Westpac Foundation funding to support creation of more than 300 new jobs

In its first round of grant funding for 2025, Westpac Foundation has awarded two social enterprises Employment Partnership Grants valued at $300,000 each over three years to support job creation for people facing barriers to employment. 

Fruit2Work and Ability Enterprises are seeking to produce an additional 314 jobs collectively in the next three years as a result of the funding, supporting Westpac Foundation’s refreshed goal to help social enterprises create 30,000 job opportunities by 2040. 

 

Amy Lyden, CEO of Westpac Foundation says she is delighted to be continuing to support two of the Foundation’s long-term partners. “We believe in their business models and the enormous contributions they’re making in the community,” she said. “We look forward to seeing them scale their impact over the next three years.”

Supporting marginalised people in regional Queensland  

Ability Enterprises offers services in waste management, commercial cleaning, gardening and mattress recycling – more recently expanding its remit to clean waste processing. 

 

Located in rural Queensland, it has supported more than 400 people facing barriers to employment since 2012. In continuing the growth of its clean waste initiatives, the funding will enable Ability Enterprises to maintain a plastics expert consultant to deliver best practice industry advice and to develop a new learning program for their team. It will also be able to employ a Social Support Leader. 

 

“Our ongoing partnership with the Westpac Foundation is simply invaluable to Ability Enterprises.  It’s not just the money, it’s the genuine support the Westpac Foundation team provides through knowledge and advice,” says Claire Torkington, CEO, Ability Enterprises.  

Creating opportunities for people who have exited the justice system  

Fruit2Work helps previously incarcerated people rebuild their lives by offering meaningful employment opportunities delivering fruit, milk and other products across metropolitan Melbourne, regional Victoria and more recently Queensland.

 

Central to its model is a unique 24-week program for staff called ‘Build a Better You’ which is credited with creating authenticity and trust within the team. To date, it has also helped ensure no one has re-entered the justice system.

 

“Fruit2Work has enjoyed the support of the Westpac Foundation since its inception. We look forward to continuing our partnership and collectively addressing recidivism and employing marginalised people – societal benefits that the Foundation can rightfully be proud of,” says Rob Brown, Chief Chance Creator, Fruit2Work.

 

Westpac Foundation’s Employment Partnership Grants form part of their Social Enterprise Grant program available to existing partners by invitation only. More Social Enterprise Grants are expected to be awarded later in 2025.