Awesome Foundation - Projects

Sydney – Holroyd High School Multicultural Day

2022-09-05T00:00:00Z

On the 16th September, Holroyd high School will be hosting a multicultural day for all of the students. Multicultural day is generally held every year, however due to Covid it has not occurred for the last 3 years. We hope to make this year bigger and better! Due to the school having a large Intensive English School, we have the pleasure of experiencing over 44 different cultures within the school! This is a big reason we wish to celebrate such a special day. The purpose of the day is to celebrate the diversity and enhance the sense of community that is experienced within the school. We will be starting the day with a morning ceremony, including a flag march, and multicultural speakers.There will also be different cultural performances and speeches from students and external providers showcasing their culture. The school will be hosting food trucks and stalls from as many different cuisines as possible that students will have access to at lunch. We will also have cultural activities running, in which students can participate and learn about all the cultures within the school! The project has been on hold for 3 years, and its the largest event for the school. The funding will assist with financing speakers, performers and food stalls for students to access Due to majority of our students coming from low socio economic communities, the funding will assist with reducing out of pocket costs for the students on the day. For example, we could utilise the funding to ensure the food vans are free or only a gold coin donation is required. Similarly, the funding could assist with financing performers and activities for students to participate in. This event will allow the community to embrace the diversity and experiences of the Cumberland population. Multicultural day will allow the community and students to engage with, learn about and embrace different cultural identities. Many of our students spend time with students of similar backgrounds, ethnicities and world views. In orchestrating this event it will be an opportunity for students to expand their world view, have conversation with students different from them, and in so doing may reduce prejudice and bias, associated with a lack of understanding of other cultures.

Sydney – OddHearts Connect Through Art

2022-07-04T00:00:00Z

OddHearts was designed by two queers of colour who believe in the power of art to process emotions and transform life's challenges. The workshops are targeted at all humans who self identify as 'odd'. Our art experiences are held in queer, POC and neurodivergent friendly spaces and venues and aim to connect people and build bridges between the sub cultures and communities we are part of. We are based back in Sydney now after the devastating floods that wiped out our Northern Rivers town. Through practicing art together and working on a collaborative piece or process, participants are guided by the facilitators to open their hearts and reconnect. We trialed this model recently with a group of 15 oddballs in a Newtown venue. We propose a series of 3 workshops using the mediums of 'painting and alchemical paper weaving', 'Tarot collage' and 'Drawing the Shadows'. The last workshop of this series will be accompanied by live music. This project will make Sydney more awesome by providing art experiences that help queers, POC, neurodivergent and other people who wouldn't normally feel comfortable in mainstream art workshops connect with their emotions and their shared humanity. We facilitate enjoyable, meaningful experiences creating a collective piece and learning about artistic processes.

Sydney – Musical Milestones

2022-06-06T00:00:00Z

Reflecting upon the positive milestones after a life of challenge is not usually an easy process. The "Musical Milestones" program is centred upon the importance of supporting previously incarcerated women through their rehabilitation journey from drug and alcohol addiction. As part of the existing group music therapy program at Kathleen York House, "Musical Milestones" is based upon the creation and recording of songs as part of the therapeutic process: by drawing upon the challenges of the past, as well as the hopes for the future, the music therapist supports the women in creating something beautiful and meaningful out of their challenging experiences. In recognising the powerful impact that songs have, the women are safely encouraged to verbally and musically explore the hardships of their life in a way to help them process the past, acknowledge their progress in their rehabilitation journey and give hope to their future. This approach to therapy has a beautiful flow on effect whereby the women of the program become empowered to then offer support to new members by simply sharing some of the group songs to help validate and give hope to the new group member on arrival. After the songs are written, the group often sing along to the words that they have created, and thus take the time to start processing the challenges of their past, arriving at the musical milestone of reframing these challenges, and feeling hopeful for their future. To ensure that these women continue to feel empowered whilst in the program and beyond the program, we would like to create recordings of these songs so that they can continue to draw upon them as a resource, to help them along their way. The money will go towards the purchasing of relevant instruments and equipment for this program. This idea will make the city of Sydney more #awesome as it will give voice (literally!) to the importance of second chances and hope for the future.

Sydney – Promote the Goat Uplift

2022-04-05T00:00:00Z

Promote the Goat (PTG) is a very special basketball program located in the Western suburbs of Sydney, providing coaching lessons and games to underprivileged kids aged 14-19. We are not only teaching them how to be part of a team and how to play an amazing game, we are also teaching them valuable life lessons, which helps to build their self-confidence and self-esteem in a fun way. When I created PTG, I noticed there was no real cultural representation of athletes at a higher level in basketball, so I decided to promote celebrating cultural diversity in Australian basketball, as well as the health benefits of the sport. Mental, social, emotional, physical and spiritual. I have been playing basketball for over 2 decades, travelling and playing interstate and internationally. My day job is at the Australia's biggest basketball store, but my biggest passion is Promote the Goat and helping the kids build their confidence, self-belief and life skills through basketball. I’m also using the sport to promote hooping for mental health and would really like to use my passion and experience to help women’s basketball as a whole and to have more females, coaching and playing! We would like to enter our team into a local competition which runs for 12 weeks. It would be an amazing experience for the kids and help to not only hone their basketball skills, but also give them a real sense of working as a team and, hopefully success. By allowing us to improve the lives of the kids in our program, you will be making them even more awesome than they already are. If Sydney's kids are more awesome, then Sydney too is more #awesome.

Sydney – The New Normal - A Trans-inclusive Women's Day Gig

2022-03-01T00:00:00Z

The New Normal - a musical cosmos for trans, nonbinary and female identifying folks. The New Normal aims to open up a traditional jazz venue to more diverse performers and audiences alike, fostering greater community connection, inclusiveness and fresh creative expression. For the first time at Lazybones Lounge, this trans-incusive International Women's Day event not only showcases women in music but also welcomes non-gender-conforming folks into the space to nurture and strengthen community connections and networks. On International Women’s Day, Sydney vocalist Ms. G (in association with Noisy Girls Productions) is taking over both levels of Lazybones Lounge to re-imagine live music sites as welcoming, nurturing, fun spaces for women and gender-non-conforming artists and audiences alike. Hosted by Jannah Beth, and featuring Blues Legend Marlene Cummins, Percussionist Chloe Kim, all grrl neo-soul/funk powerhouse Monstress, pop sensation Anieszka and special guests, PLUS a female led jazz jam where transgender and non-binary singers who want to explore their voices in an affirming environment are most welcome. We believe our idea will make the city of Sydney more #awesome by rejuvenating struggling venues and bringing a sense of fun, safety, inclusion and encouragement back to a local live music scene that has faced significant challenges over the last two years. Instead of going back to how things were before, why not make womXn-led initiatives and gender-inclusiveness, the new normal? How #awesome would that be?! Insta: @thenewnormalnight

Sydney – The strength and resilience of refugee women

2022-02-08T00:00:00Z

Street Art/Mural to celebrate resilience and strength of refugee and migrant women. After operating in the asylum seeker and refugee sector since 2015 Mums4Refugees NSW Inc (M4R) has witnessed amazing strength and resilience of refugee women. Despite hardships and trauma endured, refugee women are the lifeblood of their communities. We now want to celebrate them and create a mural featuring strong refugee women and girls. M4R will hire a graffiti artist to paint a mural. Our first choice for an artist would be a female from a refugee or migrant background. The mural will contribute to the street art in one of Sydney's suburbs. At the moment we have permission to use a shopfront in Western Sydney (Penrith), but we are keen to find something along the train line to maximize exposure and impact. Asylum seekers women and girls are often painted as victims. Whilst they are victims of the cruel Australian government policies and places they escape, they rarely see themselves in that light. They are strong, brave, resilient, and hopeful. Our aim for the mural will portray that. It's important to show Sydney-siders the contribution these women make to our community. The mural, while beautiful, won't serve simply to brighten any person's day, but also will become an integral part of creating a more accepting, humane and awesome community.

