journey Issue Three
Features From the Managing Director Survivor School Freedom Walk Message of Freedom Stylish & Ethical Weddings Top 50 Small Business Leaders 2017 Six Ways You Can Get Involved
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Contributors Sally Irwin
Managing Director
Kirstie Le Lievre
Editor-in-Chief
Nishita Dayal
Editor
Jessica Irwin
Editor
Judith McGhie
Editor
Renee Scifo
Writer
Linet Miki
Writer
David Beattie
Graphic Designer
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Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud Maya Angelou
From the Managing Director Sally Irwin
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The last financial year has been an exciting time of growth for the Freedom Hub. Survivor School
Advocacy and Awareness
• 25 survivors assisted in life and work skills through our courses • Two survivors graduated from our ‘Scholarship Program’ – now working and living independently • Survivors were taken on over 20 educational outings learning more about our city and Australia • One survivor participated in the Young Endeavour Youth (leadership) Scheme • trialled a new ‘tutoring service’ for child brides • 45 volunteers actively gave their time to donate over 4,000 hours helping clients and our cause.
• Ran 32 events in eight months, raising awareness to hundreds of people • We were key note speakers at 12 conferences/corporate events • We were in the media five times • Invited and attended the National Faith Network signing of the anti-slavery agreement in Parliament house • Invited to submit to the Government’s investigation into human trafficking.
Partnerships • Continued in Stop the Traffik Working Group to end slavery • Continued in NSW Forced Marriage Network • Partnered with five organisations to raise awareness and funds.
Social Enterprise • Opened an event venue/cafe in Waterloo leading the way in ethical hospitality. All products are slave free and many ‘give back’ to other good causes • Launched ‘ethical weddings’ at our venue.
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There can be no doubt that adding to our portfolio, a cafĂŠ/venue has stretched us to our limits. The biggest challenge but the most exciting change is the venue being booked out for events. So far this year we have processed over 400 event enquiries with bookings as far ahead as August 2018. We have hosted three weddings, four Bar Mitzvahs and numerous large corporate events. As a result ‘Ethical events’ has become our new marketing tool and a new event team has been developed.
with our purchasing. We now have 12 partnered suppliers who have signed transparency agreements stating they have both checked their supply chain and they pay full award wages to their own staff. Our Freedom Hub Survivor School growth will be in tutoring young child brides. While it is hard to believe that this happens in Australia, the reality is that it does, and these children need more than just rescue. They need to know how to move on with their life, without their family and the community they grew up in. Our Survivor School is based on education.
Two events a weekend has become the norm and it is certainly helping us in our goal to become self-sustainable administratively, so our charity donors directly support survivors.
I believe that education gives people information, information gives knowledge, knowledge gives options and options give choices. The more education our survivors have, the more options to make good choices. Struggling through school after the trauma of being sold or forced into marriage at a young age, can often prevent children reaching HSC level at school. By walking side by side with them through school we can help keep pace with their peers while coping with
Looking ahead The Freedom Hub Venue is pioneering a new way to do business and so it will continue to be a major focus as we endeavour to grow it locally and consider the potential for expansion interstate. Having an ethical supply chain (slavery free) is also a vital part of what we do as we work with our suppliers to ensure we are not funding the problem of slavery 8
trauma. Being privately funded by supporters like you, also means we can continue to help them once they are 18 years of age and loose government support.
So why not partner with us in this venture? I would love to meet you, have a coffee and dream up possibilities together if you think that is you! Please email me: sallyirwin@thefreedomhub.org
I am very excited about piloting this much-needed new service.
In the meantime, I hope this e-magazine inspires you and invites you into the world of changing lives and making the world a better place.
Partnerships is the next area we will be focusing on to grow. To continue to do the work we do without government funding we need people who catch the vision of ‘community solving community problems’ and are will to help fund it. From an individual giving up a coffee a week ($20 a month); to small businesses running fundraisers in the office; to large corporations choosing the Freedom Hub for workplace giving or CSR; we need partners in this pioneering work. We have also launched a ‘needs’ sponsorship program where you can join us by sponsoring the needs of a survivor. For example, you can be her ‘transport sponsor’, helping her get to class; or her ‘rent sponsor’ helping her save up to move out of a refuge. We have a list of needs for each survivor.
Sally.
