Enabling resource poor communities to start their own for-purpose business

The problem: too many people in Australia are struggling to make ends meet

We are not ok with this.

We are not ok with people facing choices between turning on the heating or putting food on the table. We are not ok with the richest 1% of Australians owning the same wealth as the bottom 60%. We are not ok that Australia is part of a group of OECD wealthy nations with above-average poverty.

People who are unemployed are at the greatest risk of poverty. People from marginalised backgrounds are at the greatest risk of being unemployed.

That is not ok.

So we’re doing something about it.

The opportunity: a chance through self-employment

The best way to move someone out of poverty is to give them a decent job. Even better – enable them to create their own self-employment through a for-purpose business that benefits people and planet at the same time.

Where are the opportunities for people with no financial resources, no savings to invest and living day-to-day on totally inadequate income, who have a self-employment business idea?

It’s time to equalise the playing field.

The solution: a for-purpose start-up for people with nothing except a good idea

The Ex-Nihilo Project is part of the Training and Work Now for Future Career Pathways funded by the Department of Home Affairs: Employment Pathways for Refugee Integration Program). Ex-Nihilo offers a fully funded 12-month self-employment business development experience for eligible refugees and humanitarian entrants.

The project is a partnership with Green Collect – a leading Australian social enterprise that we’ve worked with since they started-up over 15 years ago. It’s supported by Multicultural Consulting Services.

The program includes:

• A free learning program, including workshops on business planning and marketing and how to get start-up funds
• A $1000 grant when participants have a viable business plan (money that doesn’t need to be paid back)
• Access to business mentors and coaches
• A desk at the co-working community co-located with Green Collect in West Footscray

We know the project works because our London pilot – Social Enterprise Ideas Development - has 65 participants starting their own businesses, ‘ex-nihilo’.

The project uses our internationally recognised For-Purpose Business Model Workbook developed with Bayes Business School in London, as the ‘curriculum’ over the 12 month project. The tools and templates are customised so they are accessible and relevant to people from different backgrounds.

Join the program

For an application form or more information contact Andrew Curtis

Email:  acurtis@dragonflycollective.com.au

Phone:  0475282251

Support the project

Donate to the project - your gift is tax deductible via our partnership with Green Collect.

Book an advisory or training session with us – all income cross-subsides the Ex-Nihilo Project. So when you grow your for-purpose business, you help grow someone else’s too.