Industry Focus

SOCIAL SECTOR Launching your grand plan Do you have an idea for a social enterprise but need help to get it off the ground? Westpac Foundation's Explore Program is designed to help emerging entrepreneurs get the support they need to start up operations and attract further funding. The program is run in partnership with Social Traders and the School for Social Entrepreneurs. Established in 2008, Social Traders offers those looking to start up a new social enterprise the chance to see if their idea has potential. It also offers valuable courses, workshops and events through The Crunch program. The School for Social Entrepreneurs gives people with big ideas for change the opportunity to get their venture up and running through non-traditional, hands-on courses. Visit www.socialtraders.com.au, www.westpac.com.au/westpacfoundation and www.the-sse.org to find out more about the programs. Top tips to secure corporate sponsorship and funds Launching and running a successful Not for Profit organisation relies heavily on sponsorship and funding from the corporate world. Here we look at a few tips for how you can secure a profitable relationship. 1. Research—ensure you get the background on your potential funding partner. 2. Network—ask board members and supporters for introductions to potential partners. 3. roposal—identify how and why P your work is valuable to your corporate partner. 4. Support—realise that nonfinancial support and advice can also be valuable. 5. usiness acumen—show B evidence of the social impact you can generate. 6. oster relationship—meet F regularly to discuss further opportunities and goals. Source: Pro Bono Australia 4 Industry Focus Exchange of ideas For more than a decade, Westpac employees have been working with disadvantaged communities through the Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships exchange program (now named Jawun), which allows them to work in places such as Queensland's remote Cape York Peninsula for up to six weeks. In 2010, the program expanded to include communities in Sydney's Redfern, the NSW Central Coast and Victoria's Goulburn Murray region. Today, almost 600 Westpac Group employees have worked with Not for Profit organisations in these communities through the Jawun initiative—the equivalent of about 76 work years. Westpac's Indigenous Engagement Manager, Susan Yazbeck, says the initiative is a win-win situation. "For the community organisation, it's a chance to receive an enhanced skill set they can pass on to their volunteers as well as a much-needed extra pair of hands," she says. "For the Westpac employee, it's an opportunity to develop 'soft skills' of negotiating and communication, and bring back diverse skills to their everyday job."

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