What was great about 2008

Last year Virgin Mobile Australia did a fantastic job working with Twenty10 – an organisation which supports young people who are gay, lesbian, transgender and gender-questioning. Virgin Mobile generously donated 50 mobile phones and SIM cards, provided free SMS communications to clients, paid all staff mobile phone bills, and organised a staff “hamper drive” that provided thousands of dollars worth of goodies and mountains of Christmas cheer.

Twenty10 was also thrilled to receive an invaluable brand make-over courtesy of Virgin Management, Virgin Mobile and an external advertising agency. Working with the clients and staff of Twenty10, the Virgin team revitalised the brand, developed a new logo and gave Twenty10 a fresh perspective on “how we are viewed and what our opportunities for growth are”.

Stretch-A-Family (SAF) – a foster care program breaking the cycle of youth homelessness – was also a beneficiary of Virgin’s generosity. As a result of funds donated by Virgin Unite Australia, SAF was able to produce a short film which will be used to recruit new SAF long term foster carers for teenagers. Virgin Management also lent a hand by organising an external law firm to provide pro bono legal advice and a design agency to provide pro bono interior design services for SAF’s new offices, both of which were worth thousands of dollars.

Last year, V Festival raised tens of thousands of dollars for Virgin Unite Australia initiatives by donating $1 from each ticket sold. A major beneficiary of these V Festival-raised funds was the Inspire Foundation whose mission is to help millions of young people lead happier lives. V Festival also works with Inspire to publicly promote its www.ActNow.com.au program which connects young people to social issues and volunteering opportunities.

Virgin Money Australia went above and beyond last year when they provided countless hours of web expertise to South Sydney Youth Services (SSYS) to assist in the development of a brand new website. SSYS is a grassroots organisation which offers a range of services to young people doing it tough including practical assistance with employment, accommodation, education programs, mental health and counseling.

One of Australia’s latest and greatest Virgin business, Virgin Active, demonstrated its commitment to social enterprise last year by purchasing t-shirts from Doin’ Time, a not for profit business run by the lads at Port Phillip Prison. Virgin Management and an external communications agency also pitched in to support the lads by conducting a marketing workshop for the Doin’ Time business which proved to be an insightful and enjoyable experience for everyone.

Virgin staff in Australia have started the inspirational journey of exploring Indigenous culture. Staff from Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Money, Virgin Management, Virgin Unite, V Festival, Virgin Blue and Virgin Mobile have participated in various Indigenous connection trips and cultural workshops. The highlight of which was sitting on the red earth around a camp fire under a star-studded night sky sharing stories and cooking kangaroo tails with the traditional owners of the Yeperenye dreaming country (near Alice Springs).

A project which Virgin is very excited about, called NAILSMA, is using Indigenous knowledge on land management to combat global warming. Not only is this good for the environment it is also good for local Indigenous communities who are the operators of the land management businesses. It is a truly ground-breaking program which brings together Indigenous people and their traditional knowledge, modern technology, business opportunities and environmental imperatives. Virgin Unite Australia and Virgin Blue’s Red Jet Foundation are proud to be able to provide funding and business and investment advice to such a landmark project.

The work of Akeyulerre healing centre in Alice Springs is another wonderful example of the importance of preserving, celebrating and utilising Indigenous knowledge. The members of Akeyulerre represent the families that hold the cultural story and responsibilities for the area known as Alice Springs. They have expertise in cultural practices of health and well being, cultural brokerage, language interpretation and Aboriginal health work. Virgin Unite Australia is proud to be able to donate funds to such an invaluable community service.

Virgin Unite Australia and Virgin Blue’s Red Jet Foundation have also donated funds to an important Tangentyere Council project that is developing thermal efficiency improvements for Town Camp houses of Indigenous people in Alice Springs which will reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and health issues related to poor housing in the camps.

Virgin in Australia is committed to supporting the use of music as a means of reaching out, and inspiring, young people doing it tough. So we were thrilled to be able to provide funding to a grassroots organisation called SWYPE in western Sydney which uses song writing, performance, recording and industry and technical experience as a creative alternative education tool to re-engage young people currently outside the school system, employment or other training. Similarly, South Sydney Youth Services received funding for its therapeutic music program for Aboriginal young people that gives a creative outlet and allows for healing through the expression of feelings, thoughts and experiences.