Sydney – Intercultural Connection Through Artwork

2022-01-11T00:00:00Z

Mentoring Men helps adult men who are experiencing distress or a sense of helplessness by providing free one-to-one life mentoring with a professionally trained volunteer Mentor. Through non-judgmental support and encouragement, our program focuses on proactive prevention by engaging with men who need help before they spiral into crisis. This project will bring two of our cultural groups together for an intercultural artwork workshop that brings socially isolated men together to form community connections. Mentoring Men is currently working with the Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council, training Indigenous leaders as Mentors, empowering them to assist at-risk men from their community. Part of this training centres around the power of Indigenous art to tell stories, make connections and develop a deeper understanding of self. We would like to bring together men from the Gandangara with our walking group from Claymore. Our men from Claymore are socially isolated with a range of physical and cognitive disabilities. Through Mentoring Men, they have formed a peer support group that comes together regularly for short walks around their neighbourhood and a coffee. They have expressed an interest in participating in other activities. This funding will enable us to bring these two groups of men together for an art workshop led by an Indigenous artist from Gandangara. Participants will work on an artwork individually and together, making connections with men. Sydneysiders sometimes live in their little pocket of a suburb - this project will make intercultural connections across the suburbs thereby making Sydney more #awesome

Sydney – Vegepods for Disability Accommodation

2021-12-02T00:00:00Z

The Vegepods for Disability Accommodation is our awesome project! This project is designed to empower the lives of people with disability. The installation of sensory garden Vegepods in Interaction housing will give our participants an accessible, mindfulness-based, sensory activity that promotes mental wellbeing and interpersonal relationships. A planned COVID-safe event (Planting Party) to celebrate the new garden will also take place to increase socialisation and ease our participants back into post-lockdown life. The aims of the project are to: install two Vegepods in two separate Interaction Disability accommodation properties; increase social interaction between housemates in housing; increase outdoor and physical activity; provide sensory and mindfulness experiences to participants with intellectual disability; increase mental and emotional wellbeing of participants; increase a sense of accomplishment by providing achievable goals; improve gardening skills; and host a COVID-safe Planting Party to celebrate the Vegepods. These aims are built on research that outlines the benefits of sensory activities, such as decreased stress and blood pressure, and improved relaxation, focus and mental wellbeing (Chan et al., 2005). Gardening is especially effective in disability homes (Same et al., 2016) - illustrating the potential benefits of this project in our participant houses. Over 50 percent of people with disability also live with mental illness (Reppermund et al., 2019). Despite this, the majority of national and state policy doesn't recognise or address the mental health of people with disability (Reppermund et al., 2019). Additionally, the current COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the mental health needs of vulnerable groups (Okoro et al., 2021). Our project aims to bridge this gap to ensure that our participants are provided with supports that help them thrive. Interaction is a non-profit that empowers people with intellectual disability. We were founded in 1979 by parents with a plan for their children to integrate into the community. We’ve expanded their vision and now work with over 550 individuals and families. We provide independent supports, support coordination, accommodation, behaviour support, and skills development. From our humble beginnings, to our transition into the NDIS in 2015, we remain committed to empowering people with disability. The last two years have taught us that community is more important than ever. With the known mental health impacts of COVID-19 and the vulnerability of intellectually disabled communities for mental illness – activities that promote wellbeing are vital to this high-risk population. What is more awesome than improving the lives of the most vulnerable members of the Sydney community?!

Sydney – Queer community photo sessions at The Bearded Tit

2021-12-02T00:00:00Z

I am proposing community photo studio sessions at The Bearded Tit in Redfern, a queer institution and bar. Owned by an Asian lesbian woman (Joy Ng), the space functions as a safe haven where queer and trans-POC have chosen to build affiliation and kinship networks. Joy and I are collaborating to host bimonthly photo sessions for at least three months, where people can drop in to have their photo taken for free. We are aiming for 10-20 portraits and written reflections. At the end of this, we aim to produce a zine which will provide a tangible object – a counter-archive to the ways through which queerness has been portrayed by mainstream media. Queer spaces such as clubs and bars have historically played an integral role in queer life, providing a gathering space where people feel safe to be themselves and express intimacy with one another. The pandemic has left an indelible impact on queer nightlife around the world. For example, San Francisco’s oldest gay bar permanently closed after 55 years due to COVID. The Bearded Tit faces similar financial struggles as a result of two prolonged lockdowns. Ultimately, through this project, I seek to explore the joy and pleasure in the relationships we cultivate with one another in the context of this unique institution. It is a site where concepts of home and family are redefined. Additionally, the use of studio portraiture has been used as a means of self-representation, an act particularly integral to queer aesthetic visual practices. I believe that the project would contribute to important and timely conversations about queer community spaces and studio portraiture, which has not yet been explored in this format in Sydney.

Sydney – Overnight hiking and camping adventure

2021-11-02T00:00:00Z

We take newly arrived youth from refugee backgrounds on overnight hiking and camping adventures to make them feel more at home in their new country. We want them to feel more connected to the land, the people, the culture and the history of their new country and wish to extend the hand of welcome we feel they deserve. First Hike Project Inc. is completely volunteer run at a state level with just one employee running the organisation nationally. Our group in Sydney has three volunteer coordinators who create our events and then we have an army of volunteers who chip in and get all the jobs done before the big day. We take 8 of them on the event to take care of our participants and have some first aid trained in case of emergencies which can happen in the outdoors settings. Our events are always in wilderness areas close to the city and go from early Saturday morning until late afternoon Sunday. The participants don't need anything to attend as our events are completely free for them so we transport them, feed them, house them in tents and sleeping bags and then bring them back safely the next day. They will experience the activity of hiking and camping sometimes for the first time and during that time will see all the animals, birds and fauna out there for the first time too. It's amazing to watch the transformation that happens to them over this relatively short period of time as time spent in nature works its magic on them.

Sydney – B-3-N

2021-10-06T00:00:00Z

What? Believing that laughter is the best medicine, B3N – a young nursing robot – navigates the thriving megatropolis of Sydney in order to become the first robot stand up comedian. Sydney's FBi Radio has greenlit a 6 episode audio comedy-drama series for January 2022 that I will be creating with my comedy partner, Jayce. Who? This project is being created within the Inside Jokes mentorship program run by FBi Radio. FBi Radio is an independent youth broadcaster who specialise in Sydney music, arts and culture. Their focus is to shape and amplify independent culture in Sydney. This has been an exciting process of learning and collaborating alongside other young comedy creatives in a space specifically designed to incubate new ideas. How? We’ve created a teaser, show bible, concept art (for later promotional social media graphics) and finished scripts for our first two episodes. We have also been lucky enough to undertake weekly workshops, facilitated by FBi radio, with professionals in the audio and comedy industries. This has been an exciting process of learning and collaborating alongside other young comedy creatives in a space specifically designed to incubate new ideas. Why? The unique intimacy and storytelling possibilities of audio narratives has made this a passion project for my partner and I. Audiobooks are booming. For several years, the industry has achieved double figures growth and there’s no sign of that trend slowing. Second, B3N uses the sci-fi-comedy vessel to address modern problems: technological advances, labour rights, gender issues, and climate change. This broadens the audience significantly and aligns it with many of the concerns common to FBi’s diverse and, generally, young audience. We want to fill a gap that seems to exist where – despite Sydney having a larger population than LA – few narratives are set here. Situating the story in a Sydney of the future allows us to satirise and comment on global and local issues concurrently. It will, we hope, be empowering for young Sydney listeners to imagine their city’s future and the role they could have in shaping it.

