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Executive Director update
Welcome to the September issue of Building better lives together.
This winter has been a season of important achievements and celebrations for BSL. In June, we were excited to launch our Frankston Thrive Hub pilot initiative, an innovative one-stop employment service aimed at placing individuals in Melbourne’s southeast into meaningful and sustainable work.
July brought more good news as our Clifton Hill Residential Aged Care facility received a 5-star rating in a recent review by the Department of Health and Aged Care. Additionally, the team has been recognised as finalists in the 2024 Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) Excellence Awards.
In August, we were honoured to host Professor Sabina Alkire, an expert on poverty measurement from Oxford University, at our annual Sambell Oration event. She presented her groundbreaking work on the Multidimensional Poverty Index and throughout the week also attended meetings with leaders across government, business, academia and the community to share international experiences on measuring poverty.
We also released our annual report, where you can read about our impact over the past year and watch an accompanying video that shares the stories of some of our participants.
I was fortunate to be selected as one of three CEOs of Victorian non-profit organisations for a Harvard Club of Victoria Fellowship, which included a course and short study tour of North America. The course focused on strategic perspectives in non-profit management, and the study tour provided valuable insights from organisations in the U.S. and Canada dedicated to poverty reduction. I’m looking forward to applying these lessons back home as part of BSL's vision and strategy.
We know it has been a tough winter for many people in our community, who are looking forward to a brighter period ahead. Thank you for supporting BSL to address the root causes of poverty and build a fairer Australia.
Warm regards,
Travers McLeod
Executive Director
Brotherhood of St. Laurence
Image: BSL Executive Director Travers McLeod and Professor Sabina Alkire at the BSL 2024 Sambell Oration
We were honoured to host Professor Sabina Alkire, an expert on poverty measurement from Oxford University, at our annual Sambell Oration event.
Why measuring poverty matters
Image: From left to right: BSL Board Chair Stephen Newton AO, Chair of the Productivity Commission Danielle Wood, Professor Sabina Alkire, MCs for the night Rachel Wilks and Nathan Carolus, SNAICC Chief Executive Officer Catherine Liddle and BSL Executive Director Travers McLeod
In August, we had the privilege of hosting Professor Sabina Alkire from Oxford University to deliver the Sambell Oration, our annual signature event. Professor Alkire presented her groundbreaking work as the co-creator of a Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) used around the world. 156 countries have official poverty measures, either official income measure, a multidimensional measure, or both. Despite a landmark poverty review that concluded nearly 50 years ago- the Henderson Inquiry - Australia has neither.
An MPI complements income-based poverty measures by considering a broader range of factors at the household level in education, health and standard of living. As Professor Alkire suggested, Australia should consider an MPI, "not to induce guilt, paralysis or a dread and feeling nothing can be done" but because that process might make poverty "visible in ways that can be linked to action".
The evening featured a thoughtful panel discussion with BSL’s Executive Director Travers McLeod, CEO of the National Voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children (SNAICC) Catherine Liddle, and Chair of the Productivity Commission Danielle Wood. All agreed Australia needs official poverty measures, would benefit enormously from an MPI, and that we fall well behind other countries like Canada and New Zealand in setting clear, unified goals for poverty reduction.
During her visit Professor Alkire met with government officials and spoke at Melbourne University for a BSL Talks on Why measuring poverty matters. Over 500 attendees joined the webinar discussion which included the University of Melbourne’s Professor Roger Wilkins, Council for Single Mothers and their Children CEO Jenny Davidson and BSL’s Social Policy and Research Director Dr Nicole Bieske.
Professor Alkire’s advice will inform an ongoing joint initiative between BSL and the University of Melbourne, ‘Defining and Measuring Poverty’, which draws together experts and partners across a range of sectors to assess current poverty frameworks and measures. Establishing these benchmarks is an essential step in breaking the cycle of persistent poverty that Australia has been stuck in for decades.
BSL will continue to advocate for a national definition and official measures of poverty. It’s important to make poverty visible, build momentum for reducing poverty and celebrate progress when it occurs. Whatever solutions we look to, however, should be determined in consultation with the experts in poverty, the people who experience it.
You can watch Professor Alkire's Oration - Beyond numbers: Why measuring poverty matters, and the panel discussion using the links below.
Frankston Thrive Hub:
bridging gaps, building futures
BSL was thrilled to launch the Frankston Thrive Hub pilot initiative with Victorian Minister for Employment Vicki Ward in early June. The Thrive Hub is an innovative one-stop employment service that helps people in Melbourne’s south-east to obtain meaningful and sustainable work.
The Thrive Hub bridges a vital gap in the employment services system by offering a broader range of supports to local jobseekers, helping them secure long-term employment. Offering employment and training services as well as a range of bespoke services including mental health, drug and alcohol, homelessness, education re-engagement and disability supports, the service aims to knock down barriers to employment while building capability and resilience.
Through utilising community connections, local businesses benefit as well, gaining access to a highly motivated and supported workforce – a win-win for the entire community.
Former Thrive Hub participant Taylah spoke at the event, explaining how the service gave her the confidence and support to complete various certificates, create a resume, enrol in trade school, and start working as an apprentice plumber – a job she still has and loves today: “I’m the second female to start with my company on this job site which is a big deal for me.”
Hume City Council is working closely with our Youth Transition Support program towards opening a second Thrive Hub in Broadmeadows.
