As part of a $10 million Social Enterprise Fund, Premier Colin Barnett announced yesterday that six organizations will share the first round funding of $239,000 to set up social enterprise programs, designed to create social value through a trading business.
The Association for the Blind WA will get $50,000 to start planning a business employing visually impaired “usability consultants” to work with organizations to identify and eliminate the barriers people with a disability may face when accessing services.
“This business – Access Focus – would not only employ people with a visual impairment, it would further aid in assisting others with disabilities to get into the workforce, to access other services and participate in community life,” said Donna Faragher MLC, Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier.
She said the income generated by Access Focus would further allow the association to divert funds to its other non-commercial services such as its orientation and mobility programs; training; assistive technology support; and its low vision clinic.
“All the recommended proposals will have an impact on a broad range of areas, including disabilities; unemployment; culturally and linguistically diverse communities; Aboriginal communities; and young people,” Mrs Faragher said.
Other successful applicants for this round of funding include:
- Befriend Inc for the eFriends Project, encouraging participants to overcome isolation
- Dismantle for a project re-assembling recycled bicycles
- Bridging the Gap for the Cleaning Up Clearing Out project to employ socially disadvantaged people in a commercial cleaning business
- CASE for Refugees to establish a commercial legal and migration service
- Wunan Foundation to offer business support to Aboriginal organizations
The Social Enterprise Fund was launched in April as government support to strengthen social enterprises in Western Australia, particularly those who improve outcomes of the vulnerable and disadvantaged.