Sydney – We All Care Days

2021-09-07T00:00:00Z

At We All Care Days we attend disadvantaged Australians through free clothing, linen, toiletries, kitchen appliances, books and toys. We take them food hampers, as well as putting on a buffet of food and a bbq to eat. We supply to over 55 refugee shelters, organisations, and members in need. We supply the mentally ill, domestic violence victims, ex-prisoners, homeless people, refugees and shelters. All the residents arrive in the community hall and get what they need. They get to have a nice feed (sausages, bread rolls, fried rice, cheese and spinach rolls, spring rolls and garlic bread). We will use the money to buy food items for the hampers and the food buffet. It’s an opportunity for the community to come together and meet, greet, have fun, talk, eat, and take items they require.

Sydney – Wilford Lane Garden

2021-09-07T00:00:00Z

Wilford St Garden is an existing initiative created as part of the D.A. for an apartment block on Enmore Rd. It has recently been tagged a lot and used to dump rubbish and needs a little kick-start to remind everyone about it! I would like to run a weekend project for people to come and contribute some effort towards restoring the garden area. Basically a work-bee where I hire a skip and people come along from nearby to work the garden over, remove the crap, plant new plants and hopefully... paint the wall at rear in a plant related theme (street art style) to discourage crap tagging. I have street art contacts for the art and I am a Real Estate Manager and can negotiate permissions. People will be encouraged to contribute time, labour, bring their tools and such. I have the assistance of a garden professional for plant advice and to cover the gaps tool wise and where an expert is required for safety. I live on the lane and can be overseer. We will be asking for plant contributions as well. I'll mostly use local Facebook community groups and specialist groups like Inner West Plant people to rustle up folks as well as asking for assistance from council, perhaps some free native plants or such. Additionally I run a group on Facebook called Street Bounty and I would have members look for some solid garden furniture that could be placed in the garden to encourage its use. I'm thinking post lockdown, but with a bit more organisation (attendance booking of slots etc) it could be adapted to provide a Covid period event for parents and kids to do something together outside of the house. It would be awesome to see this space live up again to its ideals.

Sydney – Caretakers of Campbelltown

2021-08-03T00:00:00Z

Inspired by the ‘Humans of New York’ movement, Caretakers of Campbelltown aims to highlight and acknowledge a range of local heroes, artists, small businesses & community leaders (by age, experiences, ethnicity) through photography and quotations. The aim is to showcase 12 of our humble local heroes and highlight the diverse culture of Sydney, Australia. The project will be led by 2 Campbelltown creatives: local photographer, Del-Ray Fruean, with quotations from each hero, facilitated by interviews led by filmmaker/writer, Gabriel Faatau’uu (professionally known as Gabriel Faatau’uu-Satiu). The photos will be published across social media platforms (accounts to be made), linked to an appropriate hashtag #caretakersofcampbelltown #localheroes and a write-up of each local hero to engage with and inspire a younger audience. Also, photos will be printed in A0 size to be featured in community spaces within the Campbelltown local government area to engage with an older demographic. Although this project primarily focuses on our LGA, the long-term ripple effect is to begin a movement across all different LGA across Sydney by creating short term work for other local creatives, while giving thanks and showing recognition to local heroes too. I found my voice as a creative person in Sydney because it has given me so many great opportunities. Through those #amazing encounters, I have met so many #awesome and like-minded people. However, I noticed that there isn’t a space that bridges the gap between everyday people and the arts community. I believe this project of mine will fill that space of uncertainty. From the many encounters I have had in Sydney, and through the many workshops I’ve facilitated and young people I have met, my takeaway is always the same (particularly from POC like myself). Our young people will strive to aim high, and be better, if they can see themselves reflected elsewhere. If we continue to share diverse stories of hope, of small wins, of our local heroes, of small businesses, community leaders, and #awesome people, we can inspire people to do better and be #awesome in their everyday lives too. Ultimately, it makes Sydney even more #awesome than it is already!

Sydney – Nile Football Program Balls Project

2021-07-06T00:00:00Z

Nile Football Program Balls Project will help the Nile Football Program successfully engage it participants. Children and young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds are a diverse group with numerous different experiences, for example, fitting in with mainstream education, may lack ambition, may not be doing well in school, may not be getting support needed at home to do well at school, compared to any other groups in Australia. As a non-for- profit community based initiative, the Nile Football Program aims to use soccer as a soft engagement entry point to support them, give them a sense of pride and self-worth which can easily be achieved through soccer/football via the following objectives: - Promote physical and mental wellbeing - Develop local footballers across Western Sydney - Promote social skills and social connection - Increase self-confidence or self-esteem - Develop leadership skills (incl. occasional leadership camps or retreat) - Provide opportunities for parents to connect with one another while linking them to services through NFP events Nile Football Program aims to use soccer as a soft engagement entry point for children and young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds across Western Sydney. The ultimate goal for the Nile Football Program using soccer as an engagement strategy is perhaps to ensure that these children and young people are meaningfully engaged to become productive members of the Australian society, more connected with mainstream Australians, and develop leadership skills necessary for their future goals.

Sydney – A Brief Escape

2021-06-01T00:00:00Z

Dunlea Centre is a co-educational residential program for young people at risk of disengagement from school and family breakdown. The majority of our youth are victims of domestic violence and bullying and struggling with mental health issues. Many are engaged in anti-social activities and at risk of becoming involved with the Juvenile Justice system. Dunlea runs a school onsite and a structured residential program to assist our young people re-engage in learning, develop positive social skills and healthy habits and routines. We also work closely with parents and carers to upskill them to improve outcomes within the family environment. We have taken groups of our students to Escape Rooms and they have had a fantastic experience working as a team and having fun, escaping from the every day challenges they face. It has been so successful in increasing team skills, problem solving and self-confidence that we would like to establish our own Escape Room onsite without the ongoing costs and limitations of using third party providers as we are a charity. The project would be led by our young people in terms of design and fit out so it could be changed and altered to accommodate different Escape Room stories and scenarios. The Residential Services Manager and Residential Youth Workers would oversee the project and provide guidance where appropriate but it would ultimately be driven by our young people. There are numerous benefits to establishing this project onsite from skill-building, financial and ultimately giving our young people an outlet where they can escape the difficulties they face on a daily basis. We think this would be an awesome resource for them!

Sydney – Didjurigur Netball - NAIDOC Cultural Celebration

2021-05-05T00:00:00Z

Didjurigur Netball Club is a netball club in Western Sydney. We invite both Indigenous & Non-Indigenous to play and provide low cost registrations to promote health and wellbeing and encourage sport participation. The money will be utilised to share Aboriginal culture with the local community and other netball clubs during NAIDOC Week. We would like to hold a welcome to country, smoking ceremony, cultural performance and food.

Sydney – Nimrod Park Mural - John’s Garden

2021-05-04T00:00:00Z

The Nimrod Street Park sits on the land of the Gadigal people, who used this land well into the 1800s. European convicts and settlers started to use the local area to quarry stone, jail convicts and farm in the early 1800s. The park is located on the site where a stone windmill once stood, before being dismantled to build the Beare Stairs and the first stone terraces in Darlinghurst. The park is just a tiny little thing, on the corner of Nimrod Street and Caldwell Street, but it plays a key role to the local community. The quiet street has no traffic, so the park provides a green space for local children and dogs to play while also providing a peaceful sanctuary for local residents - most of whom do not have outdoor spaces. The park often has visitors soaking up the sun rays, reading or drawing on the benches and helps to create a meeting place for the community. The park is also plagued with drug problems, that put these visitors at risk. The quiet and out of the way location make it an attractive location for less desirable activities and the removal of many plants as well as the crumbling wall give the park the look of a place that is less loved or watched. I started my mural, “John’s Garden”, in April 2021, with support from the local community. Dozens of people have visited while I paint to see the progress and thank me for deciding to proactively do something. I plan to incorporate the Windmill onto the right side of the wall and to include as many native plants as possible (I already have Kangeroo Paws). I am also using the existing plants to give the impression of extending what is there and building layers to make the park appear deeper and more wild.

