Social Enterprises Directory

A growing social enterprise operating in Thomastown and is a manufacturer of recyclable bed and mattress that largely services the charity sector to provide beds for vulnerable cohorts, including welfare and social housing providers. A key focus is to repair, return or recycle bed furniture and mattresses and is built to last. Products are designed to be easily repaired, returned and recycled. By creating a circular market, it keeps more furniture waste off the streets and out of landfill.

Contact Details:

Benjamin Armstrong - Social Living

ben@socialliving.com.au

40/42 Mercedes Dr, Thomastown

See their website here

Australia’s first security social enterprise that provides a range of ethical security services, including security guards, mobile patrols, CCTV surveillance/monitoring and temporary fencing hire. They create employment and establish employment pathways for those facing barriers engaging in mainstream employment. SOS’s target cohorts are people unemployed or under employed from disadvantage, with a specific focus on newly arrived, migrants and women in the workplace.

Contact Details:

Sam Giacomin - Director

1300 310 106

sam@sossecurity.com.au

See their website here

LINK is a community-based organisation helping people live well in their own home, whilst staying connected to services and community. LINK services all of Metro Melbourne and its suburbs, growth corridors and select regional areas - providing an extensive range of home care and social support services and operates Melbourne’s biggest fleet of easy-access vehicles and drivers - helping aged, disabled, and other vulnerable Victorians to live their best lives at home and in community.

Contact Details:

Maurice Thaung - Manager Partner Engagements

0425809880

mthaung@lct.org.au

See their website here

Shared Cup is a not-for-profit social enterprise CAFÉ in Donnybrook run by We Love Olivine Ltd. We love Olivine is a charity run by locals who are committed to supporting the community to flourish and offers a place and space for the community to connect and meet. Shared Cup is part of the Now and Not Yet Family. More recently Now and Not Yet won an EOI to deliver a community café in Rosanna in partnership with Banyule Council.

Contact Details:

Shared Cup (Part of the Now and Not Yet Social Enterprise)

995 Donnybrook Rd, Donnybrook

Derek Bradshaw: Derek.bradshaw@nowandnotyet.com.au

Caroline McDonald: caroline@sharedcup.com.au

Shared Cup Website

Now and Not Yet website

Araluen has a custom-built Café at the Mill Park Library to provide local NDIS participants who live in the Mill Park area to have an NDIS-Funded learning pathway where participants learn job skills and gain experience. Skills & aptitude include developing confidence, learn customer service and hospitality skills and flexible support. Participants play a big role in running the café and decision-making. Participants take responsibility for daily tasks. Team supervision is shared between participants and Araluen staff. So when it’s time for participants to take the next step on their path towards future employment, they can do so with greater self-confidence and belief in their abilities.

Contact Details:

Helen Ryan - General Manager

Helen Ryan: HelenR@araluen.org

Tamara: tamarac@araluen.org

See their website here

Since 2006, Boots For All has collected new & near-new sporting goods for redistribution to children & adults in need across Australia to increase their fitness & active participation in sport. Boots For All also operates Australia's first social enterprise sports store - Sport for All that provides training & employment pathways for people with barriers to employment.

Contact Details:

Joanne Rockwell - CEO, Boots for All

info@bootsforall.org.au

30 Janefield Dr, Bundoora

See their website here

Art-ish is a social enterprise, that combines art and community building while providing paid employment for creative artists to purse their passions, share their creations and earn a living by doing what they love. They engage in community art projects, commission artworks and host various paint parties and activities for team buildings, corporate events, private events, kids collaborative art projects as well as for seniors to relax and connect with art. Art-ish also fosters a welcoming and inclusive space for people to brush and bond, get creative, relax and unwind.

Contact Details:

Castein Chimanya - Artist in Residence

Mernda

casteinc@art-ish.com.au

See their website here

Empowering Adult Migrants Through Water-Safety Knowledge!

Founded by Nadia Azizabadi in February 2017, From Zero to Hero is a transformative access model of social entrepreneurship dedicated to addressing the social gap by providing adult migrants with essential swimming skills, cultivating water confidence, and promoting water safety. Their range of courses caters to individuals of all backgrounds and abilities. From beginners to advanced swimmers, they offer programs designed to instil confidence, safety, and a lifelong love of water. They teach swimming and train swim teachers.

Contact Details:

Nadia Azizabadi - From Zero to Hero

Bundoora

info@fromzerotoheroaustralia.com.au

See their website here

A new inclusive enterprise is providing barista services at the Plenty Ranges Arts & Convention Centre (PRACC) – through the innovative design of the Coffee Cart Red Tops seek to help people with wheelchairs the opportunity to provide barista services. By using modified carts, people who use a wheelchair can more readily develop the necessary skills to work as coffee baristas in the hospitality industry. This enterprise is also keen to explore the manufacturing of these carts.

Contact Details:

Graham Haupt

graham.haupt@red-tops.com.au

South Morang

See their website here

Big Group Hug is a grassroots non-profit that provides items ranging from newborn nappies to schoolbooks, and from emergency packs for displaced children to clothes for kids facing daily disadvantages. As part of its business plan it is proposing to identify & develop a social enterprise to support the delivery of some of its services. They help vulnerable children who are living in crisis by seeking and then distributing essential items in times of need. They are committed to supporting every young family who asks for help while ensuring that the child remains the focus of everything they do.

Contact Details:

Bernadene Voss - Chief Executive Officer

bernadene@biggrouphug.org

Thomastown

See their website here

A mobile childcare service that provides care for children of all ages at workplaces and venues. It provides employment pathways into the childcare industry for recently arrived migrant and refugee women, increasing their economic participation and equitable life outcomes. In addition, this unique service facilitates the inclusion and participation of parents in participate in events, programs, appointments and training and education activities. Clients include family violence service providers, member-based organisations, education and training providers, child and family services. It has Social Trader certification.

A multilingual professional driving school operating in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. It services mainly migrant, refugee and humanitarian entrants who require driving lessons for employment, economic empowerment, and connection. It also provides employment pathways for migrant and refugee people (mainly women) to start their own business as certified driving instructors, and training, work experience and employment pathways into the transport industry. It has Social Trader certification.

A bus hire service for community organisations to enable access to community services, programs and appointments for vulnerable community members experiencing transport disadvantage. Community organisations that utilise this service includes youth, disability, settlement services, senior community members.

A fresh produce market that sells locally sourced and culturally appropriate fruit, veggies and local produce to Melbourne Polytechnic students and staff. Looking to expand into food box deliveries for a broader audience. It provides food access to people living, working and studying in the City of Whittlesea. Current customers include students and staff at Melbourne Polytechnic. Doesn’t have Social Trader certification.

Currently developing a business plan for a catering social enterprise to operate from the Melbourne Polytechnic Epping Campus.

A wholesale production nursery located in Wollert, specialising in indigenous flora for revegetation works in the North of Melbourne, as well as hardy native cultivars. The nursery’s primary purpose will be to generate a surplus in order to support First Nations, Connection to Country, revegetation and conservation activities at the Wollert Community Farm. The nursery will be fully operational from mid-2024. It has Social Traders certification.

A resource recovery hub in the City of Whittlesea that creates access and opportunities for local residents to repair, reuse, recycle and upcycle, supporting them to live more sustainably and economically. The hub will comprise of a repair centre, second-hand store and will deliver an annual calendar of workshops and events. It seeks to create a more climate resilient community; and support CoW residents on low incomes, from culturally diverse backgrounds, First Nations people.