Future2 2019 Make the Difference! Grants

In 2019, Future2 awarded over $191,000 in grants to community not-for-profit organisations with programs for socially and financially disadvantaged young Australians. There are 20 charity organisations across Australia who received grants, each endorsed by a local FPA member.

Fighting Chance Australia, Frenchs Forest NSW

This grant will benefit the Sydney Chapter

Endorsed by Ian Wright CFP®

Fighting chance is a not-for-profit organisation offering services to support individuals with a disability in work and skill development through two social enterprises, Jigsaw and Avenue. Avenue is an accessible co-working space supporting individuals with micro-enterprises or individual projects. Jigsaw provides work-readiness training and Award-wage employment. Fighting Chance runs a Work Experience Program that gives TAFE or high school students with significant disability the opportunity to undertake a work experience placement in the supported working environments of Avenue or Jigsaw. The grant will support 6 high school students to participate in a work experience placement.

Watch the Fighting Chance Australia application video.

Human Nature Adventure Therapy, Mullumbimby NSW

This grant will benefit the Far North Coast Chapter

Endorsed by Shane Hayes CFP®

Human Nature Adventure Therapy is a charity organisation that aims to address a massive gap in mental health interventions for the most at-risk and disadvantaged young people. Their Recre8 program provides impactful professional therapeutic mentoring for these young people to work through challenges, heal underlying issues, and transform their lives. The program combines longer-term, in-depth therapeutic support they need with time in nature on an expedition, which helps young people engage in a non-clinical, comfortable environment with mental health professionals. The grant will help continue funding for this program to reach more young people in the region.

Watch the Human Nature Adventure Therapy application video.

Top Blokes Foundation, Sydney NSW

This grant will benefit the Wollongong Chapter

Endorsed by Kevin McDonald CFP®

The Top Blokes Foundation (TBF) is a charity that improves the mental health, emotional resilience and community engagement of at-risk and disadvantaged young males aged 10-24 through our peer-led mentoring and community leadership programs. TBF’s Building Blokes program is an 8-week mentoring program for disengaged and at-risk young males aged 16-24 years aiming to improve their resilience, communication and conflict resolution skills. The grant will fund 3 x Building Blokes programs to support 45 young men.

Watch the Top Blokes Foundation application video.

Micah Projects, Brisbane QLD

This grant will benefit the Brisbane Chapter

Endorsed by: Louise Wegner-Parker AFP®

Micah Projects is a registered charity dedicated to providing services and opportunities for communities in need or are at disadvantage. Young Mothers for Young Women (YMYW) is one of Micah Project’s activities that provides a range of support services to young, pregnant and parenting women (25 years and under) their children and families. The ‘Be Your Best’ program aims to equip these young mothers with the confidence, connections and soft skills to re-engage with employment or education. The grant will fund the recruitment of 12 past participants of the program to help out with the program for new mothers.

Watch the Micah Projects application video.

Smart Pups Assistance Dogs for special needs children, Sunshine Coast QLD

This grant will benefit the Sunshine Coast Chapter

Endorsed by: Sara Stephens

Smart Pups Assistance Dogs for special needs children is making a positive contribution to the quality of life for children with special needs and their families across Australia. They raise and train Autism Assist, Seizure Response, Mobility Assist and Medical Alert dogs with Full Public Access certification. Smart Pups exists to help children with special needs lead a life of greater independence in safety and without barriers. A Smart Pup uniquely provides 24/7 emotional and physical support to safeguard the safety and wellbeing of the recipient child. The skills of a Smart Pup assists with reducing anxiety and social exclusion in public places, and maximises participation in life, boosting the potential for development, social and educational gains.

Watch the Smart Pups Assistance Dogs application video.

SunnyKids, Sunshine Coast QLD

This grant will benefit the Sunshine Coast Chapter

Endorsed by: Greg Tindall CFP®

SunnyKids is a grassroots children’s charity on the Sunshine Coast. It keeps ‘at risk’ children safe by ensuring they have food, shelter and a good sense of belonging in their community so they can become contributing citizens and reach their full potential. SunnyKids promotes the adage that “it takes a village to raise a child” and as such its model engages schools and communities in partnerships to identify and support vulnerable children. Each school is invited to enrol “the ten kids they are most worried about” into the program. SunnyKids professional support workers then join local and national sporting identities who deliver weekly programs at the schools, working through a series of activity based programs each with messages and disciplines that support young people to develop a strong sense of belonging.

Watch the SunnyKids application video.