Sydney – Furnish Our Therapy Space

2021-04-06T00:00:00Z

Our small, grass roots, community controlled organisation exists to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in the Mount Druitt area of Western Sydney. Since our humble beginnings in 2012 we now run five weekly programs, a host of much loved annual events, and offer a range of supports to individuals and families including advocacy, referrals, psychosocial supports, and assistance with navigating government agencies and services. We have recently been blessed with funding to employ a social worker so that we can add case management to our growing list of supports that we can provide the community. There is only one problem - we have nowhere for her to sit! We have a demountable on our premises which has power and running water, but little to no furniture. This space has the potential to be a private, safe, and comforting space where our social worker can sit with clients and make them feel comfortable as they unpack their support needs. Seeking help of any kind is challenging enough, so having a relaxing and welcoming space to sit is integral to ensuring that community members with complex issues get the help they need. We are looking to jazz this space up so that by the time our social worker comes on board, they will have a beautiful, safe, culturally appropriate space where they can work. We are going to need comfortable seating, soft lighting, a small fridge for refreshments - everything we need to make people feel at ease and support them to speak up and unpack their difficult experiences and past trauma. Every little bit helps when it comes to supporting people to process trauma, so while having nice smelling candles, and a good supply of tea and tissues on hand can sound trivial - we assure you it is absolutely integral to our practice. If people don't feel safe and supported in your space, they simply won't come to seek the help they need.

Sydney – Elevating Refugee Entrepreneurs in Australia

2021-03-02T00:00:00Z

Welcome Merchant is our project! https://welcomemerchant.com/ Welcome Merchant is a social enterprise that elevates refugee-powered businesses and social enterprises in Australia. It was launched in March 2020 on Instagram by Marjorie Tenchavez, a proud woman of colour. Now, Welcome Merchant has an online directory, a Facebook Page and a LinkedIn page. The main purpose is to support the refugee entrepreneurs in successfully promoting their businesses on social media while giving them an opportunity to tell their inspiring stories, for free. These businesses are also listed on Welcome Merchant’s online directory, at no cost to the refugee entrepreneurs. In order to generate more income for the refugee entrepreneurs and run skill-building workshops for them, Welcome Merchant has partnered with a number of refugee chefs and will soon be launching its Curated Dining Experiences. Welcome Merchant will be hosting Quarterly Social Impact Dining Clubs, delivering cooking classes and promoting chef-hosted functions.

Sydney – Music for All

2021-02-02T00:00:00Z

Provide music opportunities for lower social and migrant children including adult and to present their talent in a wider community at least once per year in a festival or community event. There is no charge for this music program as it providing opportunity for those who cannot access music due financial or family issues. The project is organised by Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Australia at 69 on every Sunday between 10.00 to 11.30am. The program includes basic vocal techniques and instruments. Music builds sense of belongings’, happiness, and unity and bring community together. This project is awesome as it helps in shaping and nurturing our community. The money would be use to buy music instruments, Currently there is two harmonium and one tabla ( music instruments) to share between 20 to 40 people. The money would be use to purchase the following: 1 x Harmonium.

Sydney – The Reconnect Project

2020-12-16T00:00:00Z

Australia has an increasing digital divide - the gap between those who have access to technology and the internet, and those who do not. The impact of Covid-19 with lockdowns, work or school from home and social isolation exacerbated the digital divide and highlighted this issue. Meanwhile, e-waste is growing at 3 times the rate of other waste streams as the demand for new products and the marketing of new technology is unrelenting. There's an estimated 23 million mobile phones sitting unused in drawers, boxes and garages across Australia. But with a little repair, these devices - as well as tablets and laptops - can have their lifespan extended. The Reconnect Project's mission is to provide devices to people in need while simultaneously tackling the e-waste problem and closing the digital divide. We seek donations of unwanted mobile phones, tablets and laptops, that we refurbish and bring back to life. Through our networks with Caseworkers at women's refuges, homelessness agencies and refugee support groups, The Reconnect Project gets these refurbished devices straight into the hands of someone who needs it. For people in transient situations, who cannot receive mail, a mobile phone will provide access to email and Apps for services such as Centrelink. For refugees, a mobile phone will allow them to contact family and gives them a point of contact for essential services or when looking for work. For a women escaping DV, a clean mobile phone means a fresh start and the security of knowing their phone isn’t being tracked by others. We only launched in late 2019, but with the arrival of Covid-19, demand for our services skyrocketed and requests from Caseworkers filled our inbox. To date, we have distributed over 300 mobile phones, tablets and laptops with 95% of these being within the Sydney region. We are working closely with Counterpoint Community Services, Parramatta Mission, YWCA and WAGEC to support vulnerable individuals in the inner city and Parramatta.

Sydney – Shade arbour for Plant Street Library

2020-12-16T00:00:00Z

The Plant Street Library operates like a book-swap street library, but for plants. People bring their plants & cuttings, and take those that I, or others, have left, as they wish. It's all free and, if people prefer, contactless . It started as a few plants offered from my front gate, but grew rapidly, responding to the needs of new gardeners and old. It has been a joy and a connection during the pandemic, and continues to grow as an online community & neighbourhood hub, exchanging ideas and enthusiasm. I would like to use an Awesome Foundation grant to build a shade arbor and watering system for The Plant Street Library, to climate proof it during summer and protect the community contributions. Like any nursery, with young and vulnerable plants, one heatwave day could kill all the communal stock. A shade arbor will give people confidence that their contributions will be protected, and make the library viable through summer. We lost a mature a fiddle leaf fig during the last heat wave day, though by moving stuff and careful attention, we were able to save most of the other plants fortunately.

Sydney – The Girls' edit

2020-11-23T00:00:00Z

The Girls’ Edit will coincide with the week of International Women's Day. The event will be held in Bankstown with the generous, in-kind support of Bankstown Arts Centre. It will focus on creating a safe space that allows up to 100 First Nations, Gender Diverse and Girls of Colour to come together to elevate and celebrate being a Black or Brown young woman. The lack of representation and underrepresentation of First Nations, Women and Gender Diverse People of Colour can be overwhelming for many adults, let alone young people. The Girls’ Edit will create a place for young women to hear from emerging and established leaders from various communities and various industries. The conversations will be creative, critical and courageous and aim to challenge the narrative of what it means to be a migrant, with a disability, from the LGBTQI community, from working-class backgrounds and varied religious roots. Young women will also have the opportunity to choose from electives that focus on STEM, creative and making projects, writing workshops, physical activities like yoga and Zumba as well as continue the courageous conversations in smaller breakout sessions. Not-for-profits and businesses who will be offering young women these sessions are First Nations fitness instructor, T-Boogie, a young Bengali Muslim storyteller from Story Factory, Argentine mum and maker from Roni & Poly and Hawunutu Banguru from Mahawa Creative.

