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From little things do big things grow

by Bec on 21 August 2012

I believe Australian singer songwriter Paul Kelly was right when he said ‘from little things big things grow’. This week at STREAT we’re celebrating 250,000 meals and coffees made since opening our first small food cart on 15 March 2010. We’d particularly like to thank our customers for the role they’ve played in helping us reach this significant milestone. For stopping youth homelessness – one mouthful at a time.

This week we’ll be giving out $27 of ‘STREAT Cred(it)’ to a bunch of lucky customers across all of our sites for use at any of our sites.

Why $27?  It’s to honour one of the world’s most significant social entrepreneurs, Professor Muhammad Yunus, who started the global microfinance and microcredit systems by lending to a group of impoverished women in Jobra, Bangladesh.

In his words:

"I made a list of people who needed just a little bit of money. And when the list was complete, there were 42 names. The total amount of money they needed was $27. I was shocked."

On Friday I got to celebrate our 250,000 customer directly with Professor Yunus.  We’ll continue to be inspired by his vision to ‘create a poverty museum by 2030’.

With my thanks and gratitude to our customers and supporters for being part of the journey.

Bec

Letter from Rebecca Scott - August 2012

by Bec on 2 August 2012

Bec-August-Letter

August 2012

This month is significant because our 6th class of young people start working in this cafe – and the other two cafes STREAT run in inner Melbourne. Welcome Sarah, Hannah, Kate, Dean, Chelsea, Rayne, Juanita and Sinead.

Each of these young people will spend about 26 hours a week at STREAT over their six month program. Their typical week is:

  • Mondays – life and professional skills group work
  • Tuesdays – studying a Certificate I + II in Hospitality at William Angliss Institute
  • Wednesdays-Fridays – cafe work

We hope over the coming six months you will get to personally witness the amazing progress each of these young people will make. And please remember they’re here because you’re here. You and your community are helping fund the $15,000pp cost of their program (which includes their training fees, work with our hospitality mentors, support from our youth workers and Clinical Psychologist, uniforms, knife kits etc).

Thanks for being part of their journey this month!

Kind regards

Bec Scott

Social investment speed dating

by Bec on 18 July 2012

Last week I spoke at an RMIT Forum on social investment.  I recalled a couple of meetings I had in February 2010 with a hospitality entrepreneur who offered to work with STREAT to help grow our business. The meetings felt like speed dating for a potential partner, and to be honest I was super excited to meet someone with so much expertise and success in the field.

But not all dates work out so well.

Maybe it was his admission that the only reason he was in hospitality was because he didn’t know of a better way to make money faster. Maybe it was his bragging about the number of times he’d cheated on his wife. Or him asking me to wait in his cafe for three hours because he’d forgotten we were meeting up again.

I didn’t wait. I caught the tram back to the office and sat and wrote the key traits I’d want a potential business partner or social investor to have. Here’s what I look for. If you fit these criteria, come on a speed date with me. I know a great local cafe we can go to.

What STREAT looks for in a social investor

  1. You inspire us and we genuinely love the way you work. We get excited thinking about working with you.
  2. You share our values and we have a common belief that private capital can do much public good. We believe there will be authenticity in our partnership.
  3. You operate with integrity and are trustworthy, honest and ethical in the way you undertake business.
  4. You genuinely like and respect the work of STREAT and have a strong desire to work with the organisation to increase its social impact. You’re as committed to STREAT’s social impact as you are your own financial gain. 
  5. You walk the talk and we have seen your track record of supporting social justice and environmental projects.
  6. You’re pro-active, positive, and constructive. You focus on solutions not problems, and turn obstacles into opportunities. If necessary you’ll also roll your sleeves up to help.
  7. You’re a good communicator and you know when to talk, when to listen. You’re constructive in resolving issues.
  8. You’re an early adopter and are prepared to pioneer new approaches to solving issues.
  9. You’re patient with both your attitude AND your capital, because you know that social change takes time and long-term commitment.

10.  You have a strong understanding of social enterprise and the inherent challenges of creating blended value.

Letter From Rebecca Scott - July 2012

by Rebecca Scott on 3 July 2012

Rebecca Scott STREAT July 2012 Letter

 

 

July 2012

Dear STREAT Customer

This last couple of weeks have been pretty big for us because our 5th class of young people have just graduated from STREAT. Over the last six months we’ve seen Adam, Ben, Amber, Aaron and Shae achieve amazing things. They’ve not only gained a Certificate II in Hospitality and great hospo skills in our cafes, but they’ve also addressed a whole range of personal issues head on. Issues that no Australian teenagers should ever have to grapple with. The great news though, that we’re now supporting and transitioning them into new jobs and further hospitality training.

Whilst you may not have got to know any of these extraordinary young people personally, you were part of their journey at STREAT. By your simple act of drinking our coffee and eating our meals you’ve helped provide their training and support. So on behalf of the whole STREAT team – THANK YOU for stopping youth homelessness one mouthful at a time.

 

With our gratitude and thanks

 

Bec Scott and Kate Barrelle

STREAT Co-founders

Food for the belly and the soul

by Rob on 6 June 2012

Rob AugerAbout a week ago I was contacted by the ABC to come do a radio interview for a show called the Main Ingredient with Kelli Brett.  The focus was supposed to be around food inspiration and where ideas for the recipes at our cafe come from.  We certainly discussed some of these ideas, but as the interview unfolded we became more focused on youth homelessness and training. While I love talking about food, the turn in conversation was a great reminder for me of one of the main reasons I love my job, and why the whole team at STREAT gives so much to make the organisation a success.
- Rob Auger

The audio of the interview here

Here's the blog from the ABC about it.
Radio 774 ABC Melbourne - Aired June 2,  2012