NAB NEXUS Collaborator takes home $10,000 to kick start idea for change

An international collaboration between an online marketplace and a Kenyan youth advocacy group has taken home $10,000 in seed funding after winning the 2018 NAB NEXUS Collaborator award.

Designed to promote meaningful collaborations between delegates at the NEXUS Australia Youth Summit, the award was presented to Matthew Boyd, Co-Founder of Vollie and Susan Mwongera, Youth Action Founder.

Mr Boyd said the project pitched to the NEXUS committee will use Vollie’s existing tech platform to support better job outcomes for young Kenyans.

“The unemployment rate in Kenya is currently 22%, higher than most African countries. Youth Action receive requests daily to from young people pleading for opportunities and support to progress their career. Unfortunately there isn’t enough available locally,” Mr Boyd said.

“By working together our two organisations can connect these young people with mentors, advice and opportunities to kick start their careers through something every young adult has - their phone.”

The program plans to start with a group of 100 young people based in Nairobi, with Youth Action leading the initial conversations around the skills, interests, and ambitions of participants and supporting them to post their projects on the Vollie platform. Vollie will then work to match these requests with professionals in Australia who have the skills and expertise required to support their young mentee.

Chair of NEXUS Australia, Rachel English said the project would encourage entrepreneurial thinking and execution, develop networks, grow ideas and inspire young Kenyans to thrive in a changing world.

“This project demonstrates the powerful, meaningful collaborations that are produced through the connections created at NEXUS,” Ms English said.

“By connecting people with the ideas for change with those who have the means to make it happen, the forum increases our potential for challenging the status quo, addressing the socio-economic inequalities and building a world we want to live in. We can’t wait to see what other collaborations come from the 2018 Summit.”

In recent years NEXUS Australia has inspired collaborations between delegates including The Nappy Collective, a project that collects unused nappies and supports women’s and children’s services; and Good Mob, Australia’s first ‘group giving’ platform that allows donors to increase their impact by giving together. Both projects were born of the NEXUS Australian Innovator of the Year awards in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

The NEXUS Australia 2018 Summit gratefully acknowledges the generous support of principal partner, NAB and gold partner, Wilson Asset Management as well as The Pratt Foundation, English Family Foundation, Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, the Myer Foundation and Wheelton Philanthropy.

ENDS

For further information contact FYA Media Manager, Shona McPherson via 0407 507 580 or shona.mcpherson@fya.org.au

About NEXUS

Founded in 2011, NEXUS has hosted over 35 Summits across five continents to connect young people from diverse backgrounds and link communities that would otherwise never meet. This network of diverse leaders have the opportunity to collaborate whilst bridging communities of wealth and social entrepreneurship. www.NEXUSaustralia.org.au

About FYA

FYA is the only national independent non-profit organisation dedicated to all young people in Australia. We believe young people are not a problem to be helped or solved. Delivering a range of initiatives (co)designed with young people, FYA aims to develop the skills, networks and ideas of young Australians so they can create a better future. www.fya.org.au

NEXUS Australia 2018 Summit: shaking up what it means to give for good

The fourth NEXUS Australia 2018 Summit hosted in partnership with the Foundation for Young Australians(FYA), will bring together over 200 young philanthropists, social entrepreneurs, and activists to increase and improve giving for good.  

From 18 to 20 March, 18-39 year old social entrepreneurs and philanthropists seeking to develop solutions to some of our world’s most complex challenges will come together in Melbourne.    

Chair of NEXUS and Trustee of the English Foundation, Rachel English said the NEXUS Summit provides a platform for young people to safely express their ideas and collaborate with like-minded individuals.

“Between 2007 and 2061, an estimated $59 trillion will pass from older to younger generations in the USA alone, the biggest transfer of wealth of our time,” Ms English said.

“But the global mechanisms dedicated to creating this wealth far outweigh those dedicated to giving it away. In Australia this means our nation’s significant growth in absolute wealth has not translated into a growth in philanthropic giving.”

“We know that young people worldwide have the fresh ideas and innovative thinking needed to build and create solutions to some of our world’s most pressing social challenges. This event is an action-oriented and solutions focused opportunity that connects the financial, intellectual, creative and social capital of this generation.”

Over three days, NEXUS delegates will build a common understanding, learn from each others perspectives, share ideas as well as lessons learnt, and create ways to solve new challenges facing our world today.

The program includes: 

• A Speaker Series featuring a keynote presentation from Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus as well as Sara El Amine from the Chan Zuckerberg initiative talking about neuroscience and persuasion and more!

• #WhatsNext panel with journalist Tracey Spicer AM, campaigner Renee Carr, author Jamila Rizvi and actor Yael Stone who will discuss the impact of the #MeToo movement and what's next for gender equality.

• Dynamic workshops and masterclasses which explore philanthropy, impact investing, social entrepreneurship, strategies for investing and more.

Access a full list of speakers here.

So if you’re ready to challenge yourself, learn more about what can be done to improve our communities, and spark change for the better, visit the NEXUS Australia Summit page to get involved and join the conversation. See nexusaustralia.org.au or contact: nexus@fya.org.au to apply to attend the conference.

The Nexus Australia 2018 Summit gratefully acknowledges the generous support of principal partner, NAB and gold partner, Wilson Asset Management as well as The Pratt Foundation, English Family Foundation, Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, the Myer Foundation and Wheeldon Philanthropy.

ENDS

For all media queries please contact FYA Media Manager, Shona McPherson via 0407 507 480 or shona.mcpherson@fya.org.au.

About NEXUS

Founded in 2011, NEXUS has hosted over 35 Summits across five continents to connect young people from diverse backgrounds and link communities that would otherwise never meet. This network of diverse leaders have the opportunity to collaborate whilst bridging communities of wealth and social entrepreneurship. www.nexusaustralia.org.au

About FYA

FYA is the only national independent non-profit organisation dedicated to all young people in Australia. We believe young people are not a problem to be helped or solved. Delivering a range of initiatives (co)designed with young people, FYA aims to develop the skills, networks and ideas of young Australians so they can create a better future. www.fya.org.au

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What: Nexus Australia 2018 Summit

Who: Young philanthropists and social entrepreneurs, with speakers including:

• Professor Muhammad Yunus, social entrepreneur, economist and civil society leader

• Sara El-Amine, Director of Advocacy at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

• Yael Stone, Actor

• Dr Jan Owen AM, FYA CEO

• Ally Watson, Founder and CEO, Code Like A Girl

• Jessie Summons, CEO of Nightingale Housing

When: March 19 and 20, 2018, with a welcome reception on March 18.

Where: Mural Hall and Central Pier, Melbourne

Interview opportunities available.