Image: Left to right: Tom McIntosh MP, Paul Edbrooke MP, Minister for Employment Vicki Ward, BSL Chief Services Officer Julie Ware, BSL Youth Adviser Tayah Robertson, Paul Mercurio MP and BSL Youth Adviser Nathan Carolus at the launch of BSL’s Thrive Hub in Frankston
This broken system needs more than bandaids, it needs bold and wholesale reform – that’s the only course of action consistent with the federal government's goal of sustained and inclusive employment
BSL welcomes federal government’s employment reform plan
In July the federal government released their highly anticipated response to the report of the House of Representatives inquiry into Workforce Australia.
BSL welcomed the government’s response, particularly the acknowledgement that our flawed employment services system requires significant improvement and that people who use the system must be at the heart of any impending reform.
“This broken system needs more than bandaids, it needs bold and wholesale reform – that’s the only course of action consistent with the federal government's goal of sustained and inclusive employment,” said BSL’s Executive Director Travers McLeod.
BSL understands the challenge isn't just to rebuild the employment services system but to change how that system intersects with the social security and training systems, so it builds capability and confidence rather than punishing people.
While there has been a tendency in the past to tinker with employment services, we’re pleased the federal government is now talking about being bolder in its reforms given the current state of the economy. BSL acknowledges that this will require a multi-year effort, and we will continue to advocate with others for ambitious steps to be taken.
We look forward to contributing to the next phase of consultation and engagement with government, employers and jobseekers to progress this critical piece of work and await the further detail promised in the response, including the phasing of reforms and priority for implementation.
BSL Clifton Hill Residential Aged Care earns 5-star rating
Image: BSL’s Head of Residential Care Milly Kuranage receiving the ACPPA nomination with staff and residents
We are proud that our Clifton Hill Residential Aged Care earned a 5-star rating in a recent review by the Department of Health and Aged Care. This achievement places Clifton Hill among the top aged care facilities nationwide, reflecting the dedication and hard work of our exceptional team.
The star rating system is a valuable tool for older people, their families and carers, allowing them to compare the quality of aged care homes. Each facility is assessed in four key areas: Residents’ Experience, Compliance, Staffing, and Quality Measures. These categories encompass everything from resident feedback to regulatory compliance, staffing levels and the quality of care provided.
In addition to our 5-star rating, Clifton Hill Residential Aged Care has also been recognised as a finalist for the 2024 ACCPA Excellence Awards for Making a Difference by the Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA). ACCPA’s ‘You are ACE!’ campaign is an industry recognition program that celebrates excellence as it happens across residential aged care, home and community care, retirement living and seniors housing.
Congratulations to the Clifton Hill team on this well-deserved recognition!
Partnering for impact: spotlight on ANZ
Image: ANZ Payments, Partnerships and Solutions team who volunteered together at Brotherhood Books
ANZ has been a key BSL partner for over 20 years, contributing resources and expertise to support our vision of an Australia free of poverty. Since 2002, the partnership has focused on building the financial wellbeing of lower-income Australians through programs like Saver Plus, Given The Chance (GTC) and MoneyMinded.
The GTC program creates job pathways for those facing employment barriers, while Saver Plus, Australia's longest-running matched savings program, empowers participants to build a savings habit while improving their financial skills and saving for education. BSL delivers ANZ’s MoneyMinded adult financial education program which involves training community workers so they can better support the financial wellbeing of their clients.
ANZ also assists BSL through sponsorships, workplace giving and corporate volunteering, notably with Brotherhood Books. This social enterprise manages over 40,000 second-hand books, and ANZ volunteers help sort, clean, and pack orders, preventing books from ending up in landfill and supporting BSL’s programs. In 2024, over 100 ANZ staff members volunteered with Brotherhood Books.
Additionally, ANZ volunteers take part in BSL's Digital Literacy program, launched in 2020, to help individuals develop computer, employment, and financial skills. ANZ’s Vildan Omanovic, a former Bosnian refugee, volunteers as a trainer, helping others overcome cultural and language barriers.
Volunteering with BSL has allowed me to have a much deeper connection with participants than just helping them to gain employment, experience and/or building skills for a career as we share a similar journey in life.
ANZ's partnership with BSL exemplifies the impact of cross-sector collaboration in driving social change and supporting a brighter future for all.
We’re creating lasting social change by building a fairer Australia
In August we were pleased to launch our 2024 annual report.
In this report you can explore our impact and key achievements over the past year in support of our vision to create an Australia free of poverty. It features significant milestones in our services, shares stories of transformation and details our crucial research, policy and advocacy efforts.
Our sincere thanks and appreciation to our team of over 2500 staff and volunteers, our Board, partners, participants and supporters across the country for their dedicated work in support of BSL.
Together we can build a fairer Australia through our leadership on policy reform, our partnerships with communities and the quality of our services.
Your care is making a difference
Thank you to everyone who contributed to our recent fundraising appeal. On behalf of the Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL), please accept our heartfelt gratitude for your support.
Unemployment continues to be a challenge faced by many in our community, affecting various demographics differently. Young people are especially vulnerable to unemployment. Young job seekers may lack work experience, have limited professional networks, or face competition for entry-level positions. Targeted interventions and support programs, such as job training, mentorship, or community-based employment initiatives, can help these young people find employment and improve their economic prospects.
Your support means that we’re able to continue providing vital programs and resources to empower young people to build a brighter future for themselves. We will also continue to drive the systemic changes needed to break the cycle of disadvantage.
In this video you can meet Sarah, former BSL program participant and BSL Youth Advisor, hear about her journey and how BSL has made a difference in her life.
If you are passionate about preventing another generation of Australians from facing a lifetime of poverty, please consider making a regular donation to BSL today.
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