SVA News & Articles
SVA in the news
 School for Social Entrepreneurs: 'from big ideas, great things grow'
Cuffe's philanthropic fund delivers solid results in first year
On a course to give them help
Altruism pays off for SVA consultant
Something’s got to give, or maybe not
These directors, too, can be put under pressure
 Click on links to view other news sections  Portfolio ventures in the news
Community partners in the news
School for Social Entrepreneurs: ‘from big ideas, great things grow’
16 June 2009
An article in the Sydney Morning Herald by Nick Galvin profiled the School for Social Entrepreneurs and how it’s helping people turn their socially-minded business ideas into successful enterprises. The article featured a number of the innovative Sydney school’s first cohorts, including Rosalinda Perido-Roberts who hopes to help her community in Claymore by teaching them to grow nutritious food in their own back gardens. You can read the full article here.
Cuffe's philanthropic fund delivers solid results in first year
9 June 2009
Lucinda Beaman from Money Management reports on the first year performance of the Third Link Growth Fund, explaining the fund outperformed its index by more than 17 per cent. The fund was established last year to provide an income stream for Social Ventures Australia. Click here to view the full article.
On a course to give them help
15 April 2008
Australia’s first school for social entrepreneurs (SSE) was launched in Auburn last week, providing learning and skills development for individuals wanting to help marginalised people, reports Olga Gerloff in the Parramatta Advertiser.
The school will support 18 enterprising individuals to help them with their projects. Based on a UK model, the program of support includes group study sessions, one-to-one tutorials, mentoring sessions and project visits.
Parramatta's Mars Hill Cafe owner Kevin Crouse is a social entrepreneur whose cafe will provide employment to marginalised young people in the area.
‘Parramatta City Council recommended that I take part in the SSE program because my cafe already supported community-based arts and music,’ Mr Crouse said.
‘Through the school I hope to offer barista training as well as setting up a coffee cart to provide employment for disadvantaged young people.’
SSE Australia is supported by Social Ventures Australia, the School for Social Entrepreneurs UK and Steve Lawrence.
To read the full article, go to the 14 April 2009 edition of the Parramatta Advertiser http://digitaledition.parramattaadvertiser.com.au/
Altruism pays off for SVA consultant
11 February 2009
SVA consultant Tabita Roorda has been offered a $50,000 scholarship to work towards her MBA at the INSEAD business school near Paris. The scholarship, from the Macquarie Foundation, has traditionally gone to aspiring high-flying corporate executives. Ms Roorda said she wanted to use the MBA to continue developing her professional skills.
‘I want to be sure that I’m up to speed with organisational and human-resources tools so I can keep creating value in the non-for-profit sector,’ she said.
Macquarie’s support of Ms Roorda, writes Andrew Trounson in The Australian, reflects a global trend in business education, moving to embrace the growing social and environmental responsibility of students and business people.
Ms Roorda will study for a year at Fontainebleau, just outside of Paris, starting in August.
Something’s got to give, or maybe not10 February 2009
As corporate donations start to diminish, charities have begun to cut back on the programs they offer, writes Emma Connors in The Australian Financial Review. Mission Australia has been forced to drop one of its youth programs after a key corporate sponsor pulled out. The Smith Family’s executive director, Paul Henderson, says he expects 2009 ’will be a very challenging year’.
SVA chief executive Michael Traill says he is ’guardedly optimistic’ about the year ahead, believing organisations with proven programs will continue to attract support. SVA will focus on existing programs rather than pursuing new ones.
'We used to get calls from individuals who had done well or from organisations that had more funding than expected and were prepared to be generous,’ Mr Traill said. ’We can’t expect that to happen this year.’ These directors, too, can be put under pressure
7 February 2009
As the economic crisis places pressure on non-profit organisations, those groups should take the time to ensure that their board is fulfilling its role, writes Michael Traill in an opinion piece for The Australian Financial Review.
Mr Traill suggests that board members should not be held to lower standards simply because they are volunteers. Regular reviews of performance should be undertaken and directors should be added or removed where necessary.
Board members should also, where possible, use their skills, experience and time to aid their organisations. Ideally, a board member would bring a balance of 'work, wealth and wisdom' to the table.
Directors should take the time to understand the organisation and its programs, and to be actively engaged with the organisation. And they should assist to attract funding funding, either by giving directly or through their networks. Finally, board members should be able to provide perspective and guidance to the organisation they direct.
|
Archive News & Articles
