Westpac Foundation

Each year, our five philanthropic foundations invest over $10 million in job creation, nurturing next generation leaders and supporting young people facing challenges. ✨   As we merge with the Westpac Group account in the coming days, we’re excited to enhance our impact together and drive positive change in the communities we support.   Learn more about our foundations 🔗 https://lnkd.in/grW8XHGa   #DoingGoodIsInOurDNA #Community #Impact #WestpacFoundation

Did you know Westpac Foundation is part of a family of five philanthropic organisations that are determined to build better futures for all Australians? In the last decade, the foundations have contributed $90 million toward job creation, next generation leaders, and young people facing challenges. To continue championing our collective impact and deliver even greater awareness of #WestpacFoundation, we’ll be merging our LinkedIn account with Westpac Group in the coming weeks. Thanks for your ongoing support! #DoingGoodIsInOurDNA #Community #Impact

Do you know a Year 12 student looking to pursue further studies in STEM? The Applications for the 2025 Westpac Young Technologists Scholarship are now open. This unique opportunity offers high school graduates passionate about a career in STEM: - Up to $20,000 to support their tertiary studies and expenses - A weeklong trip to Singapore to participate in a Disruptive Leaders Program - Mentoring and networking opportunities If you know someone who might be interested, encourage them to join the Westpac Scholars online information session on Thursday, 26 September at 5:00pm AEST to learn about eligibility, funding, application tips, hear from past scholars, and participate in a live Q&A. 👉 Register for the info session: https://lnkd.in/gJWzH_Ei Applications close 5:00pm AEST, January 13, 2025. To find out more visit the Westpac Scholars website: https://lnkd.in/gzciiQMZ

For the second year in a row, we were proud to support the Social Enterprise Festival with Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT (SECNA) for a family-friendly day of discovery, connection, workshops, food and shopping #ForGood.  With over 70 stalls, 1,370 attendees, and a diverse lineup of social enterprises from across the country, we were honoured to be part of this event that celebrated businesses that put people and the planet first. 🙌 A big thank you to Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT (SECNA) and everyone who joined us in supporting a more socially innovative and sustainable future. 🌱✨   #SocialEnterpriseFestival2024 #SocialEnterprise #SECNA #PeopleandPlanetfirst #BusinessForGood

Coming together on all things philanthropic can lead to some incredible outcomes! 🙌 Alongside our Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISE) Grant partners - English Family Foundation, Macquarie Group, Minderoo Foundation, Paul Ramsay Foundation, Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation, MinterEllison & the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation - we are thrilled celebrate the release of the WISE Grant Collaboration Interim Evaluation. Together, we've hit an incredible milestone, with WISE grant reaching its goal of helping Social Enterprises with easier access to philanthropic funding. Underlying this initiative's success has been the development of an innovative co-design process and five principles governing good collaboration - Transparency, Mutual Respect, Clarity of Roles, Having Hard Conversations and Leadership - which will serve as a valuable model for the sector moving forward. Learn more ➡ https://lnkd.in/gnTq2u5Q

Stronger together! 💪   We're thrilled to strengthen our support for three remarkable social enterprises with an extra $100,000 Strengthen Grant from Westpac Foundation. BackTrack Youth Works, Hotel Etico Australia & Plate it Forward are strengthening their communities by creating meaningful employment opportunities for those facing barriers to work. With our help, they'll strengthen their impact even further, providing more jobs, training, and support 👏 👏 👏 Learn more ➡ https://lnkd.in/gTivK-wN

🌟 Spotlight on Ability Enterprises 🌟 Since 2012, Ability Enterprises has been a beacon of hope in Toowoomba, Queensland, employing over 320 locals who face barriers to meaningful employment. From waste services to cleaning and now pioneering in plastic recycling, they're committed to creating a local plastic circular economy. 🌍♻️ Our team had the opportunity to tour the new facilities and gain insights into plastic recycling, witnessing first hand Ability Enterprises' advancements in transforming plastic waste into high-quality pellets for new products. We look forward to their exciting year ahead as they expand their efforts and continue to provide more opportunities for local refugees, people with disabilities and other facing employment barriers. Learn more about Ability Enterprise and their journey to making a lasting impact! ➡ https://lnkd.in/geT5HzsH  #SocialEnterprise #PlasticRecycling * * Sally McGeoch Nathan Eccles Claire Torkington Molly Herbert

🌟Join the 2025 Westpac Board Observer Program! 🌟 We are pleased to invite expressions of interest from social enterprise and community partners of Westpac Group, Westpac Group's Foundations - including Westpac Foundation, the St.George, BankSA and Bank of Melbourne Foundations, and Westpac Scholars Trust who are looking to bring new skills, perspectives and energy to their boards. This practical and immersive governance program, developed in partnership with legal and consulting firm MinterEllison and delivered by board performance experts Future Directors, invites you to host senior professionals with diverse expertise at your board meetings for 12 months, with no ongoing commitment required. Preference is given to boards focusing on education, training, employment pathways, breaking cycles of disadvantage, and supporting First Nations Australians. Join us for an online information session & Q&A to learn more. 🔗https://lnkd.in/gMWFygUS

Our team had the pleasure of visiting social enterprise grant partner Dismantle Inc. in Perth earlier in the month to learn more about their ReNew program, a gardening and landscaping social enterprise supporting at-risk young people in WA to enter the workforce. ⚒ We are thrilled to announce that Westpac Foundation is extending our Social Enterprise Grant to Dismantle of $200,000 over two years and are excited to continue supporting this amazing initiative that has created over 60 employment opportunities annually for at-risk-youth. ✨ Want to learn more about Dismantle and their amazing work?  ➡ www.dismantle.org.au * * Amy Lyden Sally McGeoch Lisa Waldron Pat Ryan Jared Orchard Carlton Higgs

Looking for ways to give back to the community and treat yourself at the same time? Join us at Sydney’s Social Enterprise Festival on 3rd of August at the University of Technology Sydney! The festival will be packed with inspiring speakers and fun workshops where you can learn from experts in the field and gain new insights & skills to make a positive impact of your own. There will also be plenty of opportunities to purchase goods from your favourite social enterprises. 🎉 As a key supporter, Westpac Foundation will be there handing out vouchers to help you shop #forgood 👏 Don't miss out! Register via https://lnkd.in/gzQwDiED Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT (SECNA) City of Sydney University of Technology Sydney #FestivalForGood #Switch2Good #Business4Good #SocialEnterprise #UTSLife