Greetings BusiChic,
How do you feel about 5cent pieces? I can’t stand them! Parking meters and vending machines don’t accept them. Nobody’s face ever lights up when you hand them a 5cent piece. You’re legally not allowed to turn them into jewellery or glue them onto the floor like AJ did in Empire Records (need a refresher? Watch the YouTube clip below from 1:15, if your workplace allows you!) - so where else can they go really, then to take up space in the crevices of your pockets, purses and bags! Plus with $150 million worth of them in circulation across Australia- that’s 3000,000,000 little buggers to get in your way . Gah!
The YGAP 5cent campaign
Now what if I told you that there was a way that you could get rid of those pesky 5cent pieces and do good in the process?
Well there really is with a not-for-profit group called YGAP who have a campaign asking for all of your 5c pieces which raises funds for worthy causes – see the list here. YGAP figure that there are some great local initiatives in Australia as well as Asia and Africa who need funding so that they can build their initiatives to the point of self-sustainability.
Anyone can register at www.fivecent.com.au and they will be sent a flatpack container to start their own collecting. Coins can then be deposited at any ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, NAB, Westpac and Bank of Melbourne branch on 31 May, 2013
Meet YGAP
Regular BusiChics will know that I’m a believer in getting involved in projects outside of one’s dayjob. So when I learnt that YGAP is run entirely by volunteers who have dayjobs, I took the opportunity to profile three of them to find out what they give and get out of being involved in this not-for-profit.
Sean Hanley works professionally as an accountant, skills that qualify him to act as CFO for YGAP.
“…the timing didn’t work out, [so] we found another way for me to get involved – though I have since had the great pleasure of working on the project in Rwanda.”
In the former role, I oversee all financial, regulatory, legal and other business development activities in the organisation.In the latter, I lead the running on the 5cent campaign – heavily assisted by other amazing volunteers, who cover design and communications, manufacturing and distribution, project management and general operations.
Karla Dawes works at a major PR agency and uses her professional skills for not-for-profit, YGAP.
Karla Dawes,28, works at AMPR, a Public Relations agency that is well-known for its work with glamorous fashion clients. Dawes’ professional communication skills are valuable to YGAP and include internal and external communications, PR, social media, marketing and collateral. Dawes’ was friends with YGAP’s co-founder and CEO, Elliott Costello, and had been watching the development of the not-for-profit until making the jump last year and getting involved. While Karla hopes that the work she and the collective group of volunteers can help shape a better future, she gets something in return too.
“I love my job and spending time with friends and family, but didn’t feel I had a hobby or something I was really passionate about outside of this and YGAP has been a fantastic avenue for this.
It might sound corny, but I like that I can apply my technical skills and experience to do something for others. I also love meeting so many different and inspiring people that I may have never met before in my Melbourne bubble! ”
Have you read this article by ex-Grazia editor, Amy Molloy or heard the media beat-up with headlines quoting Molloy, “I wish I was mediocre like my friend.” When I saw the headline all I could think was, well Molloy needs to get out there and meet people who do things. Like Dawes.
Noah Warren, works in Property Funds Management by day and has transferrable skills which enable him to volunteer for YGAP in the 5cent partnerships team.
Noah Warren, 26, is in the real estate business. If you’re ever unsure of the services that you could contribute to a not-for-profit, remember that we all have transferrable skills – Warren is a great example of this as he works with the 5cent partnerships team:
“Specifically [we] target corporate businesses to sign up for containers, whilst also trying to get them involved in a greater capacity i.e.; donating 5cents from every billable hour, running internal competitions or the businesses matching the amount of 5cent pieces raised by the employees.
Warren enjoys “participating in an environment with inspiring entrepreneurial individuals that have a focus of thinking outside the box to create change.” He’s certainly demonstrated that by thinking outside the box in terms of what he can contribute to YGAP. Nice work, Warren!
Sign up for the 5cent campaign
I’ve signed up to collect change in my workplace:
Register to turn 5cent pieces into something useful at www.fivecent.com.au
Register to turn 5cent pieces into something useful at www.fivecent.com.au
The friendly volunteers at YGAP will send out a flat-pack box although I’ve found that my colleagues are pretty happy to get rid of their 5cent pieces by depositing into my football moneybox!
And can I tell you, it feels so satisfying getting rid of my 5cent pieces plus knowing that they’re going to do good!
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