GG's Flowers
A social enterprise florist that employs people with special needs.
GG's Flowers provides meaningful employment and education opportunities to special members of the community, who are often forgotten and marginalised. With the right amount of support, encouragement and opportunity, people with special needs can be extraordinary members of the workforce.
2017 Pitch
Funds raised: $28,680
GG's Flowers raised $28,680 in at TFN Live Canberra in September 2017, which was an enormous contribution to their goal of being able to continue to provide more employment opportunities for people with special needs, providing real job training and qualifications in floristry for new employees.
The impact…
Of the 4.8 million people in Australia living with a disability, only 27% are employed, yet all of them have something to offer. Nip knew this all too well, growing up with her sister Gayana who lives with Downs Syndrome. Gayana’s disability hasn’t stopped her living a full life, so why should it stop her from getting employment. This is where GG’s Flowers was born, a social enterprise florist that not only employs people with special needs, but also commits to paying them award wages.
Without award wages, people living with a disability are at risk of welfare dependency or unfair wages. They stay perilously close to the poverty line, and often are not able to live life fully. From little things big things grow, and GG’s has grown into a sustainable social enterprise that now delivers thousands of bouquets and hampers across Canberra. And, thanks to the support from the Canberra donor network they now have a new pink van to make these deliveries and they’ve been able to hire more staff and capacity for more flower and hamper deliveries.
One of their new hires is a young man named Patrick. Here is Patrick’s story":
“Patrick is a 21 year old young man with Aspergers. He is a committed young man who truly goes above and beyond every day. Prior to joining GG's, Patrick worked for a different organisation that took advantage of his disability and chronically and illegally under paid him and took advantage of him & his car.”
“Since joining GG's, Patrick has been working for award wages, provided with a safe, compassionate and caring workplace AND has not had to use his own car or petrol for deliveries. He has enjoyed working for GG's and representing the brand but also supports and mentors a lot of our other employees that have intellectual disabilities.”
“Patrick has well and truly come out of his shell over the last few months and social situations that otherwise used to intimidate him, have become much more bearable. Patrick is young and has a life full of employment ahead of him - we are confident that Patrick is ready for mainstream employment and will be able to stand up for his rights.” – Nip Wijewrickrema, Co-Founder
Read their Impact Report.
Learn more about GG's Flowers.
Supporting Sustainable Development Goals:
