There’s almost nothing we love more than a sustainable collaboration. When a partnership brings opportunity and growth to a community, then you can bet SSA will be all over it like a hair boom on an oil spill.
Following a very successful pilot program, SSA now provides a whole new work stream for people with a disability via its new partnership with Endeavour Foundation in Queensland.
Supported Employees (people with a disability) head out on the road with Endeavour staff members to collect waste resources from all Queensland SSA salons fortnightly, while another team in the Endeavour facility sorts and processes it for repurposing.
Endeavour Foundation has been operating since 1951 to bring opportunities to people with a disability, and SSA is excited to be actively building into this mission.
ENDEAVOUR BEGINS…
Unable to enrol their children, each with an intellectual disability, into a State school, a group of Queensland families joined together to start their own school… this was the first of many and the beginning of Endeavour Foundation.
Now, Endeavour is a ‘for purpose’ organisation dedicated to helping people with a disability to live fulfilling lives – at home, at work, and in the community. Whether it's learning important daily life skills, living independently, finding a job, building social networks, or just connecting with the local community, Endeavour supports people to make their possibilities a reality.
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?
“We have grown to be one of the largest disability services providers in Australia,” says Carlos Aguado, Endeavour Project Manager – Transformation, “offering a broad range of disability and business services, contributing to more than $300 million annually to the Australian economy, and creating real possibilities for people with a disability.”
So yes, they’re kind of a big deal. Endeavour Foundation supports around 4,000 people with a disability through its core services in work, home, daily living, social and community participation, relationships and independence, and learning.
“We believe in ability and acknowledge that everyone is different,” continues Carlos. “We work with each person to make the most of their individual skills and interests… for some it might be learning daily living skills like cooking or doing the laundry, for others it might be learning to drive a forklift so that they can take on new duties at work.
“It’s about opening up each person’s world – as little or as much as they want or are able.”
THE ENDEAVOUR IMPACT
Endeavour’s goal has always been the same – to break down barriers to equality for people with a disability, champion the right to inclusion, and provide support for those who aspire for more.
2,466 members of staff
2,368 supported employees
1,716 volunteers
401 apprentices and trainees
The Endeavour Foundation Endowment Challenge Fund provides grants for researchers to explore avenues that will advance the health, well-being and life experiences of people with a disability.
SSA X ENDEAVOUR
The partnership between Endeavour Foundation and SSA currently provides multiple jobs for people in Queensland, but there is potential to expand the collaboration into other SSA territories in the near future.
“We love this!” says Paul Frasca, SSA Co-founder and Managing Director. “It’s just an awesome way to bring sustainability to life. Our aim with SSA is to find ways we can support all areas of the community because that’s what drives a stronger society overall. We believe everyone has something great to contribute; we just need to be open to finding the right fit.
“And our Endeavour team members have become such a colourful, strong and valuable part of the SSA community.”
For Endeavour, launching into a new network such as SSA brings powerful opportunities to get the community learning more about its amazing Supported Employees.
“We know work is important as it can provide people with a sense of purpose, an opportunity to contribute and gain skills, improve confidence and self-esteem,” says Carlos. “We believe employment is a critical part of an inclusive, empowering community for people with a disability.
“Furthermore, all proceeds from this direct partnership are reinvested into the community services to provide expanded outcomes for people with a disability.”
This collaboration ultimately heralds the complete sustainability message – people, planet, profit. It creates social outcomes for people with a disability, generates more efficient pathways for resource collection and repurposing, and provides increased financial opportunities for individuals, organisations and community outreaches. And that’s what a healthy future looks like!
Sustainable Salons Australia provides the most comprehensive waste free systems to the professional hairdressing industry. We collect and recycle 95% of a salon’s waste and reward the salon for their recycling efforts!
Contact us here if you’d like to become a member of Sustainable Salons Australia.
