Echuca Moama’s Beacon Foundation, which operates through schools in the Campaspe shire, will be among the benefactors of a $500,000 partnership with intellectual property services firm IPH Limited.
IPH has announced the flagship community partnership with the Australian not-for-profit organisation, which is the first of its kind for IPH.
The group has committed $500,000 over a five-year period to support the foundation in fulfilling its mission of improving educational and employment outcomes for young Australians.
The company offers a wide range of services for the protection, commercialisation, enforcement, and management of intellectual property. IPH provides these services across Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Pacific Islands, and Asia.
Beacon works with schools, businesses and communities across Australia to bridge the gap between education and industry, delivering meaningful work exposure and career opportunities to inspire students.
Beacon currently works with more than 195 schools across Australia helping to break the cycle of unemployment and underemployment in some of the country’s most disadvantaged communities.
“We’re really excited about the difference we believe we can make to the foundation and the opportunity our people will have to inspire students to think about their career,” IPH chief executive Dr Andrew Blattman said.
“Community giving is an important component of the culture of all firms within the IPH Group so we are looking forward to working together with the Beacon Foundation to maximise the impact we can make as one team.”
Beacon chief executive Scott Harris said, “As an organisation, we have a long history of supporting disadvantaged young Australians to transition from school into meaningful work, in part due to our ability to connect volunteer industry mentors into schools.
“Through IPH’s financial support, Beacon will have capacity to support more Australian students and continue on our mission to improve employment pathways for Australia’s young people who need it the most.”
To coincide with the announcement, IPH launched a volunteering policy, which will give people working across the group in Australia up to a day’s leave to volunteer and give back to the community by supporting Beacon.