Social Enterprise transforming the lives of those excluded from the labour market

Mission Australia welcomes the Commonwealth Government’s commitment to social enterprise through the Innovation Fund.

Today the Prime Minister visited one of Mission Australia’s social enterprises in West Heidelberg, the Urban Renewal Enterprise Employment Program (UREEP), a landscaping and construction social enterprise that trains and employs local people experiencing disadvantage and unemployment.

From experience in urban renewal and its relationships with local government, Mission Australia has developed Changing Places, an innovative model of sustainable, place-based social enterprise whereby social procurement partnerships will seed large-scale, long-term sustainable social enterprises.

The program which will operate in local government areas in Victoria, the Northern Territory and Queensland will deliver local services while creating employment and training opportunities for local job seekers facing a range of barriers to employment.

Mission Australia welcomes the announcement from the Commonwealth Government to support Changing Places under the $20 million Innovation Fund.

Mission Australia State Director, Paul Bird says Changing Places will develop a new model of sustainable, place-based social enterprises with significant potential for future replication across Australia.

“Mission Australia has a proven track record in delivering quality and successful social enterprise programs,” said Mr Bird.

“With current economic uncertainty and unemployment predicted to rise in the next year, innovation is required to skill the long-term unemployed in disadvantaged areas. Our program is doing just that.

“Over 30 people experiencing long-term unemployment are eligible for the program each year and independent research has shown that 71 per cent of program participants have made the transition into sustained employment or education.”

“In Melbourne, the UREEP program has supported people from a wide range of disadvantaged groups, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disabilities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.”

UREEP is also an HIA registered business providing services in the landscaping, construction and building maintenance industries.

“To date, UREEP has laid 295 metres of footpath, installed a basketball court, renovated and repaired cricket nets and repaired fences and renewed 17 houses in the West Heidelberg area to the value of $530,000,” said Mr Bird.

“Our Urban Renewal program develops life and relationship skills, builds a new self-supporting peer group and provides a certificate II or III qualification.

“Through programs like UREEP, Mission Australia is setting the standard in our attempt re-engage disadvantaged members of the community and the creation of a fairer Australia through effective social enterprise programs.”