Skip to main content

Putting time to good use

If we spend less, or waste less, then we don't need to trade away so much of our lives for dollars.

So what are the other options for our time? Recently I've been looking at social enterprises - businesses whose primary goal is a social outcome rather than a profit.

Last month I reviewed the Fruit Butcher. Today I'm looking at the ground-breaking work of Green Fox Studio - who I also discovered at a local social enterprise showcase.

Who are Green Fox Studio?

Green Fox Studio trains and employs people to do graphic and digital design.


By itself that sounds unremarkable but Green Fox has a difference. Their students and designers are serving time.

How does that work?

We like to think prison somehow sets people straight. But 46% of people in prison end up re-offending and returning to prison. Others end up homeless. Many have reduced employment prospects due to their record.

Most organisations aren't willing to train or employ people with a criminal record. Green Fox studios is.

So how's it going?

Green Fox is now an award-winning studio and has trained 60 people. Less than 2% have returned to jail (compared to the usual 46%).

The cost of a studio which trains and employs 28 people is less than the cost to keep one person in jail.

They now operated in two states in Australia and are looking to expand, and help more people turn their life around.

In short

I was really touched by this initiative. It makes such an amazing difference. I wondered why something like this hasn't happened earlier.

I guess it's because Amanda and Kelly had the time and space to come up with this idea and make it happen. I guess this is what you can do when you're not spending every hour earning money to buy stuff you don't need.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The real cost of owning a car

It's been about 10 years since I've owned a car. My wife doesn't own one either. "You must save a lot in petrol" That's one of the frequent reactions when someone discovers we don't own a car. "Of course, but it's just the tip of the iceberg" is the usual theme of my reply. Many people I've talked to just aren't fully aware of the real cost of owning a car. Or even that there are six different costs of owning a car. Six? Really? Yes. Occasionally a work colleague or friend will boast their car only costs $X per week. Of course it turns out only some factors have been counted. Sometimes it's just petrol alone. To some people, that feels like the only cost they pay each week. Why does this matter? You might be questioning the need for a second car in the household (or even having one at all). Or you might just be choosing which car to get next. Either way, to make an informed decision we need proper information. So let's look at...

How much super will we have?

Will we be OK in old age? How much will we have? One of the great things about living in Australia is superannuation. Our employers are required to pay into an investment account for our retirement. In recent times, my wife and I have been in several conversations with friends who are wondering (or worried) if their balance will be enough. That's what inspired this article. Great question It's a great question to ask, especially around the age of 35 to 40. At that point, old age is less of a distant abstract concept. It's becoming a medium-term reality. At 35 the number of years of living off super is possibly more than half of your remaining years. At 40 you may consider yourself about half way through your working life. Looking at your balance, it's easy to think that twice that balance may not be enough.  Read on, because I have good news for you. It's better than you might think As I've mentioned in earlier posts, compound growth means the investment grows f...

Less Clutter More Cash - now available

Do you feel like you have too much stuff? Is your home full of things you never use? Would you like to swap them for cash? We did My wife and I have sold more than 550 items online as we downsize and we've learnt a bit along the way. I've put some of our best tips into this handy ebook. I hope you can use these tips so you too can have less clutter and more cash. Enter your email address below to receive the book for free. Less Clutter More Cash Get my new ebook for free. PS. This will subscribe to the But Wait There's Less email list, so you'll know when the new updated version of the book is available. You can unsubscribe at any time.