February 2010

Getting the support right

by Kate on 4 February 2010

Last night I had a dream in which I was a train driver with train full of carriages that were only connected to the engine by the complex co-operation of the passengers (in true dream like fashion).  What the? Was it cheese I ate just before bed?

It took this weirdo dream to realize how important last night’s STREAT work meeting actually was.  Six of us went until midnight – literally – talking about and planning the big picture stuff and the minutiae related to the selection process for the participants, and how STREAT’s social support program was actually going to work. When it kicks off in less than two months.

The thinking behind the STREAT menu

by Danielle on 6 February 2010

After several months of planning and discussion, we are finally about to road test our first menu items.  Planning a menu that meets all our criteria – authenticity, affordability and most importantly flavour and taste.

Our menu has to capture the flavours that you would find in a hawker stall anywhere around the world – chillies, garlic, fish paste, cinnamon, garam masala, limes, coriander and noodles.

STREAT's food has to be vibrant and exciting, and the preparation of meals on our carts by our young people has to entice tourists and Melburnians to come over and join us for their STREAT experience.

Cheryl Kernot on social enterprise

by Sunisa on 7 February 2010

The Centre for Social Impact's Cheryl Kernot just talked to the ABC radio national about social enterprise. As she put it, social enterprise combines “the drive and entrepreneurial qualities of a Richard Branson with the social purpose orientation of Mother Teresa.” It’s an easy way to explain the idea, and she’s doing important work-- introducing Australians to the idea of a charity model where profit isn’t a bad word.  


Kernot mentioned that Australia’s social enterprise industry is still immature, but with the country’s robust not-for-profit sector, there’s nothing to indicate that Australia won’t have its own thriving industry soon. Organisations like the Salvation Army and Mission Australia have been running creative social businesses and generating income for awhile now, so that they are not as reliant on grants and donations. That’s the thing about social enterprise—it makes practical sense.

Testing the menu

by Danielle on 9 February 2010

Our Plan
Prepare and taste all of the original menu items

On the chopping board
Thai Red Prawn Curry, Green Paw Paw Salad, Seekh lamb kehabs, Chicken Satay, Nicaraguan chicken wrap

After an exciting shopping expedition including several trips to  Victoria Street we arrived back in the kitchen loaded down with flavours - spices, meats and fruit and vegetables.

The STREAT food team, kindly supported by volunteer Exec Chef Matthew James, set to work peeling kilos of galangal, ginger, and garlic, and chopping chillies and herbs.

Hearing homelessness

by Sunisa on 14 February 2010

ABC just ran a 5-minute radio piece interviewing a homeless high school girl. Have a listen—it might debunk some of the popular myths about homeless youths. This interviewee is well-spoken and clearly smart. She becomes homeless because of one too many fights with her parents. It’s not a leap to image that happening to someone we know.

Revisiting KOTO

by Kate on 15 February 2010

Listening to the Radio National replay a piece on KOTO last week brought back so many memories. KOTO was where Bec and I cut our teeth in social enterprise, but didn't even know it was called that back then. KOTO stands for Know One Teach One - a great philosophy that is about helping someone else after you have been helped. We travelled to KOTO in Hanoi many times, formed relationships with the young Vietnamese trainees and staff, and worked closely for several years with Jimmy Pham and others who were on KOTO's International Board alongside us. STREAT owes its inspirational heritage to KOTO - it's where an understanding of both the true potential and the enormous challenges of social enterprise dawned on us.

The documentary was made some years ago by ABC radio journalist Dai Le, a friend of ours, herself a Vietnamese boat refugee. It is definitely worth 10 minutes of time to listen to.