Company B and Freehills have again been recognised for their long-standing partnership by receiving two community engagement accolades in the national Australia Business Arts Foundation (AbaF) Awards, presented in Melbourne last Thursday night. Together the companies received the national AbaF Toyota Community Award and the national Australia Council Arts for Young People Award.
The AbaF Awards are Australia's top awards for business-arts partnerships, sponsorships, volunteering and giving. The Toyota Community Award is designed to recognise partnerships that have a community focus in their outcomes. The Australia Council Arts for Young People Award is for partnerships that enrich the lives of young Australians through engagement with and participation in the arts.
The relationship between Company B and Freehills began in 2004 with both organisations looking to extend their commitment to the community by taking a risk and trying something new. Both organisations had an unwavering commitment to social justice, and this partnership was established to create positive change in the lives of students and disadvantaged young people in the Sydney community. Today it reaches thousands of young people across New South Wales.
Pro Bono Counsel and Executive Director, Freehills Foundation, Annette Bain said, "To be recognised by the arts community in Australia is really lovely, however the major credit must go to our partner, Company B, who had the inspiration and the right people to provide access to the theatre and educational workshop opportunities for thousands of young people in local, regional and rural communities, who really had no other means of doing so."
Ms Bain went on to say, "Fifteen years ago we set up the Shopfront Youth Legal Centre for homeless kids in inner Sydney. We have learnt that leaving school early is a predictor of future homelessness. We have been involved with a number of services designed to enable kids to do better at school – such as mentoring high school students, providing school uniforms for children living in a refuge and supporting a school breakfast club organisation. Company B’s education program takes this to a new level."
Freehills in partnership with Company B provide students from disadvantaged high schools with access to some of Australia’s most pioneering and challenging live theatre, through subsidised tickets and other activities. In addition Company B’s Youth Express Program has been initiated and developed through Freehills’ support. This program targets young people at risk, such as those who are homeless, drug addicted and isolated. The program encourages participants to tell their own stories and create their own theatrical production which culminates in a final performance before a live audience at Belvoir St Theatre.
According to Company B General Manager, Brenna Hobson, "Everyone at Company B is thrilled to receive these two awards. Our partnership with Freehills has enabled us to develop our Education program over the past five years and give far greater access to our work to young people, particularly those for whom disadvantage would otherwise prevent them from seeing theatre. There’s nothing like feeling the buzz when a group of students who have never seen a show before come out of the theatre.
"Freehills has been a supportive, flexible and engaging partner over the past five years, we are very pleased that they have been acknowledged and can’t wait to get started on our 2009 program with them."
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