brief 2019

Investments

85.45%Donations

14.55%

2019 2018

Operating Surplus 748,407 679,689

Net Assets 19,825,352 19,057,725

Revenue % in Total Revenue % in Total Revenue

Investments 1,229,369 85.45% 1,038,106 74.04%

Donations 209,259 14.55% 254,141 18.12%

Functions & Events - 0.00% 110,000.00 7.84%

Total 1,438,628 100.00% 1,402,248 100%


AUSTRALIAN MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY SERVICES

The RACV Community Foundation exists to provide a source

of philanthropic funding for not-for-profit organisations who help

marginalised and at-risk Victorians.

As part of its ongoing ‘matched giving’ program, RACV gives

$2 for every $1 raised from staff donations, and selected events.

For more information about RACV’s Community Foundation, you can visit:

www.racv.com.au/foundation

2019 ANNUAL REVIEW - @RACV · STREAT co-founders Bec Scott and Kate Barrelle started STREAT a...

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