For Change Co.
For Change Co. is a social enterprise with a vision to end youth homelessness.
It also believes in solving social challenges through entrepreneurial solutions. True to this, the organisation has set up a number of social enterprises to help young people currently experiencing homelessness break the cycle. From crêpes to coffee and bagels, all of the For Change Co enterprises provide quality food to customers, with 100% of profits going towards its projects in areas including housing, employment, education and training.
2019 Pitch
Funds raised: $45,550
Over 44,000 young people experience homelessness in Australia every night. Meaning that every night over 44,000 young people are thinking about their next meal or where they can safely sleep instead of thinking about their futures. Tenille from For Change Co. was pitching for funds to replicate their successful social enterprise training cafe home.one. … home.two.
The impact…
In a country as lucky and successful as Australia, most people are shocked to hear that over 44,000 young people find themselves homeless every night. There are many paths into homelessness, such as fleeing dangerous relationships, serious mental illness, inherited social disadvantage as well as family breakdown to name a few. However the reality of homelessness is usually the same, it is here that For Change Co. makes a difference.
Utilising their two social enterprise cafes - home.one and home.two - they are able to provide practical and meaningful vocational training through their Hospitality Training Program. Giving them job skills and then supporting them to find further employment elsewhere. To date they have used the funding provided to support 6 young people leave homelessness and find work whilst partially sustaining themselves through the cafes.
“Matthew is a young person that recently graduated from Society Melbourne's Training Program. I was chatting to his Youth Development Worker recently and he mentioned that Matthew really struggled in his first few months at the Foyer. He was very shy and wasn't engaging with any of the opportunities presented to him. Since he's started work as a trainee in our program though, Pat has seen a huge growth in his confidence, social ability and professionalism. The Youth Development Worker specifically said that Matthew willingly starting this full time Traineeship would have been impossible without the learnings and experience of work in our Training Program.
I've seen this firsthand in our most recent Trainee Takeover Day where Matthew took on the more senior 'Supervisor' role and was able to manage and positively engage with the other trainees on shift throughout the day. It was super impressive! This is a massive credit to the work of our trainers and their work with Matt over the last year! Matt has since graduated from Society Melbourne's Hospitality Training Program and transitioned into further employment” - Tenille Gilbert, Co-Founder
Read their Impact Report
Learn more about For Change Co.
Supporting Sustainable Development Goals:
