The Frugal Feast – Meet Caterina Giorgi of For Purpose

12 November 2014

This month, we’re raising funds for our Lanyon Food Hub through The Frugal Feast – a recipe book, and a week of fundraising activities that will engage the community and provide new and exciting ways for you to get involved and make a difference this festive season.

Our week of activities runs from 17 – 21 November, and on Thursday 20 November, we’re hosting a special Advocacy seminar with Caterina Giorgi of For Purpose. Check out our chat with Caterina below, and RSVP using the form at the bottom of the page!

How did the idea for For Purpose come around? What are you hoping to achieve with the project?

For Purpose is a pilot project focusing on people working in the ‘for-purpose’ or not-for-profit sector.

At the centre of For Purpose is the belief that if we want to make the greatest impact in addressing our biggest social challenges, then we need to invest in the people who work to create a healthier, safer and more socially connected community.

As a sector we are often too busy delivering projects and programs to take time out to focus on our own development as professionals. This often means that for purpose professionals get burnt-out and go to other sectors and we lose fantastic professionals that have varied, extensive and tailored skills.

The idea for For Purpose came about from my own work in the for-purpose sector. I know from my experience how difficult it is to find development and networking opportunities that are relevant to my work. I also know that these programs have to be relevant and targeted to provide an incentive for people to take a day out of their busy schedules to be involved. For Purpose aims to address this gap by providing tailored ‘bootcamps’ on topics that have been identified by the ACT sector as being the most important. These ‘bootcamps’ will start in 2015.

For Purpose is also about connecting people to apply innovative solutions to complex social problems using a range of approaches. While we have opportunities to meet, we don’t have opportunities to come together and brainstorm solutions to problems using the expertise of different fields (eg. design thinking, consultancy) and the collective efforts of people from other organisations or sectors from within the for purpose community.

Like For Purpose on Facebook to keep up to date on the project.

Did you always want to work in the for purpose sector? Why?

I didn’t know that I wanted to work in the for purpose sector until I started working in the sector. Now I am convinced that there are many reasons why I will be in the sector for a long time. One of these reasons is the people that work in the sector. I am lucky enough to work with people who are motivated by the desire to create a more socially just, environmentally stable, animal friendly and healthy community.

It’s so great that you’re supporting The Frugal Feast – why do you think supporting the community through events like this is important?

The Food Hub at the Lanyon Youth and Community Centre offers food for people in our community who need support. It also offers the opportunity for socially isolated members of our community to connect with people. This is the sort of project that we should all be supporting in whatever way we can.

What’s your favourite cheap, delicious meal?

My favourite cheap, delicious meal would have to be any kind of pasta, even the kind that involves a stir through sauce and takes ten minutes to throw together (just don’t tell my mum that I said that).

Thursday 20 November – Social Change and Advocacy seminar with Caterina Giorgi

This seminar is for people working in not-for-profit or for-purpose organisations and will provide information on how to get the most from your organisation’s advocacy efforts. During the power hour, the seminar will focus on the tactics that you can adopt to pursue policy change. The seminar will also focus on the need for advocacy efforts to be working towards a clear goal, or purpose, with tips on how to avoid being taken off track.

Caterina Giorgi is a member of the YWCA Canberra, and the Director of Policy and Research and the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE). Caterina has taught advocacy at the University of Canberra and has completed a fellowship on social change with the Centre for Australian Progress. Caterina is currently developing a pilot project called ‘For Purpose’ which focuses on building innovation in the not-for-profit or for-purpose sector. For Purpose will be launched in Canberra in 2015.

When: 12-1pm
Where: YWCA Canberra, Level 5 Bright Consulting Building, 161 London Cir, Civic
Cost: Note donation
RSVP using the form below to secure your place!

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Tags: Advocacy, community, food hub, For Purpose, frugal feast, fundraising, social change