Social Ventures Australia (SVA) announces a new partnership with Pathways to Resilience’ Wings to Fly (Wings) program, aimed at improving the social and emotional wellbeing of 0-5 year olds, including vulnerable and traumatised children.
Wings provides early years’ professionals with the skills and capacity to enhance outcomes for children. The program provides professionals with a better understanding of the social and emotional needs in children, and the impact that trauma has on brain development.
The latest Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) data[1] shows one in five children are starting school vulnerable in at least one of the five developmental domains. When children are at-risk and struggling with anxiety and mental health issues, learning is often seriously compromised.
Informed by neuroscience, Wings uses a proven approach aimed at preventing anxiety and depression, and deepening understanding of those at-risk children to build their resilience, skills and the capacity to transition effectively into primary school.
SVA’s partnership will enable Pathways to Resilience to grow its business by delivering additional critical conversations and reflection sessions, including intensive in-centre follow-up coaching and mentoring in disadvantaged communities across South East Queensland. SVA will provide $220,000 p.a. over three years to support the growth of the program through the recruitment of two additional early years’ education and engagement consultants, as well as providing a strategic sounding board during the expansion phase to support the business towards sustainability.
‘Pathways to Resilience Trust is delighted to have been chosen by SVA to enter into a Venture Philanthropy partnership to expand the Wings to Fly program in Queensland. It is an honour and a privilege to have such wonderful partners who bring an amazing array of talent and knowledge to our organisation. Pathways to Resilience has a strong commitment to collaboration and partnership, and although it is only the beginning of our relationship it is refreshing to be working with SVA who share common values and goals.’
Anne Turnbull, Executive Officer, Pathways to Resilience.
Wings will also benefit from SVA’s extensive networks and support including pro bono marketing, HR and legal services. Importantly, evidence will be a key part of the partnership to measure results and outcomes, with Griffith University having already completed an exploratory evaluation of the pilot program, and happy to work collaboratively with SVA and Pathways to Resilience.
SVA CEO Rob Koczkar commented:
‘This is an exciting development for our Venture Philanthropy portfolio; Wings is an impressive Queensland program that will change the trajectory for many traumatised and vulnerable children.’
‘This builds on SVA’s partnerships in Queensland with ventures such as Mimi’s House and Vanguard Laundry Services. These sorts of initiatives are delivering real results in improving the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.’
SVA Venture Philanthropy
SVA’s Venture Philanthropy services collaborate with funders, partners and ventures, and leverage knowledge and funding to generate positive social outcomes by helping business, government and philanthropists to be more effective funders – and social purpose organisations to be more effective at delivering services.
SVA have generated over $86 million of investment from philanthropists, corporates, trusts and foundations and government into the social sector, and have worked with 40 social ventures like Beacon Foundation, Ganbina, STREAT and AIME, and distributed more than $20 million to support their work.
[1] Australian Early Development Census, ‘A Snapshot of Early Childhood Development in Australia 2012’, 2013 http://www.aedc.gov.au/resources/detail/national-report-2012