The Compass Institute, Sunshine Coast QLD

This grant will benefit the Sunshine Coast Chapter

Endorsed by: Justin Scattini CFP®

The Compass Institute is a registered charity supporting young adults with intellectual disabilities to live full lives through their social enterprises and daily activities. Examples of training opportunities and activities include learning to be a barista in one of their cafes, attending the animals and orchards at Compass Farm, harvesting the produce to make jams and chutneys to sell in their retail store, or travelling by public transport to the library. The grant will help launch a new program for trainees to enhance, build and grow on their current skill level in the multimedia industries and communications.

Watch the Compass Institute application video.

Autism SA, Adelaide SA

This grant will benefit the South Australia Chapter

Endorsed by: Michael Stone CFP®

Autism SA is a charity and disability services provider helping families and individuals on the autism spectrum. Autism SA’s NEXT STEP is a skills development program focused on life, social and pre-employment skills for school leavers and adults to pursue further education, voluntary or paid employment. It also endeavours to teach money management skills to empower people to manage their own finances and increase their literacy. The program focuses on experiential learning delivered via workshops, capacity building exercises and exposure to real workplace situations. The grant will fund the purchase of video and editing equipment to help expand education channels to video and online conferencing.

Watch the Autism SA application video.

Sammy D Foundation, Adelaide SA

This grant will benefit the South Australia Chapter

Endorsed by: Darren Hocking CFP®

The Sammy D Foundation is a charity established in 2008 in response to the tragic death of 17 year old Sam Davis from an unprovoked one punch assault, with the sole purpose of educating young people about the impact of violence, and the consequences it has on victims, perpetrators, bystanders, friends, family and the broader community. Their ‘Skills for Life’ program supports young people aged 16-24 who are navigating the transition from adolescence to adulthood to develop the skills to make positive life choices. The program provides a life skills toolkit through an interactive model of peer led learning that encompasses quizzes, games and group discussion. This grant will fund 20 participants to take part in the ‘Skills for Life’ program over a year.

Watch the Sammy D Foundation application video.

Youth Opportunities Association, Northern Tasmania

This grant will benefit the South Australia Chapter

Endorsed by: Peta Nunn CFP®

Youth Opportunities is a charity that provides disengaged and disadvantaged young people across South Australia with the tools and knowledge to overcome obstacles associated with bullying, low self-esteem, anxiety, family dysfunction and poor school engagement. Through their Personal Leadership Program, young people are empowered with new skillsets in confidence, resilience, happiness, motivation and sustainable life habits. The grant will fund the delivery of the Personal Leadership Program with young people in need from Woodville High School during Term 1, 2020.

Watch the Youth Opportunities application video.

West Moonah Community House, West Moonah, TAS

This grant will benefit the Tasmania Chapter

Endorsed by: Todd Kennedy CFP®

West Moonah Community House is a not-for-profit organisation that supports disadvantaged people in their community by providing a range of services including educational and training programs, social activities, physical recreation, art and craft programs, preschool. West Moonah Community House runs a training program for young people struggling to learn Road Safety and Road Rules by offering learning in the four main mediums Auditory, Kinaesthetic, Written and Visual. Through this program, young people are able to become confident in their knowledge and ability to obtain their Learner’s permit. The grant will benefit young people identified by local high schools, TAFES and youth agencies.

West Moonah Community House was also awarded a $10,000 Future2 grant in 2018.

Watch the West Moonah Community House application video.

Windeward Bound Foundation Ltd, Hobart TAS

This grant will benefit the Tasmania Chapter

Endorsed by: Vijesh Nandan AFP®

The Windeward Bound Foundation Ltd supports The Windeward Bound Trust, which uses adventure under sail to develop self-confidence, life skills and community spirit in the youth of Australia, with an emphasis on those in need or at-risk. Windeward Bound’s Sail Training Program has provided life changing experiences to approximately 5000 young people over the last 15 years. Sail trainees participate in all aspects of the 24 hour operations of the ship. The grant will support the Sail Training program by funding the replacement of the ships wet weather gear for 29 participants.

Watch the Windeward Bound Foundation application video.

Ladder Project Foundation, Melbourne VIC

This grant will benefit the Melbourne Chapter

Endorsed by: Benjamin Ross CFP®

Ladder is the official charity of AFL players championing social change through its programs focusing on health and wellbeing, life skills, mentoring and education employment and training. Ladder traditionally delivers the 1:1 Mentoring Program which connects disadvantaged young people with industry leaders to gain new skills in ongoing education, training or employment. The grant will fund 5 group mentoring days over a year, which will benefit 40 young people.

