With Christmas around the corner, now is the time to consider how you can help the people around you.
These three incredible Aussie charities work hard to advocate for those in need. From food drives to school presentations, discover all the ways they are changing lives, and what you can do to help.
TBU Federation Square program
The Big Umbrella
The Big Umbrella (TBU) has been making and serving hearty meals to those experiencing food insecurity and homelessness since 2010. Today, the team of 46,400 volunteers has served a total of 420,000 meals using rescued ingredients and produce.
TBU’s main initiative is Feed Melbourne, a supportive and safe space for those experiencing homelessness in Melbourne to gather for friendly conversation and a delicious meal. Located in Federation Square, all dishes are created in the Brunswick commercial kitchen before being transferred and served by welcoming volunteers.
Behind the TBU kitchen is an urban farm stretching 750 square metres, where the volunteers access lots of fresh produce to be used in cooking. Here, the formerly disused land has been transformed into an abundant farm run entirely on solar panels and fertilised using food scraps from the kitchen. TBU is always looking for new volunteers to cook and serve their delicious free meals, or to get their hands dirty in the garden.
TBU also run corporate team building programs, where corporations are invited to send their staff to the Brunswick kitchen where they cook restaurant-quality meals to be served at the Feed Melbourne base. Along the way, staff will also learn all about the importance of being environmentally and socially conscious.
Beacon Foundation volunteer working with young people © Joshua Lamont
Beacon Foundation
Beacon Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation working with young people to help them find the aspiration, motivation and skills they need to gain valuable career opportunities. They believe that every student has the right to equally access work, education, and post-school pathways. For more than 35 years, they have been delivering career-ready programs all across the country, though they target schools with teens from low socio-educational backgrounds.
The organisation offers short day-long courses, as well as multi-session programs. The short courses can be delivered in schools or businesses to boost employability skills and foster connections between young people and the world. In the longer career programs, students attend eight sessions where they work towards post-educational opportunities by developing their awareness, exploration and experience. This program includes hands-on skills that can be applied in the real world, and work experience to get young people into their desired fields.
Beacon Foundation is also instrumental in facilitating work placements for young people in need. They want to create a safe environment where these students can learn and grow while feeling supported. Students who participate in Beacon programs can talk to industry volunteers about their career journeys, and gain valuable advice on how to prepare for the working world.
© Blaq Aboriginal Coorporation
Blaq Aboriginal Corporation
Blaq Aboriginal Corporation is all about empowering LGBTQIA+SB Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through inclusion and advocacy work. They want to create opportunities for community engagement and help to ensure that the specific challenges and needs of their community are addressed.
Throughout the year, the organisation hosts workshops for those who identify with the community, designed to develop important life skills. These can focus on a number of areas including renting laws, financial credit, cooking, CV and job application writing, budgeting, creativity and more.
Blaq Aboriginal Corporation also offers workshops for businesses to educate their staff on creating a culturally safe place for LGBTQIA+SB Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These are run by those within the community who have experienced and understand intersectionality. The training modules on offer cover topics such as understanding the rainbow acronym, pronouns and identities, intersectionality and sistergirls and brotherboys.
To read about three more great Aussie charities, click here.