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Survivor School Kirstie Le Lievre
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In the heart of Sydney’s central business district, women from various walks of life meet to continue their journey towards independence at the Freedom Hub’s Survivor School. The women are of varying ethnicities, ages, levels of education, hopes and dreams. There is nothing remarkable about the group at first glance. They could be any one of the groups of colleagues or friends walking about the city. Yet, they are united by transformation. Their story is one of emancipation and transformation - moving from bondage to freedom, despair to hope, restraint to independence, disempowerment to selfdetermination. It’s a tale of surviving the reality of human trafficking in Australia and emerging as exactly that: a survivor. At the Freedom Hub, survivors are presented with opportunities to enjoy their newfound freedom. Many Australians remember childhood swimming lessons. As most Australian
dwellings hug the coast, and we flock by the water for holidays and relaxation, swimming is engrained in our way of life. Several survivors have now begun the journey of learning how to swim. For many Australians, swimming lessons may feel like a chore, but in the words of one of the survivors, to swim is a dream come true.
"The Freedom Hub has given me the confidence and opportunity to do things I never thought I would be able to do. I never knew how to swim before, it is a dream come true to now be getting swimming lessons. I'm excited to go to the beach for a swim this Summer!"
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The journey ahead is one of continuing to heal, dream and enjoy an occasional dip in the ocean like any Australian.
Chelsea Greck is a coordinator at the Survivor School. She describes her role as ‘fabulous’ as she sees the progress of her working with survivors to map their pathways and goals. The classes are tailored to suit the students, she tells me. This term, the survivors have been studying English, communication skills, art therapy, work-readiness, information technology skills and swimming lessons. The diversity of courses provided enables the survivors to be equipped with the skills required to gain employment in their desired career paths. More importantly, these courses set survivors up for what they hope to be fulfilling careers in Australia, and fuel hope, peace and passion in their hearts. The journey ahead is one of continuing to heal, dream and enjoy an occasional dip in the ocean like any Australian.
Students who graduate from the Survivor School continue to have a place in the community for as long as they choose. There are around 25 clients in total, some of whom are alumni, who engage the Freedom Hub’s services. Regular outings around Sydney to educational, fun and new places provide an opportunity for building new friendship, practising English and discovering more of Sydney. For Chelsea, the greatest reward is to see the transformation in their lives. She began as a volunteer with the Freedom Hub where she worked with clients, and now studying to be a social worker, Chelsea will be putting her experience in community services to use. In September 2016, she very eagerly put her passion and skills to practice when the role of Survivor School Administrator appeared.
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The Freedom Hub is a registered charity equipping survivors of human trafficking in Australia to live independently and partnering in the fight to end global slavery. Volunteers, fundraising and events, not government funding, ensure this good work continues. The Freedom Hub run a social enterprise café in Waterloo, Sydney, that you should add to your list. Treat your tastebuds and make the world a little better – after all, 100% of café profits support the Survivor School. Just quietly, Chelsea recommends the Smashed Avo and Goats Cheese!
If you would like to volunteer with the Freedom Hub, please email sallyirwin@thefreedomhub.org. For more information about the Freedom Hub, visit www.thefreedomhub.org.
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Freedom walk Who can help me? Who can connect me to what is true?
I was stolen;
stolen from my home and stolen from my heart.
Who can end the silence? Is there love in the future?
Someone deep inside me says,
“Freedom will run in my veins and will give me life.”
My tears respond with,
“Life will be beautiful. It still is.”
Though I am trapped now, I hold and cling to those words.
Though the dark night seems endless,
I dream of the awakening; sunlight and a miracle.
The call of freedom is not fully expressed. Yet, I begin to see myself as a free person.
A singing heart still bound.
Not for long. I declare love at present.
“Freedom runs in my veins and gives me life.” My tears are sure, “Life is beautiful, it still is.”
Because of my own bravery, and that of those who helped me, I stagger forward on this freedom walk.
Picking up speed,
and recovering. Heart on, full sound, shackle-free. I hear truth inside and all around.
Love unfailing.
“Life was beautiful, and it still is.”
Freedom ran in my veins and gave me life.
I can give my life for the next generation.
I see freedom to come
and love that shatters prisons.
Renee Scifo
Message of Freedom Linet Miki
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Raising awareness that human trafficking and slavery happens in all industries within Australian borders is another part of the Freedom Hub’s role. While the café is buzzing, volunteers are running events, teachers are helping in the Survivor School, our CEO Sally Irwin is out and about advocating to end slavery. Here is a snapshot of some key opportunities Sally had to raise awareness of modern-day slavery in 2016.
Oracle – IT Industry
Typsy Live – Hospitality Industry
On a panel with three other businesses, Sally was given the opportunity to talk to a few hundred Oracle staff about running a “business for purpose”. Sally’s message was that using storytelling about the ‘why’ of your cause in a workplace gives employees drive to do their work with increasing passion and productivity.