Sydney – Swim Sisters Surf Lifesaving for CaLD Communites

2020-10-26T00:00:00Z

We are the Swim Sisters, an inclusive group that inspires adult women from multicultural backgrounds, walks of life, fitness levels, shapes and size to go out from a swim, from pool to ocean to surf lifesaving.The group was created in response to the anecdotal evidence indicating that Muslim women wearing the Hijab face challenges in accessing swimming pools due to the media attention on the Burkini garment, particularly in the aftermath of the short-lived Burkini Ban in France which gained international attention. We are seeking to give some of our members the chance to attain a pool supported Surf Bronze Medallion qualification in surf lifesaving so they can better support water safety in culturally and linguistically diverse communities and families in Western Sydney who visit the beach in summer. Swim Sisters are founding committee members of the Garie Vanguard program to support individuals in Western Sydney train as surf lifesavers and contribute to their community. These participants become community ambassadors for change, leadership, well-being and body positivity. This unconventional approach dismantles stereotypes and empowers individuals to adopt Surf Lifesaving’s ethos of one cap truly fits all. Studies have shown that almost 30% of people who drown in Sydney’s beachers were born overseas. We want to directly address drowning in multicultural communities by empowering ambassadors from CaLD communities in Western Sydney, especially women to become lifesavers of the future. Our Swim Sisters Garie Vanguard cohort require additional structured training to support stringent fitness and water competence for the program. This need is particularly acute due to the widespread beach, pool and gym closures during the COVID-19 public health restrictions. We will use the money to support 5 Swim Sisters members to undertake structured training opportunities with swim and triathlon clubs by providing a 50% subsidy for them. You can read more about the Garie Vanguard program and the Swim Sisters below: https://bit.ly/3m0Qhrs https://bit.ly/2FHAHli https://bit.ly/346jz1Q https://bit.ly/3dO70vD

Sydney – Coloured Aliens

2020-08-24T00:00:00Z

Our awesome project is Coloured Aliens! Coloured Aliens is a hilarious comedic play that tackles some hard truths about racism through the perspective of an interracial couple. Written by Australian-Vietnamese playwright, Chi Vu, we are putting on this play for Bondi Festival for four nights, September 30-October 3, which will be its Sydney premiere! Unlike most theatrical productions, we will be presenting this in a café, Wayside Chapel, which presents its unique challenges. This is our debut “indie” production. We’re a bunch of young emerging artists that happen to be Asian-Australian – actors, directors, and designers. We’re focusing on recent graduates or soon-to-be graduates from university and acting schools, who are trying to find their foot in the industry and transition from student/amateur theatre to independent/professional productions. Our industry does not have a large number of opportunities for People of Colour and many POC theatre-makers tend to be the token POC in a production. I would like to create a theatre performance that eliminates the insecurities and self-consciousness that come with tokenism starting with Asian stories that closely relate to my (and my team's) own story. We want to share these stories that are familiar to Asian-Australians with others. Slanted Theatre is yet to come into fruition as we were meant to have our debut production in May and have now changed it to Coloured Aliens. The theatre industry is also extremely competitive, and COVID-19 has hit the arts industry hard. We are jumping on this opportunity from Bondi Festival but there are new, unforeseen challenges which we will have to take into consideration: our max capacity is at 24 (rather than most independent productions at 50-100) and the City of Sydney’s free rehearsal spaces for students are currently closed and our options to fundraise are extremely limited.

Sydney – Keeping Rough Sleepers Warm

2020-07-20T00:00:00Z

My name is Jackie Warn and I'm a director of a charity called One Meal it Makes a Difference. We provide food services to over 9 different locations (and growing) across Sydney with the one I am mainly involved with being held each Saturday night at Green Park in Darlinghurst starting at 7 pm then the first Sunday of the month starting at 6pm. I would like to apply for the $1000 "Awesome" grant which if successful would greatly benefit our homeless and marginalized within the Darlinghurst, Surry Hills and Kings Cross area. The money would be spent on 2 things. Hooded Sleeping Bags to help keep the rough sleepers warm. Over the last few weeks, I've noticed at service that it's getting bitterly cold in the park and having sleeping bags to offer the rough sleepers would be a massive help to them. We also have a lovely gentleman (patron) who lives in public housing who would benefit from having a microwave, an extra he is unable to afford. This would be really beneficial to him as he would be able to take any extra meals we have available (we often get donations of frozen meals to give to our patrons that have accommodation so they have access to free and nutritious food during the week) saving him money on his grocery bill. At the moment he only has a very small cooktop so he is unable to heat any extras we can give him. As with all charities, our expenditure has been enormous these last few months due to COVID19 and all the problems this has caused. We have had to purchase extra food and water to feed the patrons over all of our services as the volunteer numbers have dropped significantly, which means the food donations drop as well, as well as take away containers, hand sanitizer, extra gloves etc. It's been a difficult few months, but we have never stopped our services, something we are proud of when many other charities services have been suspended. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my application.

Sydney – Quicksan

2020-06-22T00:00:00Z

As our global community continues its battle with COVID-19, its unprecedented proliferation gives rise to an urgent need for personal protective equipment and sanitary materials for both our frontline medical staff and our broader community. In Australia, hospitals and public services have struggled to meet the sudden surge in demand, requiring additional supplies and lack efficient restocking and storage systems. This is evidently a pressing issue as WHO projects that there will be further demand for 2.9 million litres of hand sanitiser in the next month. Critically, hygiene practices must be maintained beyond the pandemic, which Quicksan advances with an innovative line of hand sanitiser dispensers, delivering efficient hygiene to medical and public spaces. Current dispensers lack the intuitiveness to cope with COVID-19 as they are unable to efficiently gauge and track hand sanitiser volume, creating a significant time lag between depletion and refill. These dispensers are also insufficiently sized at 500mL and require non-replaceable plastic cartridges, which have no means of being easily repaired or recycled, thus exacerbating long-term plastic waste pollution. QuickSan therefore aims to create a next-generation hand sanitiser solution. Quicksan’s key differentiator is that each unit is part of a greater network that provides the service provider with constant status checks on the conditions of the dispensers and their sanitiser reserves. This continuous monitoring allows for better situational awareness of the network’s supply and demand and helps to streamline the logistical preparations needed to maintain a proper supply channel. An embedded LED light also acts as a visual indicator for battery life. Furthermore, the dispenser uses a lockable lid that allows direct refills, thus eliminating reliance on disposable plastics whilst maintaining hygiene standards. Expanding upon the market-standard 500mL, we offer 1L, 2L & 5L sized designs. HOW AWESOME!

Sydney – Refloat the Titanic Volunteer Party

2020-05-25T00:00:00Z

We are going to hold a refloat Titanic party in our heritage shipyard for 200 fed up volunteers. We have the shipyard We have the ship, Titanic, well John Oxley really but what's a repainted name We have the film Titanic to show against the hull of John Oxley sorry Titanic We will supply the popcorn and hot dogs We have the organiser to run the 1912 costume prize and the "I can sing like Celine Dion" prize We have 200 volunteers that have been locked out of their shipyard and restoration projects for 3 months who need an awesome restart party. We are Sydney Heritage Fleet and one of the things we do is to restore Australian Maritime Heritage: James Craig, the 1874, 1000, tonne 3 masted barque; Waratah, a 1902 steam tug; and Lady Hopetoun, a magnificent 1902 steam launch, together with seven other vessels. Our ships are restored and maintained by volunteers, over 450 of them who collectively volunteer over 100,000 hours a year to rebuild and crew our vessels for the benefit of visitors and tourists. Our shipyard has been shut down for 3 months and people are itching to get back to work. Our volunteers deserve to go back with a bang not a whimper hence this awesome event. The Fleet receives no state or federal funding and rarely has enough money to indulge in fripperies like parties. Anything we spend we have to fundraise, so a contribution to do something specifically for our volunteers would be a huge morale boost. The Heritage Fleet is unique there is no other organisation like it in the world the work it does is internationally recognised. The John Oxley which is on our drydock is the last Australian coastal steamship from an era when everything was moved by sea and by steam. We will rename John Oxley Titanic for the night. The Titanic's sinking changed ship construction and vessel safety world wide the John Oxley benefited from improved construction and crew safety, it is appropriate that we celebrate Titanic and the changes that followed the tragedy. [Featured Image: Tony Belobrajdic]

Sydney – Face Shields for Medical Staff

2020-04-20T00:00:00Z

Reverse Garbage was contacted by a doctor who was already aware of our activities. He asked for help to get face shields out to his hospital, urgently. We knew we could help. We asked Foam Booth and Husky Tape to donate material and we had some suitable elastic. Those businesses instantly said yes, but we can't, in fairness, continue to ask for materials free in this tough time. We then called on our volunteer community to come in, collect the kits and instructions, make the shields and get them back to us in a few days. We reach our volunteers through our facebook page -we have 85,000 followers on facebook. Many kits came in the following day, all were returned completed within days. It was a totally feel good activity, all round. It would be awesome to repeat it, a number of hospitals reached out for masks during our campaign.

