Daystar Foundation
Creating bright futures for the disadvantaged through education.
Daystar Foundation runs diverse Work for the Dole programs to assist the unemployed to become work-ready and operates its social enterprise program called MOWtivation, which trains and employs disadvantaged groups to provide a cheaper alternative lawn mowing service to Bonnyrigg Housing Estate residents in Sydney's West.
2016 Pitch
Funds raised: $27,850
Daystar pitched at The Funding Network in Sydney in June 2016 and raised $27,850 which enabled the successful launch of its second major social enterprise.
The impact...
Chindara came to Daystar through Work For The Dole (WFTD) program. From a young age he had been a crime gang member in Cabramatta eventually leading that gang in his late teen years. He was placed in the MOWtivation program where he took an interest in the range of tasks and skills he was able to learn from WHS to maintenance and storage of equipment, proper use of a wide range of machinery, customer service, growing a database of customers, record keeping and basic financial management to operate a Social Enterprise. He was able to work off several thousand dollars worth of fines accumulated over a long period of time through Daystar's Work Development Order (WDO) program run in conjunction with Legal Aid and SDRO. In a testimonial letter to Daystar, he said it had saved his life.
Daystar has trained 20 through 'Work For The Dole' (WFTD) and a further 20 through the WDO program. Ten trainees have moved on to further employment both part-time and casual from WFTD and two others have been kept on for further training and development. All 20 individuals on the WDO program have paid off their fines to State Debt Recovery Office.
Daystar itself has grown from 3 to 12 employees and its community partner St George Housing has also enjoyed how the low cost mowing and trimming services have in turn encouraged tenants to themselves have pride in their environment and maintain their properties in good order.
Read their Impact Report
Learn more about Daystar Foundation.
Supporting Sustainable Development Goals:
