Strong partnership with ANZ supports critical early intervention programs

Over the past 20 years, ANZ has supported Berry Street to deliver vital programs and services to Victorian children, young people and families experiencing vulnerability.

Earlier this week, Berry Street CEO, Michael Perusco met with ANZ CEO, Shayne Elliot to update him on our work and share with him our renewed strategic direction for 2023-26. In this short, three-minute video, kindly produced by ANZ, you’ll see how building a truly engaging and mutually aligned partnership with the corporate sector is pivotal to Berry Street achieving real impact in our communities.

How we partner with ANZ to deliver positive change

ANZ's integral support ensures we can continue to invest in our early intervention and prevention programs and services – an approach that is critical if we are to support more Victorian families to stay together safely in their own homes.

“We use evidence-based approaches that have been proven to work. They key thing is intervening earlier, before things spiral out of control and are at the point where the children do need to be removed [from their families],” said Michael Perusco, Berry Street CEO.

With ANZ’s ongoing funding support, we can continue to deliver GOALS (Going Out and Living Successfully) in Morwell and Traralgon. Through our GOALS program, we work with young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness by providing them with a safe and secure home while they pursue their education, training or employment goals.

ANZ has also been a key partner in supporting the expansion of trauma-informed education across Australia through the Berry Street Education Model (BSEM).

We also work directly with ANZ to deliver their financial management and literacy programs, including:

• Saver Plus – a free financial education and matched savings program. Since 2003, Berry Street has supported more than 5,300 individuals and families in Victoria to complete Saver Plus.
• MoneyMinded – a free financial education program that helps adults build money management skills, knowledge and confidence. Berry Street delivers MoneyMinded to community sector workers, family violence practitioners and financial counsellors.

Partner with Berry Street to create a brighter future for children and young people

“We receive government funding to do the work we do, but we also rely really heavily on our corporate partners, as well as our other supporters to fund services that aren’t funded by government and innovative services that allow us to respond in a different way,” said Michael Perusco, Berry Street CEO.

Corporate partnerships play a vital role in supporting Berry Street’s work over our long history. Not only are these partnerships critical in helping us to fund innovative and evidence-based programs and services, but they also help us raise awareness about our work with the broader community.

There are many opportunities for organisations to partner with Berry Street, such as through:

• financial partnerships
• workplace giving
• holding a workplace event
• participating in a community fundraiser
• providing access to other resources, including in-kind donations of goods or services, and expertise in areas such as marketing, finance, and technology.

Working together, we can give Victorian children, young people and families experiencing poverty, violence and abuse the future they imagine for themselves.

Please reach out to our team today if you would like to learn more about Berry Street’s work and how you can join us.