For Change Co. is extremely excited to announce our latest partnership with Co-Ground. Through this partnership, For Change Cafes will be taking over Co-Ground’s social enterprise cafe: Lifeblood in West Melbourne.
Who Are Co-Ground?
Co-Ground is a registered not-for-profit social enterprise supporting community-led programs in Vanuatu, the Philippines and right here in Australia. 100% of the profits generated by their social enterprise operations in Australia support their local and global programs.
In Australia, Co-Ground is committed to the empowerment and self-determination of Indigenous young people. Since 2021, this has meant creating employment and training opportunities in partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations at their Lifeblood and Swinburne cafes.
Internationally, Co-Ground supports grass-roots community-led initiatives that improve access to education, employment, health and sanitation. Recent projects include a water access project in remote Vanuatu and a Child Rights and Women’s Empowerment program in Northern Philippines.
What does this partnership mean?
Co-Ground genuinely believes this partnership will lead to furthering the social impact possible at the cafes, increasing the level of support and opportunities available to Indigenous young people.
Co-Ground’s business model is evolving, which will further drive their social impact programs locally and globally.
Through this partnership, Co-Ground has handed over the operations of the cafe to For Change Co., where we will be integrating the venue into our Pathways for Change program and will continue to ensure that the cafe has a direct social impact on young people. In 2023, 10% of For Change Co.’s trainees identified as being Indigenous, and through this partnership, we aim to increase the level of training, employment, and self-determination opportunities for Indigenous young people in an empowering and culturally safe environment.
What happens now?
For Change Cafe has already begun operation at Lifeblood and we’ve loved jumping straight into the operation and meeting all the Lifeblood staff who have visited us so far. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date with further announcements.
We’re thrilled to continue the impact that Lifeblood has created and want to express our gratitude to the Co-Ground team, Lifeblood staff, and customers who have made this impact possible.
Everyone here at For Change Co. also extends heartfelt gratitude for Co-Ground’s unwavering commitment to creating social change and opportunities for young people across the globe.
