Life On The Job


Life on the Job

Social Entrepreneurs: Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett
Joint Founders: Orange Sky Laundry  - 2016 Young Australians of the Year

Social Entrepreneurs

What is a Social Entrepreneur?

"a person who establishes an enterprise
with the aim of solving social problems or effecting social change."
(Source: Oxford Dictionary)

The Orange Sky Laundry story


“In your love, my salvation lies” and “I had a dream I stood beneath an orange sky, with my brother standing by,” are the lyrics Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett base their core values of their social welfare service, Orange Sky Laundry on.

Orange Sky’ by Alexi Murdoch was the inspiration behind the company’s name. According to Lucas the song is about helping your brothers and sisters out which is exactly what the friends from Brisbane are doing in Brisbane and Melbourne with their mobile laundry service for the homeless.

 

Lucas and Nic met in high school in the 8th grade [St Joseph's Gregory Terrace, Brisbane]. It was through their connection in high school and their involvement with the homeless community through a high school food van they first became interested in the social welfare of the homeless community.

The idea of a mobile laundry service was lingering through the later years of high school but it wasn’t until Lucas returned from travelling overseas when he and Nic sat down and decided there was no better time to start up the self-funded project. At first, Nic and Lucas didn’t know if their idea would work but less than a year on they are overwhelmed at the support they have received and the amount of communities that have contacted them, crying out for their services. (Source: Federation Story)

Triple J Lucas Patchett is studying a double degree:
Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) and Bachelor of Commerce 2011 - 2016 from the University of Queensland.

Nic Marchesi is a Director at FastForward Productions.

 

Website

Our Vision
is a world where people who are homeless are positively connected with the community.

Our Mission
To provide a vehicle for conversations, opportunities and education through a free mobile laundry service for the homeless, worldwide.

The Aim is to:

* Raise health standards

* Restore respect

* Reduce strain on resources

Lucas 5 February 2018
5 February 2018
Lucas with the new van  "Frosty" at ACU Canberra - which also has a shower and 4 washing/drying machines.
Below is a picture of the back of the van showing the shower (to the left), wash basin and mirror. [And lots of bright orange towels!]

Frosty in Canberra

YouTube Video: Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett - 2016 Young Australian of the Year
https://youtu.be/ORzX9-dtWmU

 

YouTube Video: Nic Marchesi & Lucas Patchett acceptance speech 2016 Young Australian of the Year
https://youtu.be/d_ra7eaKUzs  

 

YouTube Video: Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett: small businesses doesn't always go to plan
https://youtu.be/dL9dQLzIk_U

 

Links:

SMH: Mobile laundry founders...

SMH

Australian of the Year: Honour Roll

Honour Roll


Federation Story

Federation Story

ABC News: 26/1/2016 Audio File

ABC News

Catholic Leader : May 2015

Catholic Leader

University of Queensland News: 2 Nov 2015

UQ
The Age: 1 July 2015

The Age
Sunshine Coast Daily: 1 August 2015

Sunshine Coast Daily


Activities

Australian Social Entrepreneurs and You!

PrimaryPrimary  MiddleMiddle High SchoolSecondary

CriticalAustralian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking
Personal and social capability
Australian Curriculum General Capability: Personal and social capability

Ethical Understanding Australian Curriculum General Capability: Ethical Understanding

NumeracyAustralian Curriculum General Capability: Numeracy

 

 

1. There are many young Australians who are social entrepreneurs. They have developed businesses where they saw a social need and inspired others to support them to make a change in the lives of others. 

Go to the FYA website and especially the section on Young Social Pioneers and read or listen to some of their stories.

FYA Young Social Pioneers

2. Go to the School for Social Entrepreneurs and read the student stories.

SSE 3. Select one story that has impressed you.

4. Write up a Self Reflection answering the following questions:

a. Why did this person impress you?

b. Is there anything in this story that you could do within your community?

c. What would you do to adapt the idea to suit your community?

5. As a responsible Social Entrepreneur, you need to assess the cost of your idea or gather the cost from the social entrepreneurs that you have researched.

What was their start up cost?
Ongoing cost?

For Orange Sky Laundry:
"You can help now by donating laundry cycles (1 cycle per person).

$6 purchases 1 cycle $60 purchases 10, $120 purchases a day and $600 a week."

Work out the cost of operating:

1 hour = 1 cycle = 3 people's clothes

If the van operates for 14 hours a day - how many people's clothes will get washed? How could this be extended?

How many people would get their clothes washed in a week?

6. Nic and Lucas were inspired at school by their service with the food van to help homeless people. They then thought of the idea of a mobile laundry to help the homeless have clean clothes.


Call to Action:

A quote often attributed to St Mary MacKillop is, ‘Never see a need without doing something about it’.

What needs are there in your local community that you could do something about?
(Source: Australian Catholics)

You are to research the volunteer organisations within your community and then volunteer your time for one of the organisations for ... one month, six months, one year.

Do you have any ideas to start your own social enterprise? Share with friends - this is how Nic and Lucas got started!

What sort of money would you need to start your social enterprise? What about the ongoing cost?

 

Analysing Social Entrepreneurship

High SchoolSecondary

CriticalAustralian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking

Personal and social capabilityAustralian Curriculum General Capability: Personal and social capability

Ethical Understanding Australian Curriculum General Capability: Ethical Understanding

 

1. Read the following article from The Conversation 6 December 2016 about the different ways that social enterpreneurship can be developed - and how we can contribute, not just at Christmas.

The Conversation

2. Analyse the article by answering the following questions:

  • What are the five global trends that are creating change for good and enable you to take action?

  • Which system/type appeals to you? Why?

  • What examples are listed?

  • Where would Orange Sky Laundry fit? Why? Why Not?



3. Lucas and Nic developed a social conscience at school. They saw a need and were determined to contribute to "fixing" this need. They found that their enterprise had bigger ramifications than washing clothing. The conversation that was started between the homeless friends and themselves was more important. It allowed their homeless friends to talk to the volunteers and this had a huge social impact.

Discussion

Look about you. Is there a particular need within your school that you could address as a social entrepreneur? Discuss with a partner.

4. Brainstorm

Brainstorm how you would go about addressing this particular need. Come up with 5 ways.

Analyse

Analyse which of the 5 ways discussed in the article would be the most appropriate for you to launch your social enterprise.

Discussion

Discuss with a partner and share with the class.

 

 

 

Australian Social Enterprise Awards (lesson plan from VCAA - Social Enterprise, Level 7 & 8)

MiddleMiddle 

CriticalAustralian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking

Personal and social capabilityAustralian Curriculum General Capability: Personal and social capability

Ethical Understanding Australian Curriculum General Capability: Ethical Understanding

TeacherTeacher

Unit of Work - PDF from Victorian Curriculum & Assessment Authority [VCAA]

VCAA - PDF

 

 

 

Other Entrepreneurs listed in "Life on the Job"

Baker's Delight
Lesley & Roger Gillespie

Baker's Delight


Florence Broadhurst - Fabric & Wallpaper Designer

Florence Broadhurst

Janine Ellis - Boost Juice

Boost Juice
Jim's Group

Jim's Group

 

 

 

 

 

 

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