2023 Grants

Children’s Ground

Project: Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe (Children’s Ground Central Australia)
Grant amount: $50,000

Children’s Ground works within a community over a 25-year period to support First Nations people to address issues that perpetuate disadvantage including lack of access to education and employment opportunities. It builds on the ability, strength and culture of the communities of the First Nations people.

The Children’s Ground approach involves wrap around support and activities across 5 platform areas: Learning & Wellbeing, Health & Wellbeing, Community Development & Wellbeing, Economic Development & Wellbeing and Creative & Cultural Development & Wellbeing.

The Capricorn Foundation is supporting early childhood learning in a town-camp outside of Alice Springs as well as work creating employment opportunities for community members to gain experience as educators.

Community Resources Limited (Green Connect)

Project: Community Engagement at the Green Connect Farm
Grant amount: $100,000 over two years

Green Connect is an award-winning, not-for-profit social enterprise based in Wollongong NSW run by Community Resources Ltd. Green Connect employs young people, former refugees, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to do work that improves the community and the planet, across their many social enterprise businesses.

Green Connect manages an 11-acre farm in Wollongong NSW where they grow food using organic farming methods. Green Connect also runs a Zero Waste Service where they help businesses and events to reduce their waste. In addition, Green Connect operates two op shops that help keep items out of landfill and offer environmentally friendly gardening and landscaping services.

Each person employed at Green Connect is provided with training and support. Their experience at Green Connect can then be used as a springboard to find suitable, long-term, fulfilling jobs and careers.

The severe weather events of 2022 had a significant impact on the infrastructure of the Green Connect Farm. The Capricorn Foundation is providing support to Green Connect to improve facilities and design visitor programming to increase engagement.

Kids Under Cover

Project: Partnering to Prevent Youth Homelessness
Grant amount: $50,000

Kids Under Cover’s vision is an Australia where no young person in our community is homeless. Their unique early intervention approach to preventing youth homelessness sees relocatable studio accommodation and education scholarships provided for at-risk and homeless young people so they are able to remain connected to home, family, carers, education, their peers and the community.

In 2023, The Capricorn Foundation will support Kids Under Cover by providing a one- bedroom studio for one young person at risk of homelessness. This grant will also enable Kids Under Cover to support twelve young people residing in their studios and their siblings with critical financial support to continue their education and/or training.

Stars Foundation

Project: Expansion of Stars Foundation
Grant amount: $35,000

Stars Foundation supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls and young women to attend school, complete Year 12 and move into full-time work, further study, or find alternative fulfilling pathways. The program model is based on strong, trusting relationships and tailored to support each child’s unique strengths and challenges.

Stars provides a diverse range of activities to support First Nations girls and young women to develop the self-esteem, confidence and life skills they need to successfully participate in school and transition into a positive and independent future.

The Capricorn Foundation is providing support to the Stars Foundation to expand programming to more girls, in more schools and locations.

STREAT

Project: Core program support
Grant amount: $35,000

STREAT works to create healthy people and a healthy planet by working to ensure that disadvantaged young people are thriving in all parts of their lives. STREAT is nationally recognised as a leading social innovator, using its portfolio of social enterprises to give young people (aged 16-24) the support and skills they need to reach their potential.

In 2010 STREAT began as a tiny food cart selling coffee, today they operate multiple cafes, kiosks, an artisan bakery, a coffee roastery and a catering company. All profits from all businesses are directly reinvested to providing holistic support and training pathways for young people.

The Capricorn Foundation is providing funding to support core programming at STREAT.