Watch the Ladder Project application video.

 Ocean Mind, Geelong VIC

This grant will benefit the Geelong Chapter

Endorsed by: Matthew Torney CFP®

Ocean Mind is a not-for-profit charity that provides therapeutic surf programs for young people experiencing mental health issues, social isolation and disability. Ocean Mind’s core surf therapy program involved 1:1 surfing and mentoring sessions as well as group socialisation activities and the option to become a peer mentor to develop skills for their education, social and professional life. The grant will support 90 young to participate in the program, train 50 new volunteers and train 10 peer mentors.

Watch the Ocean Mind application video.

Society Melbourne, Melbourne VIC

This grant will benefit the Melbourne Chapter

Endorsed by: Simon Coad AFP®

Society Melbourne is a not-for-profit organisation with a mission to end youth homelessness in Australia by supporting young Australians to co-create their own pathways out of the homelessness cycle through education and job training, housing support and paid employment. Society Melbourne runs four social enterprises: Change, The Coffee Cart Changing Lives, home.one, and home.two. Society Melbourne’s Hospitality Training Program is their flagship impact program that provides education , training and employment. The program participants are given support to transition into further education or employment in their chosen field, and are often able to find long-term employment within Society Melbourne’s network of industry partners. The grant will fund and enable about 35 young people to participate in the hospitality training program.

Watch the Society Melbourne application video.

 South Sudanese Australian Youth United, Melbourne VIC

This grant will benefit the SE Melbourne Chapter

Endorsed by: Scott Brouwer CFP®

South Sudanese Australian Youth United (SSAYU) is a non-profit organisation with a primary focus of empowering South Sudanese young people in areas of education and employment, whilst combating issues of alcoholism and high rates of incarceration. SSAYU’s Bounce Back Pathway is a mentoring program empowering young people to reach their highest potential through mentorship and sport – basketball. The grant will help to fund more participants to the program over the next three years.

Watch the South Sudanese Australian Youth United application video.

Country to Canberra, Canberra ACT

This grant will benefit the ACT Chapter

Endorsed by Craig Phillips AFP®

Country to Canberra is a national not-for-profit providing education, leadership and mentorship opportunities to regional and remote teenage girls who are financially or socially disadvantaged. Project Empower is Country to Canberra’s gender equality and leadership workshops series delivered directly to regional and remote communities. The workshops teach girls about self-esteem, sexual harassment, respectful relationships, stereotypes, intersectionality, leadership, goal-setting, and their futures. The grant would help expand Project Empower’s reach by enabling the program to run again in low social-economic regions, remote towns and regions.

Watch the Country to Canberra application video.

Kulture Break, Canberra ACT

This grant will benefit the ACT Chapter

Endorsed by Wayne Lucerne AFP®

Kulture Break is a registered charity aiming to promote empowerment and cultural appreciation in young people by delivering wellbeing and inclusions programs such as MAKE YOUR MOVE dance classes, ELEVATE DANCE AND MUSIC program and the MAN UP & LADIES 1ST MENTORING programs. The programs develop their performance skills, grow their confidence, improve their health and help create new friendships. The grant will provide funding for 15 young people to participate in one of these programs after school at their studio.

Watch the Kulture Break application video.

Kids Camps Inc TA Cahoots, Perth WA

This grant will benefit the WA Chapter

Endorsed by: Gary Thorniley CFP®

Cahoots operates as a disability organisation delivering custom camps and programs across the South-West WA region to support young people at risk with tools to help them lead a productive, stable life. Their Reconnect Youth Program is a regional camp building resilience positive networks and community involvement for youth through workshops and activities. The grant will fund this particular program helping Cahoots build capacity within the region.

Watch the Cahoots application video.

Leading Youth Forward, Perth WA

This grant will benefit the WA Chapter

Endorsed by: Zacary Leeson CFP®

Leading Youth Forward is a registered charity that supports and empowers teens ages 12-15 in Perth who have experienced significant disadvantage such as (social, financial, emotional or parental hardship). Teens participate in a year-long program with a combination of focused small group activities and charity wide events such as their Big Day Out (BDO) development days and a kick-off camp. The grant will help fund the BDO days and help Leading Youth Forward reach a significantly larger group of teens needing the support.
Leading Youth Forward was also awarded a $10,000 Future2 grant in 2018.

Watch the Leading Youth Forward application video.