LEADING ORGANISATIONS – STRONG COMMUNITIES

1. LEADING ORGANISATIONS – STRONG COMMUNITIES Wednesday, September 4, 2002

2. SOCIAL VENTURES AUSTRALIA Who is SVA? SVA has been founded by: Work Ventures SVA aims to work through partnership between the corporate, community and government sectors.

3. SVA’s Objectives SVA aims to: • develop and implement a model to support the appropriate application of business and commercial skills to the social sector; • create a space for individuals in the corporate sector to contribute to the support and growth of social enterprises; • provide social entrepreneurs with mentoring, practical learning materials, corporate support and access to funding; and • increase the awareness of the positive impact of successful social ventures.

4. Getting Started Workshop – Background • US Experience – emergence of venture philanthropy -Stanford studies on not-for-profit sector • SEN Conference Feedback • McKinsey & Co work on Australian social ventures

5. The Application Process and Timeline Getting Started Workshops Getting Connected Process Getting Funded Getting Serious Workshop Requirements • 1–2 pages – basic background to venture. • More detailed plan (4/6 pages) • -specific strategies and needs outlined • Identification of 8-10 high impact ventures • Funding awarded to 3-5 ventures by Judging Panel • SVA Mentor Match to pair mentors and ventures • Workshops for small groups on as needed basis, utilising case study material (September – October) • Sydney late October Dates/locations • July - Melbourne and Sydney • August - Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth • Sydney late November • 240 Ventures submitted nationally • 160+ attending workshops • 200 Mentors and growing Milestones to date

6. Social Venture Case Studies • Mirabel Foundation • OzGreen • WorkVentures • Hyden • Argyle Community Housing • Inspire Foundations • Founding partners

7. Lessons in Best Practice • Clear mission and vision • Energetic, passionate, committed entrepreneur • Strong management and execution skills • Transparency and discipline in reporting -process and impact measures

8. Getting Started – The Framework Vision/ mission • Strategy Value proposition Business model • Culture • Organisation Talent management Performance management Leadership/ governance • Business processes Accounts, reporting and project appraisal (KPIs) Financial planning and fundraising Delivery System/ infrastructure

9. Mirabel Foundation Elements ‘Our performance management links back to our values—that we are friendly but also firm and fair’ • To do whatever we can to assist children who have been orphaned or abandoned due to parental illicit drug use • Vision/ mission Cautious Growth • ‘Mirabel want to get stronger, not bigger’ • ‘We’re under pressure to go national but we’re not ready’ Continue to provide core services • Assist children • Assist carers • Strategy Mirabel has in some cases advertised for staff but not appointed despite numerous job candidates—they seek out staff with the right values as well as skills • Value proposition • Business model • Culture • Organisation Mirabel has received strong support and exposure from the entertainment and media sectors. Annual fundraisers and several TV and radio features • 12-member board includes founder, Jane Rowe, and also covers functional, sector and fundraising skill-sets • Talent management • Performance management • Leadership/ governance • Business processes • Accounts, reporting and project appraisal (KPIs) • Financial planning and fundraising • Delivery • System/ • infrastructure Upgrade of website recently completed with help from 2 Telstra staff on pro bono fellowships ‘Some results are easy to measure. For example, when you help a family in need by building a home extension. Other issues are harder to measure like the rise in a child’s self-esteem’ Every child that Mirabel has contact with receives a birthday present and a Christmas present each year Source: Interview with Jane Rowe

10. Workshop – The Agenda • Social Entrepreneur speaker - What makes a successful social venture (practical reinforcement of the “venture” triangle) • Working/case study sessions - Mission/vision - Reporting - Governance/board - Fundraising • Commercial entrepreneur speaker

11. Getting Started – Submissions & Workshop • Victoria - 49 submissions, 27 attendees at workshop • NSW - over 100 submissions, about 70 attendees • South Australia - 18 submissions, about 25 attendees • Queensland - 35 submissions, about 30 attendees • Western Australia 12 submissions, over 20 attendees • Plus 1 submission from Tasmania and 2 each from the ACT and NT, with someone from the NT coming to Brisbane!

12. Lessons for the future Feedback • Average rating across 5 workshops 1.6 where 1 is very good, 2 is good and 5 is poor; • Workshop content rated as very relevant for social ventures; • High value placed on the networking opportunity – most participants expressed a strong desire for more regular meeting forums; • Word of mouth became an increasingly important factor in attracting workshop participants. Expect strong repeat demand for similar workshops

13. Lessons for the future (cont) Venture “Clusters” • Number of submissions from similar ventures nationally • Opportunity for developing best practice case study material and running workshops focussed on venture “clusters” such as: • youth enterprise; • community digital divide projects; • disabled support groups; community building groups/projects; • advocacy and rights groups (particularly on refugee issues); and • environment.

14. Mentor Matching Examples • Clean Up Australia • Review of fundraising strategies • Opportunities to use brand • McKinsey & Co mentors involved • Weekly Meetings • Board presentation of findings • Accessibility.com • Web site providing information & support to disabled • Dave Jacobson (former Com Tech director) providing web, I.T. advice and contacts • Columba 1400 • Highly regarded youth-at-risk program based on Isle of Skye • Potential start-up opportunity in Australia, being researched and developed by Nicole Endacott

15. The Mentoring Process • SVA review ‘Getting Connected’ submissions • SVA choose either to accept a venture into Getting Connected, or not. • Venture accepted - SVA contact aims to facilitate mentor match • Prospective mentor(s) contacted and initial meeting set up with venture.

16. The Mentoring Process cont. 5. Once mentor match established, primary mentor enters mentor contract and contact details on site 6. Ongoing, all mentors can login to their ‘My Ventures’ page (with own password), to update on venture contacts & deliverables 7. SVA reviews match to check progress

17. SVA MENTOR CODE Mentoring is a two way process • we have as much to learn as we have to offer Effective mentoring is about credibility and relationships: • credibility is a product of delivering what we say we will do, when we say we will do it; • relationships take time, commitment and patience Honest feedback is critical • clear definition of expectations, both ways, is the foundation • preparedness to follow up when expectations not met Source: Expert interviews