Create lasting social change and help build equitable neighbourhoods with funding from our Social Investment Partnerships Program. Grant applications are open until 6 February.
We award social investment grants to non-profits, social enterprises and B Corporations that support diverse people to participate and thrive in the city.
Recent recipients are making live music venues more accessible, providing business training to migrant families and helping salon workers recognise and respond to signs of family violence.
The Huddle at North Melbourne Football Club has also received a grant for its Game Changers program, which supports vulnerable young people to become leaders and gain employment.
Game Changers coaches provide intensive education and mentoring to help participants develop interpersonal, technical and enterprising skills, before connecting them to employment at community sector organisations.
Akram has taken part in several mentoring programs with the The Huddle over the years, which led him to Game Changers.
‘The employment opportunities were appealing. So was the involvement of other organisations like Young Australian People and Ubuntu Project,’ Akram said.
‘They all provided good resources and connections which could lead to other opportunities after the program.
‘I highly recommend Game Changers – just make sure you attend all the sessions. If you miss out on sessions, you’ll miss out on something good!’
After the Game Changers program, Akram was offered employment with the Huddle Up! and Huddle Holidays programs. He is now an inspirational young leader in the North Melbourne community.
‘It is really good working with The Huddle. It’s a great team and I enjoy the programs that we run,’ Akram said.
‘I love seeing the kids progressing and having fun. I also like working with other groups in collaborative projects.’
Akram has also worked with educators and North Melbourne Football Club staff to design and lead ‘The Race’, a challenge for young people with personal development and wellbeing activities along the way.
‘It was pretty difficult, not going to lie, but I enjoyed doing multiple tasks, working in a team and learning how to manage a project,’ Akram said.
‘It was great to put a whole lot of skills I didn’t know I had into a project and completing something meaningful.’
Read more of Akram’s story on the North Melbourne Football Club website.
To discover more about our grants program, visit Social Investment Partnerships Program.
