Virgin Money Australia is a financial services company dedicated to making everyone better off – customers, society, staff, partners and shareholders. The business is based on the premise that Australian consumers are poorly served by the big four banks in Australia and that there needs to be a compelling alternative. Like all Virgin companies, Virgin Money strives to bring customers a better deal by offering great value products designed around what customers really want.

A unique approach

Unlike many competitors, they aim to make a fair profit – giving as much as they can back to customers, not as little as they can get away with. This is reflected in the products they’ve brought to market. Virgin Money Australia aims to be the genuine alternative to the ‘big 4’ traditional banking giants that dominate Australia’s retail banking market. 

What do they support?

Surfing, swimming, sunbathing. Those are the kind of activities you imagine Australian young people enjoy. And while the majority do, around 32,000 young people in Australian are homeless and face nights alone, on the streets with nothing to eat. Many have suffered physical, sexual, emotional and substance abuse, and have no immediate or extended family support systems. It’s why Virgin Money Australia is helping tackle youth homelessness in Australia.

Giving back to the community in this way makes Virgin Money Australia a unique environment to work in. And, as a result staff are happier and stay with the company for longer. The company has teamed up with the Salvation Army’s Oasis Youth Support Network. The charity offers 25 services, from counseling to legal advice, that support young homeless people.

They encourage employees and partners to get involved, in any way they can, with Oasis and have made this part of the fabric of the business. 

Work with Virgin Unite

Youth homeless in Australia is a forgotten problem. But Virgin Money is on a mission to raise awareness and get Virgin business community involved in tackling the problem.

Working with Virgin Unite, Virgin Australia businesses can drive real change and make the hopes and dreams of inspirational young people become a reality.

Partner programmes create opportunities for communities and inspire real, lasting and meaningful change. Whether it’s building young people’s skills for the world of work via the Champions Programme, or having someone to listen to their hopes and aspirations for the future.

Impact?

Nearly every team member at Virgin Money Australia has volunteered their time and skills at an Oasis Youth Support Network project.  Having developed a strong relationship with our partners and Oasis, Virgin Money Australia has a strong network of people working together with the one common goal – to end youth homelessness.

Virgin Money has been responsible for and part of a number of initiatives including:

•	Supporting members of the Virgin Unite Champions Programme, a group of young homeless people from the Oasis Youth Support Network who represent the cause to the media and mentor each other.
•	Donation drives like ‘One great item for one great reason’ and ‘Winter Woollies’ which collected over 3,500 items of suitable clothing for young homeless people to attend job interviews and join the workforce
•	Organising regular cooked breakfasts at the Oasis Crisis Centre in Sydney, ensuring that young homeless people are fed and can access other services.
•	Providing financial literacy training to more than 60 young people as part of the Oasis Get Skilled for Work Programme.

 
Here’s what they are saying:

Tom Heyes, Campaign Manager, Virgin Money – and a Virgin Champion for Oasis:

“Over the past six months at Champions, my perception of youth homelessness has changed dramatically. Before I didn’t think it was a problem and sadly had an idea that it was a choice rather than an escape.

"The honesty, courage and enthusiasm that I have experienced at our Wednesday get togethers has made me realise that homelessness is an issue that needs to be tackled in Australia.  The young Champions, many of whom have been through such hard childhoods, had no choice. Homelessness was a way for them to be free from what was not a safe, encouraging and loving life that every child has the right to.

"Now I’m a passionate advocate against youth homelessness.  I make sure others are aware of the situation in Australia and encourage them to think differently about the issue.

"From a personal development perspective, the programme has given me so much. I’ve opened up to people in a way that I wouldn’t normally get the opportunity to. I’ve developed my communication skills. And it’s given me a new group of great friends.”


Sally Leighton, Commercial Analyst at Virgin Money and an avid Oasis volunteer:

“I help with Oasis because sometimes something bad can happen in your life which then snowballs and becomes out of control. You enter a spiral of decline and it seems like there is no way to turn the corner. Anything we can do to help break these negative cycles or just break up the day is positive, whether it’s a chat over breakfast, offering money tips or providing clothes for a job interview.”