Page 17 - Luce 2020

N ews a nd Events

JCH students to

launch award-winning
social enterprise

initiative

In October 2020, students received an
email from the University of Melbourne
promoting a national business
competition. ‘The Big Idea Social
Enterprise Competition’ challenges
students to develop a viable business
plan for a social enterprise and present
it to industry experts. We entered the
competition as a team because we
hoped it would be a chance to have fun,
work together and build our business
acumen. We could not have imagined
the opportunities for learning and
cultural enrichment that would stem Indigenous locals Margaret, Pamela and Veronica, meet with Maya and Marina in
from the competition. Alice Springs

We sought advice from Indigenous thrilled to win the undergraduate Coming to the project armed with ample
activists and academics to develop a category of the ‘Big Idea Social Enterprise enthusiasm but very little business
business plan for a social enterprise that Competition’. As a result, we secured knowledge, we have learnt so much
works with Indigenous women living mentorships with industry experts in the from our research, mentors, and most
in remote central Australia, to produce social enterprise sector. of all, our Indigenous partners. These
artisan soaps. Through a network opportunities for learning have been
of connections, we were eventually We also travelled to Alice Springs in invaluable to us, and we feel so lucky
put into contact with the elders of November last year to meet the elders to be on this amazing journey. We are
Black Tank Outstation, a small family- of Black Tank Outstation and further looking forward to our launch later this
community near Alice Springs, who develop the business plan. In the past year, and we hope that you will see our
were looking for ways to earn an income few months, we have secured stockists, soaps in the future!
on-country. After discussion with the raised seed funding to buy equipment for
community, ‘BlackTank Soaps’ (later a pilot run, and established sponsors who Marina Bishop (May Dunn Scholar),
renamed ‘Ampwerre Soaps’) was born. have pledged funding after our launch. Maya Hall (2019; Betty Elliott Scholar),
Meanwhile, our team was chosen to We are currently establishing the legal Avryl Hart (Chartwells Scholar)
represent the University of Melbourne structure of the business in collaboration
in the national finals, where we were with the Black Tank community.

An exceptional result 2020 STUDENT RESULTS N
1.0%
While many students in universities H3 P
around Australia struggled to maintain 7.5% 8.0%
focus and motivation during the H2B
COVID lockdown, our students 13.5%
once again demonstrated remarkable
application, ably supported by our
Dean of Studies Briana Ellis and our
resident and non-resident tutor team. H2A H1
In 2020 the College results were the 18.0% 52.0%
best on record, with more than half
student grades awarded first class
honours and more than ninety per
cent in the honours range.

J anet Clarke Hall 17