“Everyone should be curious. Anyone can make change and add value” says Louise Baxter, Starlight Children’s Foundation. With Innovation Awards and Innovation Champions, this not-for-profit is constantly exploring new ideas to support seriously ill children, young people and their families. One such innovation is the Livewire program that connects teenagers living with a serious illness or chronic health condition. Livewire is an online community that’s moderated, secure, and accessible to those at home or in hospital, available when they need it. “Livewire promotes the voice of lived experience through live chat, private messaging, community, entertainment content and creative projects.” https://www.starlight.org.au/about-us/what-we-do/livewire

DV Safe Phone collects, repurposes and gifts mobile phones to victims of domestic violence through registered charities, safe houses, and authorities. "Phones are often one of the first items to be taken or broken during domestic violence, leaving the victim with no way to call emergency services or helplines” says Ashton Wood. “Our Safe Phones are provided as part of an individual's 'safe' or 'escape' plan offering a lifeline to call for help.” Along side this work, DV Safe Phones has launched ‘One Phone, One Life’ – a community tool to start conversations about healthy, respectful relationships. https://dvsafephone.org/onelife

Louise Larkin and team hold an annual inclusion event (Friend In Me Day) with thousands of children attending who have lived through pretty tough childhood experiences.  "We bring together children of all ages, nationalities, and abilities to dance, play, sing, create and most importantly, make lifelong friends and memories they will cherish.” Personally, what I also love about Friend In Me is that they didn’t stop at one idea for good.As Louise says: “Inclusion doesn’t stop when the party ends.” The team developed a practical workplace training program that helps business leaders be more welcoming, diverse, and inclusive. https://www.friendinme.org.au

There's a Sydney-based charity offering a source of strength for kids in hospital. Supertee gifts bright, superhero themed medical garments to children facing long-term illness. I asked founder Jason Sotiris about his idea that was born from personal experience. "Nurses, parents and children all working together to make a garment that is more practical and fun. We hear stories of bravery and courage despite all these amazing kids must face." The collaborative effort is what stands out to me as the heart of the idea, and the smiles on the kids' faces, well you can't argue with that. https://www.supertee.org.au

There has been plenty of negative press over the years about the impact of video games on the younger population. So, let's focus on an incredible positive. There is a not-for-profit using video games to build a framework of support for people with disabilities.  Able Gamers gives people an accessible way to reach beyond the physical confines of their homes and connect with other players all over the world. It’s an initiative that requires constant ideation to properly match the video gaming playing experience to varied abilities, while keeping up with the latest trends in the gaming industry. https://ablegamers.org