We’re excited to open our doors for the Witton Barracks Open Day this Saturday 31 August.
One of the highlights of the event is going to be a vibrant social enterprise market.
You’ll have the chance to discover amazing social enterprises selling everything from fresh fruit boxes and non-alcoholic beer to homewares, art, and jewellery. Not only can you shop for unique items, but you’ll also learn about the incredible impact these organisations are making in the world.
Thanks to the generous support of the Westpac Foundation, the first 100 individuals to visit the White Box Enterprises stand and sign up for the Witton Barracks newsletter will receive a $10 voucher to spend at participating social enterprise stalls.
So come along, explore, and support these inspiring businesses.
Here’s a bit more detail on some of the social enterprises joining us, and what you can expect from their stalls:
Art Worthy
Art Worthy exists to create opportunities for people to connect, create and thrive! They use creativity as a means of connection, expansion and expression. They use play to connect to our bodies and spirits in a light and restorative way.
What to expect on the day: Art Worthy will be creating a Collaborative Artwork with the community on the day – one of their all-time favourite things to do! Come along and paint with us.
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The Beautiful Bunch
The Beautiful Bunch is a floral-delivery service bringing joy through flowers, and creating jobs for young women from refugee backgrounds. The women they work with are over-represented among the unemployed and underemployed, and they face significantly greater barriers to finding employment than their male counterparts. The Beautiful Bunch provides a safe, welcoming, supportive and gender-informed work and training environment for young women from refugee backgrounds to work and learn.
What to expect on the day: Beautiful flowers by beautiful people.
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Fig Tree Gift Shop
Fig Tree’s mission is to offer a diverse range of ethically-made products from skilled artisans, other social enterprises and small business owners around the world. By doing so, they aim to showcase the talents and efforts of these individuals and organisations, while also raising funds for The Fig Tree Children who are providing orphaned and vulnerable children in Sierra Leone with opportunities to thrive.
What to expect on the day: Fig Tree will be selling beautiful and unique hand-crafted gifts, made by skilled artisans from different corners of the world.
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Fruit2Work
Fruit2Work is an award-winning certified social enterprise and registered charity delivering fresh fruit, milk and pantry items across Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat, Mornington Peninsula as well as Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast. They create chances for people who have been impacted by the justice system by providing transitional employment to help them rebuild their lives.
What to expect on the day: Find out more about how their fresh fruit boxes support employment opportunities for people impacted by the justice system.
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Hello Good World
Hello Good World is an online marketplace for brands that do better and be better. They take the guess work and research out of your hands and host ethical, sustainable and cause-driven labels to drive a better tomorrow. They exist to help good businesses get found and be acknowledged for going beyond the norm.
What to expect on the day: Gifts with impact – no matter if you’re buying something for your lover or your mother, a stranger or yourself, you can rest assure that you’re buying with integrity.
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Jigsaw
Jigsaw is a social enterprise that trains and transitions people with disability into award wage employment. Their revolutionary pathway to mainstream employment embeds a comprehensive, skill-based training program within a real workplace.
What to expect on the day: Learn about their work training and transitioning people with disabilities into mainstream employment.
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Nundah Community Enterprises Cooperative
At Nundah Community Enterprises Co-operative (NCEC or Nundah Co-op) they don’t employ people to work. They work to employ people. Formed in 1998, the not-for-profit organisation creates sustainable employment and training opportunities for people with cognitive and/or psycho-social disabilities. They currently engage more than 35 people in meaningful work opportunities through several small enterprises: Espresso Train Café & Catering, Marhaba Cafe, The Good Food Project, NCEC Parks & Property Crews and Youth Co-op.
What to expect on the day: Buy delicious homemade biscuits, local honey and preserves, and handcrafted Bilum Bags made by one of their refugee staff members.
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Samana Living
Samana Living specialise in the sale and promotion of fair-trade items and supplies across Australia, ensuring artisans are paid fairly and work in safe conditions. They are the exclusive distributor of Conscious Step and Pebble. They sponsor education programs in countries such as Bangladesh.
What to expect on the day: On the day, they’ll bring a range of beautiful fair-trade products that support ethical practices globally.
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Showzer
Showzer Dog Washes partner with local organisations to provide convenient and affordable dog wash stations. Their unique business model allows them to work with community partners to set up dog wash stations in convenient locations such as pet stores, parks, and community centres. For every dog wash done using the Showzer, they donate $1 to Guide Dogs QLD.
What to expect on the day: See one of the Showzer dog wash stations in action.
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Sisters Inside
Sisters Inside is an independent community organisation based in Queensland, which advocates for the collective human rights of women and girls in prison, and their families, and provides services to address their individual needs. They believe that no one is better than anyone else. People are neither “good” nor “bad” – our environment and life circumstances play a major role in how we behave.
What to expect on the day: Sisters Inside will have an information stand to talk about their work.
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Sobah
Sobah Beverages is an Australian Aboriginal and family run company making a range of premium non-alcoholic craft beers infused with native fruit and spices. They are breaking down the stigma of socialising sober while raising positive awareness of Australian First Nations culture. They are doing this through providing a better choice for those who are not drinking, for whatever reason at whatever time.
What to expect on the day: Sobah Bar will be offering a refreshing experience like no other! The’ll be serving up their premium range of non-alcoholic craft beers at a pop-up bar, perfect for sipping in the sunshine as you explore the day’s events.
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Solve Squad
SolveSquad is a social enterprise dedicated to empowering young professionals through online opportunities via virtual volunteering. They aim to reach and connect with youth of all backgrounds by launching new campaign initiatives via virtual, hybrid and local communal events through opportunities of volunteering and workshops.
What to expect on the day: Stop by their stand to hear more about the education and employment services they offer the CALD community.
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SOS
SOS or Save Our Supplies sends clean, unused medical tools, garments and equipment to communities in need. Each year, they divert over $1.3M worth of clean and unused medical tools and equipment from hospitals in Australia to vulnerable communities and developing countries across the globe.
What to expect on the day: Learn more about their work and their mission to ensure everyone has access to life-saving medical supplies at their stand.
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Trade Mutt
TradeMutt is a social impact workwear brand, by tradies for tradies. They make funky eye-catching workwear designed to start conversations about mental health, helping make an invisible issue impossible to ignore. They donate 50% of the profits from every shirt sold to TIACS a free mental health support service.
What to expect on the day: They’ll be bringing along some of their iconic workwear and having conversations about mental health. Think of it as a kind of free mental health first aid stall.
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Women with Disabilities Entrepreneur Network (WDEN)
Women with Disabilities Entrepreneur Network supports the entrepreneurial growth and success for women with disabilities, including the incubation and launch of two inaugural product-based, disability owned businesses; SHH!T Happens and Against the Grain Coffee. The concept is for everyday products to generate everyday conversations about disability in society (social change), and for an easy switch to be made to disability-owned products for a community-driven solution to the disability employment crisis (economic change).
What to expect on the day: Unique products from Australian disability-owned businesses including eco-friendly essentials and specialty coffee.
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Yoga on the Inside
Yoga on the Inside offers trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness practices, ensuring that underserved communities can access the benefits of yoga, enabling them to thrive not just survive. They run programs within correctional facilities across the country.
What to expect on the day: Learn about their approach and mission to create opportunities for people to thrive.
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With so many amazing social enterprises participating, you’re sure to find something special while making a positive impact. We look forward to seeing you at Witton Barracks this Saturday.