Opening a venue and café this year has launched the Freedom Hub into the hospitality industry as a leader in ethical supply chains and fair wages. Speaking to a large hospitality crowd at the Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sally shared the importance of checking that there is no slavery in the supply chains of the food served in cafes and restaurants. She also addressed the issue of forced labour and how paying award wages will not allow the few corrupt employers to give the industry a bad reputation. Read more here >
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Shhh2016 – Hairdressing Industry
Lexis Nexis – Legal Industry
One thing hairdressers are very good at is talking! ‘Spread the Word’ was our message at Shhhh2016. If every hairdresser at this show told 10 people a day that slavery still happens, over 1 million Australians would hear this truth in one year! What a powerful opportunity for the message of freedom to be spread. At this event, Sally represented the work of ‘Stop the Traffik’ – a coalition of organisations that work together to end global slavery and an important partnership the Freedom Hub is part of. A powerful video on global slavery was shown behind a dramatic hair presentation of a person in bondage using metres of spun hair, representing the many people in slavery in the cotton industry. This was a highly creative and impacting piece by Peter Gray hair.
Our charity partner is all about ‘rule of law’ and the alignment is obvious. The Asia Pacific head office not only give us the opportunity to speak on the topic of modern-day slavery but they work with us to research, create funding and even send out employees just to help around the Freedom Hub office! Our relationship with this amazing team will provide many opportunities to raise awareness in 2017.
The Entourage – Small Business Sally is a regular speaker at the Entourage, encouraging each new intake to think about fair wages and giving back to the community. Sally’s key message is that ending slavery in Australia is possible if businesses were ethical and honest.
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Kenvale College – Hospitality Students Another great partnership we have is with Kenvale College. Kenvale invite Sally to speak regularly to the students who are pursuing hospitality as a career. Sally talks about what to look for when seeking hospitality employment, what to do when they hear of unfair treatment of friends, how to turn their future cafÊ into one with purpose and clean supply chains. Would you like to partner with the Freedom Hub or invite Sally to speak to your workplace? Email sallyirwin@thefreedomhub.org
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Stylish & Ethical Weddings Bookings for stylish and ethical weddings at the Freedom Hub are open for 2017.
Your big day could be the start of a survivor of human trafficking’s best days.
life-changing work of the Survivor School, read the feature article on page 10.
The Freedom Hub is a registered charity equipping survivors of human trafficking in Australia to flourish in their freedom and partnering in the fight to end global slavery.
You are free to use your vendors of choice when using the Freedom Hub’s venue. However, the Freedom Hub has a fully audited list of ethical partners who will make your special day not only beautiful and personal, but also, From the start of 2017, the Freedom are guaranteed to have no slavery Hub’s chic, modern and industrial in their supply chain. space in Waterloo, Sydney is available for ethical weddings. We would love to talk with you about making your big day a For each event booked at the memorable, exquisite and lifeFreedom Hub, you will fund one changing one. To contact the year of a survivor’s tuition through Freedom Hub’s events team: the Freedom Hub’s Survivor E. events@thefreedomhub.org School. To find out more about the W. thefreedomhubweddings.org 20
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Top 50 Small Business Leaders 2017 Inside Small Business has chosen the Freedom Hub’s CEO Sally Irwin as one of the top 50 small business leaders in Australia. The Freedom Hub is thrilled to be profiled alongside inspiring changemakers in Australia’s small business landscape and to share our message that business for purpose matters, and human trafficking is happening in Australia!
The Freedom Hub café is a place for likeminded people to meet who enjoy great food and coffee, and can imagine the difference that conscious consumers can make in supporting the causes they care about!
The Freedom Hub business model brings all the professionalism of a business with the heart of a for-purpose cause. The Freedom Hub is a registered charity with a café in Waterloo, Sydney that sells ethically sourced products from partners who share a passion to end slavery. All funds raised through the café go to supporting the Freedom Hub’s work and running the Survivor School for survivors of human trafficking.
Do you want to partner with the Freedom Hub? Email sallyirwin@thefreedomhub.org
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Six Ways You Can Get Involved
AWARENESS Let everyone know it’s happening in our own country: Facebook/freedomhuborg www.thefreedomhub.org
SUPPORT Support our cafe. All profits will support the Survivor Training School and partner in the fight to end slavery in Australia.
FUNDRAISE Get your friends, work colleagues, gym any group, together and run a social or sport event for our cause.
VOLUNTEER From admin to teaching, every skill is needed to ensure the Survivor Training School is successful.
EMPLOY Can your business provide work experience or shortterm employment for survivors? We need ‘safe’ partners to work with us.
DONATE We have no government funding so we can personalise the help we give. Your donation directly rebuilds a life.
www.thefreedomhub.org