Paid Charity Leave
5 February 2013 at 2:27 pm
 Picture: Vodafone Foundation |
Mobile phone company, Vodafone, is offering four Australians a chance to work for a charitable cause that they’re passionate about for a year.
Paid Charity Leave, through the Vodafone Foundation World of Difference Program, supports Australians who are chosen to take a year out from their regular jobs to work for a charity.
Head of the Vodafone Foundation Demelza Farr says Paid Charity Leave aims to make social investments and form partnerships with registered charities.
She says in addition to training, mentoring and ongoing support, the program helps fund the salaries ($70,000) and provide an expenses budget ($15,000) to four worthy successful applicants.
“For the past decade Vodafone has lent a full-time helping hand to various charities throughout Australia including the RSPCA, Oxfam, St. John Ambulance, OzHarvest, the Australian Men’s Shed Association and Musicians Making a Difference,” Farr said.
Each year, four participants take part in public voting, allowing other passionate Australians the opportunity to vote for the charity they’d most like to see benefit from the Program.
One of the applicant’s chosen last year, Bruce Uhlhorn, has spent the past eight months working for Radio Lollipop, a charity focused on providing care, comfort, play and entertainment to sick children in hospital.
“I’m using my professional skills to make the world a better place and it’s changing my life. I’m currently helping Radio Lollipop consolidate their business, recruiting new volunteers and developing strategies to maximize the number of sick children the charity can help,” Uhlhorn said.
“In eight months I’ve achieved more for Radio Lollipop than I achieved in the previous eight years. Working full time and normal business hours also has delivered huge benefits to our volunteer-run charity.”
Vodafone says the Paid Charity Leave program is the only community investment program in the country giving Australians the opportunity to work for their nominated charity, funded and supported for an entire year.
To find out more about the program visit: www.vodafone.com.au/charityleave
Applications open [3pm Feb 4, 2013] and close [5pm March 4, 2013]. The charity must be a Deductible Gift Recipient under item 1 of the table in section 30-15 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.
Application details and full terms and conditions are available here.
