Interflow’s Executive General Manager of People and Capability Tracy Keevers said she’s proud of this momentous occasion in the history of the organisation.
She shared that there are many very good reasons that Interflow has thrived for over 85 years, and they’re not just related to the innovative solutions the organisation provides to water authorities and councils.
“It is strongly related to the organisation’s purpose, which has always been about improving the lives of the people we work with and of those within the communities we serve,” Keevers said.
“As a family business, we’ve been able to do things differently. We have always taken care of the families of people that worked within the business. That philosophy hasn’t changed, but it has grown to include the lives of people outside the business, too.”
Founded by proud Indigenous men and AFL legends Adam Goodes and Michael O’Loughlin – the ‘G’ and ‘O’ of GO Foundation – the 15-year-old organisation provides scholarships for Indigenous children during primary school, high school and university. Importantly, they put culture at the heart of everything they do.
The holistic program creates opportunities for young Indigenous people by focussing on the students’ identity, culture, and their wider community as they complete their education.
“Education is the most powerful tool, said Lua Pellegrini, who went through the GO Foundation program. “It allows me to unlock so many opportunities and changes my potential.” “If every Indigenous person had the opportunities I had, it could change the world.”
As part of its Diversity and Inclusion strategy, Interflow launched its first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in 2022.
The new partnership with GO Foundation aligns to its RAP commitments and the broader Interflow purpose by:
Interflow joins several other notable organisations, including David Jones, Bloomberg, Citi, GHD, Graincorp, Toyota and more, as partners and supporters of GO Foundation.
Founding partners Sydney Swans, KPMG, QBE and Allens are also still a vital part of GO Foundation’s success.
Interflow’s focus on a community and family, Keevers says, heavily influenced the decision to seek a partnership with GO Foundation.
“We already had two community partnerships that are close to our hearts,” she said. “One is The Smith Family, particularly its Learning for Life program, which improves lives through education.”
The other is WaterAid Australia, where most of the funding goes overseas, bringing life-saving clean water and sanitation to families.
“With that partnership, we can proactively see the dollars hit the ground over there, making a real difference to families,” Keevers said. “It’s about providing vital infrastructure and services such as sanitation to communities in the Asia-Pacific region.”
The GO Foundation partnership ties in deeply with Interflow’s Reflect RAP, currently in its second year, which is focussed on building strong foundations to engage in meaningful reconciliation.
“Part of it is down to the industry we’re in,” she said. “We really want to learn about sustainable land practices and have a closer connection to Country as an organisation.”
“At the same time, we want to have a long-lasting, positive effect on communities, and that’s what GO Foundation is all about. It is very grassroots. Every dollar we give will make a difference to Indigenous children staying at school.”
Importantly, while GO Foundation has a focus on cultural pride and students being comfortable in their own skin, the organisation also consciously focusses where it can on the eldest child in each family.
“It’s just such a clever idea,” Keevers said. “They focus on the eldest child because they know if they can get the eldest child through, other children will have role models to follow. That insight comes from really knowing the community and knowing the people.”
Similarly, 60 percent of GO Foundation scholarships are awarded to girls, acknowledging the importance of women in Aboriginal communities.
“In Aboriginal communities, women are often leaders and decision makers,” Keevers said. “So by giving young women the very best chance of a good education, it will enable and empower social change.” Of course, in a partnership the support is not one-dimensional. It’s not just to do with funding. Interflow is exploring with GO Foundation ways it can add value to the organisation’s mission by sharing skills, knowledge and opportunities.
In partnering with GO Foundation, which has been making a difference to Indigenous student education for 15 years, Interflow becomes a part of the achievement of a grand goal.
Right now, GO Foundation funds over 660 active scholarships. The organisation has a goal of 1000 active scholarships, and Interflow is proud to support that goal, Keevers says.
“Maybe in the future, Interflow will be able to offer positions to candidates who have come through the program, but it’s really not about that,” Keevers said.
“What is it really about? If we’re truly committed to reconciliation and truly committed to improving lives, we need to put our money where our mouth is and do something about it. This is about us having a positive, powerful, long-term impact for generations to come.”