Sydney – Lego for life

2020-03-16T00:00:00Z

Our awesome project is to design a student lego club during lunch times at Doonside Technology High School. Money will be used to purchase lego kits. The club will serve two purposes: 1) Provide students who struggle to manage their emotions an environment where they can self regulate in order to re-enage with their learning. 2) Provide a safe place for students who have difficulties making friends. The club will be supervised by the school counsellor and members of the school wellbeing team in order to work with the students in developing their communication skills, establishing healthy relationships and provide mentorship.

Sydney – LumiCrux

2020-02-17T00:00:00Z

As much as we can, our little STEAMpop team creates experiences for people who want to explore mathematics without the numbers. We love pushing the boundaries of STEM by embedding the Arts into all our interactive workshops. We’ve been lucky enough to be chosen to present two amazing experiences in Vivid Ideas Sydney, so we can share our newest STEAM explorations. Our two crafty workshops will each attract around 80 people. LumiCrux and LumiMoves present bespoke experiences of hand-making combined with movement, dance, light, and learning. Mathematics is incorporated by constructing paper folded geometric luminescent forms, plus dancing based on mathematical functions and First Nations astronomy. Everyone makes an awesome luminescent paper star before dancing, then entering the Vivid Sydney crowd, adding their own beautiful glowing forms to the illuminated Vivid culture precinct. It’s always awesome to contribute to Vivid Sydney. And it’s a lot of hard work. We need to make sure we can resource the workshops properly by preparing our materials, choreographing and rehearsing the dances and making sure all the words we speak are respectful to the range of cultural knowledge contributors that will make the projects awesome. The joy of making with mathematics is particularly awesome for girls, but our past experience promoting connections between maths, making, and interactive aesthetic experiences has been a delight for people of all ages. This time, we want to record our unique events using videography and photography (so it’s a bit more awesome than using our phones). In that way, we can do three awesome things: ● Encourage a holistic understanding and appreciation of STEAM; that is, embedding the Arts in STEM. ● Inspire individuals, schools and organisations to create their own Vivid inspired events. ● Promote Sydney as a place of knowledge and culture connectedness, accessibility, creativity, experimentation, and joyful making experiences.

Sydney – Bottle Lid Project

2020-02-17T00:00:00Z

Austral Public school is an awesome small rural school that soon will be changing forever. As the second airport is coming, our surrounding lands are being re developed and re structured. Our school is 125 years old and is need of some brightness and color. Over the past 6 months families have been recycling bottle lids to be used as art work to hand around the school. These bottle tops will be stuck on large boards and hung up to create a mural. We have an awesome small team of parents, students and teachers who will begin to assemble these art works, fix the gardens and brighten our grounds to welcome all the new families into the area.

Sydney – Community Weekend at the Beach

2020-01-20T00:00:00Z

Every year we take disadvantaged Aboriginal families to the beach for a weekend. The families pay the small amount of $20 per family for a weekend where all meals are provided and prepared by volunteers, Volunteers also take the children to the beach and supervise them whilst their parents/carers relax. The volunteers also play games with the children until it is time for a group of bikies to roar into the centre and take the children for rides around the block. After the evening meal a dance or cultural event is held. On the Sunday the local surf life savers teach the children many surf safety techniques and provide rides of water skis etc. Transport is provided but always difficult to fund. The event brings families together where the families share joys and sorrows and the younger parents spend time with Elders. Many connections are made and we find that more participants are interested in coming to our centre to enjoy the Elders Olympics exercise program, The Healing Circle, the Family group gatherings, the homework club, the mothers group or they may like to make appointments to see our counsellors, one of whom is a qualified psychologist. All of these programs are free.

Sydney – Voices of Women CLEARWAY 2020

2019-12-16T00:00:00Z

Voices of Women CLEARWAY is very ambitious for a small not for profit! It is a unique national short story competition and performance event that celebrates fast fiction, slam readings and pop up performance. It calls for short pieces in the first person to be read by professional actors.    CLEARWAY: create the space is an unusual and unique writing method that calls for writers to create ‘to the space’. Unlike most writing competitions, it has an open theme - all topics are considered – but the writers must choose from three voices and interpret them as wildly and playfully as they like.    The performance events are powerful, audience immersed with extraordinary actors who read the stories in an up front and personal setting. CLEARWAY begins on Parramatta Road in Leichhardt at Articulate Space and then heads to Tin Sheds café in Lithgow, Mudgee and the old post office in Dubbo. “We champion new Australian stories that are diverse, from women of all ages, backgrounds and writing skills. The result is an expression of our differences and our commonality, the way women experience the same challenges and moments of beauty but from our unique and personal perspectives,” says Voices of Women Director Lliane Clarke.    Led by leading writers and publishers from all over Australia, Voices of Women is pushing the boundaries of what writers and audiences can expect from the spoken word. “The exciting part about CLEARWAY is that until all the stories are submitted, and the voices allocated, we won’t know what the shape of the performance will be. The pieces will be individually shaped to each space we perform in, to create a site-specific framework for the tour. That lends it an aura of unpredictability which is really exciting and keeps it fresh. At the same time its a snapshot of what women are thinking about” said Lliane Clarke. It is supported by First Nations Australia Writers Network and actively seeks out writers from diverse backgrounds across Sydney.

Sydney – Refugee Driving program

2019-11-18T00:00:00Z

Like all of us would, when refugees and asylum seekers arrive in Australia, they simply want to stop running, to support their families and contribute to their community. Here at Upskill Driving School, we recognise that many newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers face multiple barriers as they seek to settle here in Australia, including reliable transport. Not being able to drive adds to the challenge of finding employment, and unlike most Australians, they lack the contacts who are fully licensed or have access to a vehicle and who could help them learn or practise. Our mission is to provide affordable, professional driving lessons for refugees and asylum seekers. We also have driving instructors who are culturally sensitive, and offer lessons in community languages or with volunteer interpreters. Upskill Driving School is a social enterprise business of a broader community called SUMMIT - Serving, Understanding, Mentoring Migrants In Transition. SUMMIT also offers free English classes, trauma healing therapy programs and youth programs. Driving students can also hear about and access these services through the Driving School.

Sydney – TLC Choir for People with Dementia & Their Carers

2019-10-21T00:00:00Z

The proposed project is a not-for-profit community choir for people with dementia (PWD) and their carers within the Sutherland Shire district. Similar choirs are found to be located in other areas around Sydney and there appears to be absence of access to such a service in the Sutherland Shire district. A palliative care doctor, neurologist and registered music therapist will be overseeing the choir. The palliative care doctor has access to participants through hospitals located in the Sutherland Shire and has experience with community choirs. The registered music therapist has experience in running therapeutic singing groups for this population at multiple aged care homes around Sydney. Other health professionals running similar existing choirs internationally and nationally have been contacted and they have expressed interest in collaborating, implying the opportunities to carry out research that will contribute to knowledge in the field of music and medicine. The neurologist involved in the project will be a key player in performing research activities. The proposed project aims to provide PWD and their carers with access to therapeutic singing group that withholds potential for health and well-being. Research suggests that participating in creative group activities as choirs, improves the dyadic relationship between PWD and their carers and enables support networks to be formed between carers. Participating in singing allows for self-expression which triggers the release of brain chemicals associated with pleasure. Stress and anxiety that inevitably arises when caring for others or when a person affected by the symptoms of dementia is alleviated as a result. Further, participation in singing of familiar songs engages PWD in here-and-now interactions that are meaningful and intentional. Singing is also a highly accessible and low-cost intervention that PWD and carers may utilise in other environments and empowers individuals to self-manage their own health.

Sydney – Pocket City Farms needs more TOOLS!

