The time for social enterprise

Chantal, an alumna of Westpac Foundation grant recipient CareerSeekers, a social enterprise that supports humanitarian entrants into professional careers. 

Westpac Foundation has published its 2021 Impact Report (PDF 6MB) which documents the collective impact the Foundation, together with its community partners, is making in local communities across Australia.

In 2021 as organisations continued to transition to ‘Covid-normal’, the Foundation’s goal was to walk alongside its long-term community and social enterprise partners, re-investing in them, finding new finance opportunities and providing access to capability building and pro bono support.

This year Westpac Foundation awarded 111 grants valued at a total $2.95 million to organisations creating jobs and opportunities for people overcoming barriers to employment.

“Continuing to invest in organisations that empower people to become job-ready,” says Westpac Foundation Acting CEO Amy Lyden, “will help ensure that those who are already facing barriers to work are not shut out of opportunity as the nation re-opens.”

In 2021 CareerSeekers, a social enterprise that supports humanitarian entrants into professional careers, was awarded a grant valued at $200,000 over two years.

“Refugees and people seeking asylum experience significant barriers to restarting careers in Australia, resulting in high levels of unemployment and underemployment,” says Lynn Anderson, Program Director of CareerSeekers, “and it’s not for lack of trying.”

 

“They show incredible resilience and commitment to even make it to Australia,” Lynn continues, “and these attributes are highly prized in corporate organisations.”

 

Westpac Foundation has supported CareerSeekers for six years.

 

Since 2015 Westpac Foundation supported social enterprises have created 4,704 jobs for people overcoming barriers to work.