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Barnardos > About Barnardos > Our Partners > Corporate Partners > Our Corporate Partnerships
 HSBC
HSBC recognises that their customers expect the bank to give back to the communities in which it serves. HSBC's shareholders see community support as good business sense, and its employees want to work for a company that knows how to share its success with those who are less fortunate.
The question is how to do this effectively. HSBC has recognised that children's education and social development are the key to creating a better future. That’s why HSBC was keen to build a partnership with Barnardos.
In 2001 we launched HSBCkids, an innovative tutoring and mentoring program for disadvantaged children. The program takes a holistic approach to child welfare by providing educational and living skills support along with child neglect prevention strategies. HSBCkids is an extension of the Kids Friends program which is part of our integrated child abuse prevention strategy.
This partnership has enjoyed considerable success and HSBCkids has expanded from NSW into Queensland and Victoria. Barnardos has also benefited from other HSBC partnerships such as Jaguar Racing and The NSW Waratahs.
Now moving into its third year the program looks set to continue to grow in Australia and across the Tasman to Barnardos New Zealand.
 Encompass
For decades Encompass Credit Union have provided quality financial services to the whole community, including a highly competitive, award-winning credit card, affordable loan services and many other financial products. Encompass' relationship with Barnardos has followed the same principle of innovation and community support.
All families need extra funds from time to time, either to purchase that new washing machine, as a bond payment for an appartment or for a thousand pressing reasons. However, families disadvantaged by poverty find acceptance for any kind of financing hugely challenging. In 2002 Encompass developed the Boomerang Grant specifically for Barnardos families in need.
The Boomerang Grant was developed when it was observed that those most needing financial assistance were least likely to qualify for a personal loan. Limited income could often mean such applications were declined.
The Boomerang Grant, an initiative of Barnardos Australia and Encompass Credit Union, provides people in genuine need with funds that may be used for rental bonds, essential car repairs or to purchase essential household or health-care items such as medical equipment, vacuum cleaners and refrigerators. These funds are then repaid in interest free instalments.
The program, currently being offered to clients of Barnardos Penrith Centre, helps families by giving them access to financial credit which would normally be denied them. "The aim of the scheme is to lend to small amounts to as many people as possible," stated Bill Petch, Barnardos’ Marketing Manager. "To the economically disadvantaged, even the smallest purchase which can greatly improve life may appear to be out of reach."
An example of this was a young mother of three children under six years of age. Her youngest child developed asthma as a baby, and in her carpeted housing department accommodation, dust could prove to be a trigger of a dangerous, even fatal, asthma attack. Through the Boomerang Grant she was able to buy an asthma nebuliser and a new vacuum cleaner which has made life immeasurably easier for her and her young children.
Vodafone
Vodafone is driven by one of their core values - Passion for the World Around Us. In keeping with this objective, their goal is to help people lead fuller lives. Fundamental to this is building stronger families and community networks. Vodafone searched for an organisation that was not only doing this but one where they could combine resources, funding and staff to make a long term difference and they found Barnardos.
Vodafone were so impressed by the depth and breadth of our work they decided to support two projects. This is a great step forward for Barnardos as we look to find ways to expand our services to meet the growing demands being placed on our resources and expertise.
First there is our new Tasmanian Remote Family Support Worker Pilot program to look at innovative cost effective solutions (utilising new technologies) to the delivery of family support and child abuse prevention services to isolated and disadvantaged communities.
Complementing this program is Barnardos Children in Need software program. This software is an important part of a new guided practice early intervention model. This software is being developed as a result of the enormous success of the Looking After Children software project. The software package will be part of a family support model that can be implemented and used by practitioners daily when working with children and families at risk. It will improve the level of service and outcomes.
 Computer Associates
Computer Associates goal is to make tomorrow better today. They are committed to empowering children to succeed and in order to achieve this they have focused on community partnerships that help children build the skills and confidence they need to grow.
To help realise this vision in Australia, Computer Associates (CA), the ACT Brumbies and Barnardos formed a unique partnership, "Tries 4 Kids" that has helped even the score for disadvantaged kids by giving them a sporting chance to succeed. "Tries 4 Kids" has been a fun way for CA to make donations to Barnardos "Kids + Sport" program. Each time the ACT Brumbies scored a try on-field during the Rugby Super 12 season, CA donated to Barnardos Kids + Sport program.
This community partnership was designed to ensure children who may be "at risk" can enjoy all the benefits sport recreation have to offer, such as personal achievement, skill acquisition and increased self esteem. It is widely acknowledged that participation in sport and recreational activities are essential to good health, personal development and life satisfaction, especially during youth. Barnardos Kids + Sport offers the opportunity for social participation, teamwork and keeps these kids in touch with their local community.
 Canon
Canon are a company that have built their reputation on technology and innovation. They take their corporate social responsibility seriously. Recognising Barnardos' ability to embrace new technology and think outside the square to offer creative solutions to problems in our community, Canon has enthusiastically supported Barnardos on a number of levels.
Barnardos' partnership with Canon goes back many years to the Kids Working for Kids program, an interactive community awareness project run in schools. Since that time Canon has continued to help our fund raising and awareness campaigns such as Barnardos Australia's Mother of the Year.
An important issue for both our organisations is how to bridge the growing digital divide. Lack of access to information technology within disadvantaged communities is a real problem that compounds existing social and economic isolation. It means people's choices and opportunities are decreased. By providing a range of new cost effective IT hardware solutions Barnardos is now able to provide increased digital inclusion for welfare services and centre-based programs, especially in far-flung rural or urban areas. |