2019-08-26T00:00:00Z

We are Pocket City Farms, a Sydney based NFP looking at converting unused space into community farms that produce local, organic food, build community and act as an education hub. We have been operating our first farm in Camperdown for 3 years now and are looking for ways to improve how the community can interact with the farm. Our education program has just been re-vamped and we are hoping to drastically increase the amount of school children and members of the general public who can get a real hands-on experience and leave the farm with dirt under their fingernails! Pocket City Farms was started by 3 passionate individuals who believe that growing food is a way of educating, empowering and connecting people who live in the urban environment.

Sydney – Hair Aid Community Cuts

2019-07-31T00:00:00Z

Hair Aid sends teams of volunteer hairdressers to work with Australian organisations that support those in our own communities that need a hand. We work with community groups, charities, government organisations and churches that support homeless, domestic violence sufferers, migrants or those just in suffering at a time of crisis. What we do is turn up every six weeks for 2 -3 hours and offer free haircuts, providing dignity and respect for those in need.

Sydney – The Supertee project

2019-06-07T00:00:00Z

Supertee project is the new medical garment created for sick kids in hospital. Disguised as a superhero costume, this new innovative hospital shirt is- 100% cotton with non toxic print Press studs on both sides and over one should to bypass iv drips, central lines and breathing masks or feeding tubes etc. The spaces between these press studs allow for these tubes and monitoring lines to be nicely organised. It’s MRI, X-Ray, and P.e.t scan friendly Has underarms exposed for rountine thermometer checks which allows for a more restful sleep Has a cape that doubles as a bib! Is packaged in a reusable tin which contains a free comic/activity book, 5 x stickers and a bookmark for the parents. The supertee concept revolves around the studies of the “Batman effect” from child psychologist Dr Stephanie Carlson. In this study Dr Carlson found when children dress as their favourite superhero they adopt the persona of that hero and thus were able to endure tasks longer and distance themselves from the tasks through the use of imaginative play. The goals of the supertee project are primarily to encourage the fighting spirit of children and their families when faced with life threatening conditions, provide a degree of independence by allowing an easier way to change clothes during a hospital stay (thus increasing hygiene and reducing nurse calls). It also aims to provide a new way to fund for research into childhood illnesses. The supertee project is only several months old. Launching at the very hospital that saved my daughters life, and since then we have begun to make our way around Australia’s children’s hospitals.

Sydney – Hinchinbrook Hornets Open Women Team

2019-05-26T00:00:00Z

I write on behalf of my team. My name is Jax and I'm the co-captain for the Hinchinbrook Hornets Junior Rugby League Football Club Open Women's Team (What a mouthful!). Our team are based in Green Valley, in the Liverpool area of South West Sydney. Our project is to fund our teams needs for new tracksuit tops/hoodies for the current 2019 season. Our team is made up of passionate women who love to play football. Unfortunately many members of our team come from rough homes where paying for boots, gear and even registration to play the game, is impossible. 50% of our team are Aboriginal, many of our ladies are mums and we all love to play footy and inspire the next generation of young women to rise up and play footy. Rugby League is no longer a sport for men, it's a sport that connects people, and provides a family to those who need it. Our Open Women's Team of 22 players really need new tracksuit tops/hoodies to train in as our season is played throughout the whole of winter. We train late on Monday and Wednesday nights, and play on Sundays. We feel like we are close, family orientated team and we just want to look the part (and also not freeze!).

Sydney – Penrith Rainbow Families Playgroup

2019-04-26T00:00:00Z

I founded and run Western Sydney’s first LGBTQI+ Playgroup! I’ve always felt that the Western Suburbs lacked support and services for the LGBTQI+ community so I contacted the local council to try and make positive changes but was unsuccessful. I discovered the organisation Rainbow Families and joined their local monthly catch up group straight away. I felt that Penrith could also benefit from a weekly playgroup, at a permanent location that would offer support and information to families. I have attended different playgroups over the years and I was always worried of judgment of myself and of how I started my family, so I never returned. I wanted to connect with other families similar to mine and to be able to discuss issues we face and to share experiences and ideas. I found an awesome venue with a great indoor area, kitchen, playground, baby change room and in a location that would suit families living in the Blue Mountains and in the Penrith area. I sourced toys for the group from a local closing Playgroup. Our playgroup is welcoming and friendly. Its heaps of fun and really stress-free for parents as we have a laid-back approach at activities. There are toys, books, puzzles, dress-ups, instruments, craft and plenty of outdoor toys and ride-ons for the kids to choose from. We have an awesome playground which is a hit with all of the kids! We have a speaker to play music on and the kids can request their favourite songs! Parents usually sit on the outdoor bench and chat while we watch the kids have fun in our safe, enclosed space. I always bring along Rainbow Families resources for parents if they need information of services or support. I have developed amazing friendships in such a short amount of time.

Sydney – Paddock to Plate Garden

2019-03-19T00:00:00Z

I am a primary school teacher at Madang Avenue Public School in Western Sydney. My school is in a low socio-economic area where the student population of almost 350 consists of 37 % non-English speaking backgrounds of which the Pacific communities dominate and 18% from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background. We are keen to share a love of healthy organic gardening with the students at Madang and our local community. As Jamie Oliver quotes, “Getting your hands dirty can help you understand the story of your food from the ground up”. We want to get our students start getting their hands dirty and getting first hand gardening experiences, and rewarded with growing their own food. The raised gardening beds (which is what we really need) are a simple child friendly setup and a great starting point for demonstrating to young students, while also keeping our friendly school hare and rabbits from eating our produce :>. It gives the students the opportunity to grow different types of vegetables and herbs throughout the year in a contained environment. I would also like to grow edible indigenous foods. What’s more, we have a newly completed demonstration kitchen, which the students can use to prepare recipes and use the produce they have grown. The raised gardening beds will also help fulfil educational outcomes across the curriculum such as water management, soil health, sustainability, healthy eating, measuring plant growth rates in maths, experimenting and problem solving in science and exploring language use for a range of purposes in literacy. If we start these little minds thinking about the possibilities and ease of growing vegetables and herbs at school, we may be a few steps closer for our enthusiastic students to create a vegetable patches at home…….who knows, the next Jamie Oliver may come from Madang Ave PS!

Sydney – CHIKAS

2018-12-12T00:00:00Z

CHIKAS is a webseries and community we have founded to give back to all creative souls out there. The story reminds you that failure is a necessity to develop resilience and success is defined by yourself. It encourages us to explore the power of creative play and continue to be curious. The series centres on JAZZ and ALEX as they explore their creative freedom. They are second-generation Australian Asian, a community that is rarely portrayed on screen in an authentic manner. When we can’t see ourselves on screen, it sets up the narrative that we are foreign and ultimately do not belong to the Australian identity. CHIKAS is our way of reminding the world through comedy that Australia is incredibly culturally diverse. The central themes of the story are identity and the definition of success, also touching on social issues such as homelessness, sexual health, body positivity and racism to open up necessary dialogue in the community. We want all the little girls and boys out there to believe that they can do it, no matter their gender, sexual orientation or colour of their skin. if they put their body, mind and spirit to something, they can create the life they desire! Synopsis: High achieving Eurasian Sydneysiders Jazz and Alex eject themselves from the corporate jungle to pursue their creative dreams. However, when they come out to their very traditional families as ‘dirty creatives’, they find themselves bearing the weight of a Chinese mother’s guilt. As they chase their creative freedom they end up homeless, heartbroken and hospitalized, struggling to adjust to their new lifestyle. Using their charm and high achieving tendencies from the trading floor, they stumble upon questionable enterprising means. They battle between their two warring sets of Western and Chinese values, while trying to figure out where they belong in the world and what happiness and success truly mean. Bring soy sauce.

