Vanguard Laundry Services: creating more than ‘just a job’ for Australia’s long-term unemployed
By providing jobs and training opportunities, Vanguard Laundry Services is offering people not just a pathway to financial independence, but the chance to reclaim their lives. Addressing SVA supporters at a recent partnerships event, founder Luke Terry gave insights into the work of Vanguard and some of the people it’s touched.
BackTrack – giving kids a second chance
The latest addition to SVA’s national Venture Philanthropy portfolio, BackTrack is a great example of multifaceted services – education, health, employment, housing and justice – working together to support the needs of young people. Founder Bernie Shakeshaft explains more about the program’s approach and how it’s putting hundreds of Australia’s most vulnerable youth on the road to a brighter future.
Am I an evidence broker? reflections on a trip to North America
I hope Australian educators and people in education systems will find some of these ideas and insights useful, informing the way they think about their role in relationship to research and to schools.In this article, John Bush provides insights into the study of research use in education, which has informed the thinking for Evidence for Learning (E4L), incubated by SVA. In February John presented at the William T. Grant Foundation’s annual Use of Research Evidence meeting in Washington, D.C. He shares his learnings in this blog to assist Australian educators and system leaders as they think about using research evidence to improve policy and practice.
Bridging the STEM divide
The 14 schools representing The Connection’s innovative new STEM program are already shaping the course of STEM education in schools serving challenged communities. As SVA and Samsung prepare to grow this potential, we spoke with one of our dynamic principals to hear how her school is integrating STEM in authentic ways.
Making progress: One school’s journey from struggling to high performing
Associate Director, Dr Tanya Vaughan spent time working with the UK-based Education Endowment Foundation. During her trip she visited one disadvantaged school, demonstrating how evidence can be used as an enabler in learning to ensure each child can progress for continuous growth.
The boab nut story
The emergence of the painted boab nut project is a true testament to the resilience and ongoing empowerment of women in Fitzroy Crossing.
A progress update on Marnin Studio
SVA is supporting Marnin Studio to become a sustainable arts enterprise, strengthening the identity and well-being of the women in Fitzroy Valley.In May this year, SVA initiated a three year venture partnership with Marnin Studio, an Indigenous women’s arts enterprise based in Fitzroy Crossing.
Meet the Marnin Studio artists
Meet June Smith and Nita Williams, two of the local artists at Marnin Studio.
WA engages with the topic of Social Impact Bonds
As Social Impact Bonds demonstrate their potential for tackling entrenched social problems worldwide, SVA’s Perth team opened up the conversation among stakeholders in WA.SVA recently hosted a cross-sectoral forum to share knowledge of Social Impact Bonds as an effective funding mechanism and explore their potential in WA.
Top 5 SVA Quarterly articles of 2016
We’ve published an impressive collection of SVA Quarterly articles this year. Encompassing topics and insights from throughout Australia and the varied projects SVA is involved with.
Demand-led disability employment program proves it’s on the right track
As SVA and the Australian Network on Disability prepare to release their ‘Early learnings’ report on the High Growth Jobs Talented Candidates initiative, we look at how the demand-led approach is reshaping the disability employment landscape for businesses and employees alike.
SVA welcomes Mimi’s House as the first Queensland venture to join its venture philanthropy portfolio
Local supporters joined SVA in Brisbane on Thursday 1 December to officially welcome Mimi’s House, a program of Hope Services, as the first Queensland venture in SVA’s venture philanthropy portfolio.
Outcomes management: the bigger picture
Guided by international expert David Pritchard, SVA’s latest thought-leadership discussion in Perth delved into the practice of managing to outcomes. The chance to unravel the pitfalls and opportunities of outcomes management, share knowledge and gain insights.
Social Capital Markets Conference (SOCAP) in San Francisco
SVA’s Mark Peacock, Director, Impact Investing, was among the thousands of attendees at this year’s Social Capital Markets Conference (SOCAP) in San Francisco
Outcomes management: the basics
In this SVA Quarterly podcast, consultants Simon Faivel and Jon Myer share some fundamentals about outcomes management – without the jargon.
The Future of Housing Assistance
Effective, secure, long term funding will go some way to provide stable, appropriate and high quality housing for those most in need in Australia. This article highlights the three different perspectives of speakers taking part in the Plenary Keynote Address at AHURI’s Future of Housing Assistance conference that Rebecca Thomas, Associate Director, Impact Investing attended.
Author’s teaser for Kickstarting an innovation strategy
In this podcast, Alex Humphry talks to SVA Quarterly Editor, Karen Prout about why she wrote the most recent SVA Quarterly article: Kickstarting an innovation strategy. Alex shares what she discovered after talking to four organisations in the disability sector about why and how they have launched innovation strategies, what people will learn from the […]
Stories from Marnin Studio
Marnin Studio, a social enterprise in Fitzroy Crossing, is the first venture partner of Social Ventures Australia’s WA venture philanthropy portfolio. Marnin Studio is an arts and therapeutic studio operating out of the Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Centre. In this article, we share a few stories about recent activities at the Studio.
Student agency in action
Growing interest in the work occurring in South Australian schools provided us with the opportunity to convene the eleventh Thought Leadership Gathering in Adelaide.
Lessons in Effective Capacity Building
The only thing better than having an engaging discussion with people who are passionate and enthusiastic about addressing social disadvantage is getting to have two days of discussions with 600 passionate people.
The magic of connection
On a visit to three Star Hubs as part of a roadshow day, I was fortunate to see The Connection in action. Its impact was tangible.
SVA AND SOCIALSUITE PARTNER
SVA is delighted to formalise our non-exclusive partnership with Socialsuite, a leading provider of outcomes measurement and reporting software, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
Pride and joy in Aotearoa
The footprint we have left is now their footprint. Waipareira own what we have done with themIt was one of those days which is difficult to translate into words: a day immersed in Maori culture, and the culture of an organisation defining what it means to be Maori in 2015 in urban Auckland. It was a day that filled me with immense pride for what Waipareira is doing, and for how we have helped them to build an organisation and team that can support and strengthen that journey.
Top 10 SVA Quarterly articles of all time
Looking at the top 10 SVA Quarterly articles of all time – well, since we launched in August 2012 — what strikes me are the various themes they reflect.
Evidence and transformation
I had the great privilege in November of being a delegate to the most recent convening of the Global Education Leaders Partnership (GELP), held in Auckland, New Zealand.
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