Case Studies

TechFugees Australia is part of a global movement founded by Mike Butcher connecting the tech community to solve refugee settlement problems. In Australia cofounded by Annie Parker, Nicole Williamson and I in 2015, we are in our 3rd year and we have launched in 4 states (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide).

We bring the tech, startup, design and creative community to collaborate with refugees to solve settlement problems. We support the businesses that come out of the hackathons through mentorship, prize money and our networks. RefugeeTalent is the first business to come out of TechFugees Australia 2015 – co founded by a refugee – Nirary Dacho and Anna Robson, it connects skilled refugees to employers. They have just launched their second business, MigrantTalent, a platform that connects skilled migrants with employers. We organise meetups hosted by TripAdvisor to support refugee business.

The Collective is a model I cofounded in 2015 within NSW Government to build the social capital around disadvantaged communities. It brings together communities in need with local businesses, government, NGOs, and universities to collaborate to solve local problems.

The Collective is now within the NSW Council of Social Services and is being delivered state wide to build community capacity to solve social problems. Its the first time collaboration has happened across sectors (public, private, and community) with community setting the agenda of what problem is worth solving and how.

Social Innovation Pitch Event
Innovating the way we deal with social disadvantage by applying methods from other paradigms. The start up pitch event has been replicated and adapted to a community setting. On the 7th July 2015 Kathryn Greiner AO Chaired the first Social Innovation Pitch Event in Broken Hill. Three pitches for three comunities and 25 stakholders across business, government and NGOs willing to offer time, talent and resources to support innovation and social enterprise.

Social Enterprise
Anne-Marie Elias has worked with communities to identify social enterprise initiatives that break the cycle of disadvantage. She brought new partners to Far West NSW to support emerging social enterprise opportunities that leverage the skills, assets and networks of the community, the region and across the State.

Partnerships
Macquarie University is supporting community needs and local projects through the Partnerships and Community Engagement program (across the university faculties including business, architecture, communications, psychology, environment, anthropology and sociology). Projects include understanding rough sleepers in the Brooklyn caves in North Sydney and health study in Far West NSW.

UTS Design Innovation Research Centre is applying its Design Innovation and reframing methodology to breathe new life into engagement for purpose and the application of design solutions to public housing and disability.

Social Change Initiatives
Anne-Marie Elias has played a central role in significant social change initiatives that continue to this day

COTA NSW

• Grandparents’ Day – Establishment of Grandparents’ Day NSW (Est 2011)
• Legal Pathways – Established partnership with Legal Aid and The Law Society to support older people to have end of life legal affairs in place. (Est 2010)
• Liveable Communities – Established partnership with local government to future proof for population ageing (Est 2010)

NSW Government

• Ageing Strategy -Designed the whole of government and whole of community Ageing Strategy.(Est 2012)

Australian Government

• Super Choice – Super and Us Mob (2005) Designed the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander super choice campaign.

If you want to help and know that the status quo isn’t working and are ready for something more meaningful – whether you know what your passion is or not?

I can help you focus your energy and resources on a project or a community that really needs the help and is ready and able to give you a good return on your investment – improving lives.