Sydney – Music Therapy for the Elderly

2018-11-13T00:00:00Z

I am currently disabled. I am however able to visit nursing homes and play music for our elderly folk and have had amazing positive results to their health. In some instances we have had them up dancing ( those that are mobile ) to some old Elvis tunes. It has been very rewarding. This information below is being stated by many medical experts :- "How Music Therapy is Beneficial to Seniors Music therapy can promote better physical and mental health in a variety of ways by: Relieving boredom Motivating movement Rekindling positive memories Shifting negative thinking patterns Calming nervousness Encouraging happy thoughts Promoting social interaction" My wife and I have found it very rewarding and we now have 5 facilities that we play in. We are in need of some equipment for this project. We have been using borrowed equipment which needs to be returned. Currently I am injured and unable to work and this gives me a sense of purpose. Thank you for considering my project.

Sydney – Groove Rising

2018-10-16T00:00:00Z

Groove Rising is our awesome project! Groove Rising was designed with and for migrant and new refugee girls, aged 15 to 25 years old, living in Greater Western Sydney. An ongoing beginners dance class series for them to join together with other young women and express themselves in a safe, creative and joyous environment. Secondary benefits are many, including but not limited to: a place to practice English, foster self-confidence, learn a new skill, a positive experience within their new community and to boost happy hormones. Since May 2018, in collaboration with Cumberland Council, we have been able to deliver classes weekly from Granville, and now Guildford Youth Centre. The response has been wonderful! More girls are finding out about the class through word-of-mouth, as well as our relationship building with relevant community organisations (i.e. SSI, Western Sydney MRC, Navitas English School). Several young women are acting as ambassadors of the class, empowered to spread the word about the benefits and build the inclusive and vibrant atmosphere. A highlight from class is the opportunity to 'freestyle' at the end where girls share what they've learnt as well as their traditional dances, such as Persian, Afghan, Ghanian, Indian and Syrian dance. It is actually the BEST! "I feel free when I come to class. Like I can do anything when I'm in that room full of hope & music" ~ Afghan refugee, 15 years The girls have asked for extra creative time as an extension to their dance experience. Our community projects manager is an Arts Therapist and so we plan to roll out creativity workshops where the girls can illustrate, collage and write of their class experiences to encourage others to attend (we don't take photos as headscarves are often off) and to share their voices. This extra time is for deepening connection, reflection and integration. They have also requested an end of year event where friends and family can attend to dance and celebrate together.

Sydney – DesignAbility

2018-09-25T00:00:00Z

What we already have : *10 second hand sewing machines, * a Designer who is willing to teach the women basics of pattern making and sewing. * Material, yarn, thread etc.. just ready to be used * Patterns - brand new * Up cycle clothing and give them a new life- donated by others or stores as end of stock. * Make grocery bags/ cushions/aprons etc.. made out of remnants and left over off cuts What we can source/buy: * Donated Evening Wear that could be hired out to generate revenue * Donated Wedding Dresses and Formal Hire * Doing Alternations, and charging for it.( person gets a % of the fee and the rest of the money goes back into the project to cover costs ) * Computerised Embroidery Sewing machine- to charge for writing names/ initials on clothing/hats etc. We plan to run this project to skill these women so they would become financially independent in a period of 12 months.( Basic Design/Cutting/Sewing ), We then get a new batch of students each year to retrain them. This will also reduce the landfill as many clothing goes to waste. Not only does it empower women, it will also create designer fashion from remnants and other off cuts that would have otherwise gone to waste. This would also encourage young youth to come and board and model the designs in a Fashion Runway. Items will also be sold via an online market.

Sydney – Uz: The Town

2018-08-14T00:00:00Z

Uz: The Town by Gabriel Calderon 17-20 & 22 September, 2018 New Theatre, 542 King St Newtown Tickets from $20 via https://sydneyfringe.com/buy-tickets/?e=MTU2OTU Uz: The Town, by award-winning Uruguayan playwright Gabriel Calderon, is being translated to English for the first time by director Veronica Barac and making its Australian premiere at the 2018 Sydney Fringe Festival. Uz: The Town is a dark comedy that follows a provincial woman, Grace, who is ordered by God to prove her devotion by performing a heinous act against her family. The resulting chain of events is a wickedly satirical romp exploring religious faith, homosexuality, morality, and small town dynamics. In the sleepy town of Uz reigns harmony, good manners and a love of God. There lives Grace, mother, perfect wife, and township role model. She lives with her loving husband Jack, her son Thomas and daughter Dorothy. Peace shatters in Uz when God, picking up on biblical stories of Abraham and Job, speaks to Grace and asks her to prove her faith by killing one of her children. Suddenly the local butcher, his daughter, nosey neighbours, and a questionable priest come into the picture, destabilising the predictable facade of each character. Donate to our Australia Cultural Fund page - we’re full-time students producing this independently and every dollar counts: https://australianculturalfund.org.au/projects/uz-the-town/ Buy tickets: https://sydneyfringe.com/buy-tickets/?e=MTU2OTU

Sydney – Let's Coach the Coach

2018-07-01T00:00:00Z

We are a local sporting organisation who provide T-ball and Softball for those aged 2-100. As such we want to make sure that our kids in particular have what they need in order to be successful and achieve their goals. This starts at the grass roots level...So why the project ... We want kids to learn, have fun and be successful and wish to enable this through energetic and highly taught coaches who have the right skills in order to teach them what they need to know. Over the years the financial cost of coaching programs has stopped many people wanting and learning to become a coach. The basic program costs $100 per person. We don't want this to be the case and want to be able to provide the opportunity for as many people to become a coach in our sport as we can.

Sydney – Collarenebri sporting Leadership Project

2018-06-01T00:00:00Z

The Aim of this project is to provide the youth and community leaders (17 to 50 yrs old) of Collarenebri with a program that combines health, fitness, skill building and community development through positive leadership and mentoring. We are currently endeavouring to enter the ‘Collarenebri Men’s Team’ in the 2018 NSW Indigenous Rugby League KO Carnival. This event attracts over 120 teams from across the state contesting in the U’15, U’17, Women and Men competitions. It is attended by more than 50,000 spectators and is televised, with much more coverage relayed back to urban, regional and isolated communities through newspapers and social media. The hard work of our volunteers has led to on-field success. We have had several players selected to play for the County Rugby League Group and Representative teams. In 2018 our team will have the luxury of 2 former NRL players joining our ranks. We are hoping that they will bring experience to our team and act as mentors for our younger players. In addition to this, our playing squad and training staff will be involved in a variety of other activities including fitness, first aid, sport strapping (PE Teacher), healthy eating and living (Aboriginal Medical service), event management, administration, community development etc (Colly Gamilaraay), emotional well-being (Elders/Community Leaders). It is envisaged that through the knowledge and skills gained, the Youth and Men of Collarenebri will be fit,healthy and capable of organizing, managing and participating in future events. There are however many expenses connected with participating in the Indigenous KO and we rely for funding solely on our own fundraising events and the support of the community. As Collarenebri is an isolated community, our funding opportunities are very limited. The major expense for competing in the Annual KO Carnival is Uniforms, Team Entry Fee, Tournament Nomination Fee. We were hoping that this might be something you would consider helping with

Sydney – Inner West Beekeepers

2018-05-13T00:00:00Z

Beekeepers of the Inner West seeks to provide ways for people to learn and become involved in beekeeping in an urban environment. We believe that bees are important, both honey bees and native bees, and believe it's important for all people to understand how important they are and how to help sustain them in the urban environment, We provide both theoretical and practical sessions and events in how to look after honey bees and native stingless bees as well as how to use the products gained from a beehive. We promote safe and healthy bee and garden practices that aim to keep chemicals and foreign matter out of the environment.

Sydney – Riverwood Reaching

2018-04-16T00:00:00Z

We have many children, out of our 120 students that live at or below the poverty line. Our preschool though has been rated as one of the best in NSW due to the love, respect and experience of our teachers, who are fabulous. We need a coat of paint and a fix up of our play area, that may sound simple, but is not cheap. $1000 would help us so much towards our goal, at Riverwood Public School we believe that we need to make a place that is like a home and safe place, as home is often,mot that way.