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When it comes to our support for local communities in Australia and New Zealand, it’s our people who make the difference.

From volunteering to fundraising, to helping at community events or selflessly fighting bushfires, our employees regularly go above and beyond to help those in need.

MENTORING FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE
One of Ventia’s flagship volunteering programs is a mentoring initiative in our Visionstream business that helps students experiencing disadvantage reach their potential.

Each year, the program, run by the not-for-profit Australian Business and Community Network (ABCN), connects businesses such as ours with more than 7,000 school children from low socio-economic backgrounds for structured mentoring sessions.

Since first becoming a member of ABCN in 2017, Visionstream has experienced a strong uptick in employees wanting to help students achieve a brighter future. The number of our volunteer mentors has more than doubled since 2017 to 150 passionate mentors participating last year. Together, our volunteers accounted for an impressive 900 hours of mentoring support in 2019.

Our support for the ABCN’s good work was further strengthened last year, with the appointment of Executive Director – Infrastructure Services, Richard Kelleway to the ABCN Board.

Richard says our partnership with ABCN delivers valuable support both to students and our employees. “The program not only enriches students by developing skills and opening up career possibilities, it provides our employees with a rewarding experience and the ability to build leadership experience outside the normal work environment,” he says.

Feedback from our employees has been overwhelmingly positive.

“It has been such a pleasure to participate in the ABCN program,” says Sharmin Jahan, Project Completions Officer, Visionstream. “The students were brilliant. All of the sessions were amazing and as a mentor I also learnt a lot.”

SUPPORTING OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES
When drought and bushfires ravaged rural and remote communities across Australia, our employees were quick to show compassion and support.

In late 2019, we asked employees to choose our People’s Choice charity for 2020. The vote was overwhelmingly in favour of RuralAid, a charity which supports farmers and rural communities.

RuralAid was selected from among 10 worthy charities that had been nominated by our 2019 Ventia Awards winners to receive a combined donation of $10,000. As People’s Choice, RuralAid received an additional $5,000 donation, as well as the funds we are raising through our online fundraiser page

There are also many inspiring stories from our people who supported bushfire-impacted communities across the summer. This includes teams restoring critical communications networks and utilities, to members of our 24/7 Network Operations Centre, in Visionstream.

Beyond their work responsibilities, many of our employees put their own lives at risk to help others by volunteering with their local rural fire brigade or as an Army reservist. Some were involved in rescuing and caring for wildlife during the bushfires, while others mobilised much needed resources and ‘people power’ to support affected property owners and their families.

-R Luke Marchewka, Nathan Veal, Ted Stanisz, David Geragh

PUTTING THE FUN INTO FUNDRAISING
Our employees never miss an opportunity to don loud shirts, wear pink high vis, grow moustaches or jump on their bikes for a good cause. In locations and businesses across Australia and New Zealand, our people have generously fundraised for a range of charities, including: Breast Cancer awareness, Prostate cancer awareness, Movember, Cancer Council, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, The Hearing House, Giant Steps, The Cerebral Palsy Alliance, Southern Cochlear Implant Program, and Variety Children’s Charity.

Visionstream’s Auckland office was a sea of colour fundraising for Loud Shirt Day. The day is an annual appeal of The Hearing House and the Southern Cochlear Implant Programme (SCIP), two charities dedicated to enabling deaf children to listen and speak like their hearing peers.

At a business level, we’ve also supported, among others, MATES in Construction, WaterAid, ABCN, JDRF Australia (Juvenile Diabetes) and the Pyjama Foundation, and local community groups including Yeppoon Volunteer Fire Brigade, the 2nd Mortdale Scouts and Police Citizens Youth Clubs.

We’re incredibly proud of all our employees who have supported, and continue to support, our local communities.

Support Ventia’s People’s Choice charity

Banner image: Sharmin Jahan, Project Completions Officer, Visionstream