Initiatives

Project Fresh Start is committed to playing its part in achieving social objectives and outcomes in the areas of:

• Opportunities for Victorian Aboriginal people
  Project Fresh Start has significant interactions with the local Bunurong community, including providing a safe welcoming environment for Aboriginal people to engage with the wider community in a culturally appropriate manner. Providing education around food choices and the benefits of healthy eating. Providing free meals and material aid for disadvantaged Aboriginal people.
• Opportunities for Victorian with a disability
  Project Fresh Start provides no cost services to people with disabilities along with their carers to access social engagement and healthy free meals in a safe welcoming setting. Providing information about healthy food choices, sustainability and low-cost meal planning. Future plans for Project Fresh Start include a training package to be offered to disability providers around plant-based cooking and food waste.
• Women’s equality and safety
  providing a safe supportive environment for women to receive free meals, social connection and access to information around health, sustainability and healthy eating. Amongst other things, our services complement social programs aimed at improving women’s safety for women in difficult domestic relationships. Our organisation is predominately female operated and aims to employ women in the future.
• Opportunities for Victorian priority jobseekers
  With the expected growth of Project Fresh Start we will be committed to employing priority jobseekers such as long-term unemployed jobseekers, Aboriginal people, women and disadvantaged youth with various training packages. We currently offer valuable experience for volunteers to learn kitchen skills as well as working with vulnerable people.
• Supporting safe and fair workplaces
  We are committed to providing safe and fair workplace for both volunteers and future employees, we do not tolerate discrimination, intimidation or abuse of any of our volunteers or guests and regularly check in with workers and have safety procedures in place in the case of a negative event.
• Sustainable Victorian social enterprise and Aboriginal business sectors
  Future plans include transitioning to a social enterprise that will financially contribute to the organisation and employ priority jobseekers.
• Sustainable Victorian regions
  Frankston is a low socioeconomic area and Project Fresh Start works in collaboration with other emergency relief providers, community gardens and local businesses to distribute donated goods as well as purchase goods from local businesses in the area. We work closely with local council and government to support and promote a stronger more resilient community.