By Maya Dagan, Public Relations Officer
With our corporate clothes on, and our hearts and minds open to change, we made our way to the Copland Theatre for the 2009 inaugural ECNA Corporate Social Awareness Function. The evening aimed to inspire industry members and students alike to become involved in their wider communities, by demonstrating how our four esteemed speakers have made a difference on a local and global scale. While the presenters came from very different industry backgrounds and ranged in age, they were all bound by their commitment and passion to contribute to the wider society.
The evening commenced with 2009 Young Victorian of the Year and the brains behind Left Right Think Tank, Thom Woodroofe, sharing his story. His journey started when he was in his final year of high school, juggling his VCE studies while representing Australia as a Senior Air Force Cadet. While he calculated that he missed more classes than he attended, travelling around Australia and the world while representing over 6,500 teenagers across the country, he was still awarded Dux of his school. Soon after, he founded Left Right Think tank, to empower the youth of today to have a voice in public policy and debates. Left right Think tank is Australia’s first independent and non-partisan think-tank of young minds. It encourages today’s youth to get involved in their communities, to foster discussions and educate. His contributions were honored early this year when he was named Young Victorian of the Year. Thom was also handpicked by Dr. Jane Goodall, a United Nations Messenger of Peace, to represent Australia at a Global Youth Leadership Summit in the United States of America in 2008.
Our next speaker, Richmond Glasgow was deeply inspiring. A sixth year Engineering/Commerce (Honours) student, Richmond is the current President of The University of Melbourne’s Students In Free Enterprises (SIFE). Richmond has led a team of 56 members on 4 outreach projects to create economic opportunities for people in need. Some of these projects include assisting African refugees, disabled people and AIDS pandemic orphans emphasizing his efforts on creating sustainable project operations. Richmond started his speech by explaining that everyone has a choice. A few years ago, his choice was to go dirt road biking on what he believed to be a perfect day. This fateful day however turned to near disaster when Richmond flew off his bike and broke his back. What followed was two years of recovery, and a lot of time to think about what he truly valued in life. His choice was to serve his wider community and join SIFE. Richmond urged us to find something that we are truly passionate about, and harness our potential to make a difference to that cause and that message. He also feels that it is important to join an organization that shares your values. He is interning at the Australian High Commission in London this summer.
Furthermore, we were also privileged to have Nick Miller, Partner in Corporate Advisory at national law firm Clayton Utz, presenting. As a Pro-Bono Partner for Clayton Utz, Nick has worked alongside not-for-profit organisations such as World Vision Australia, Beyond Blue, and the Ardoch Youth Foundation Limited. Nick spoke about the community positioning of his firm, and the efforts they have made to give back. As the largest Pro Bono practice of Australia’s major law firm, Clayton Utz has relationships with 26 community organisations across the country, including a seconded in the Kimberley Community Legal Services in Kununurra, Western Australia, the most geographically isolated community legal centre in the country.
Finally, we were graced with encouraging words from Colin Carter, founding Partner and Senior Adviser of The Boston Consulting Group in Australia. A non-executive Director of ASX Listed companies Wesfarmers Limited, Seek Limited, and formerly on the board of Origin Energy, Colin graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from The University of Melbourne coupled with an MBA from Harvard Business School. Colin is highly involved in several not-for-profit organisations including World Vision Australia, Cape York Institute for Indigenous Policy and Leadership and Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships – where he chaired the Board between 2000-2009. As the Director of Geelong Football Club and Chairman of the AFL Foundation, Colin has worked alongside local organizations to help address a range of community issues including the homeless, disabled and the indigenous community. Colin is deeply humble about his achievements, and is truly an inspiration to us all.
The ECNA Corporate Social Awareness Function was truly an empowering evening. While Students and Corporate mingled over canapés and drinks, the atmosphere was uplifting. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits as we celebrated our ability to make a difference in the world.
You can view photos and videos here.
