Compass points to Geelong

Three Geelong charities will appear on ABC’s Compass TV Program this Saturday (August 18) at 6pm.

In a three-part special, The Funding Network bring donors and grassroots organisations face-to-face and gives charities six minutes to pitch to the audience; if a cause resonates they donate.

Described by ABC as a ‘philanthropic shark tank’, the stakes are high as three charities face a room of potential donors where everything rests on their six-minute presentation.

Compass host Kumi Taguchi takes us behind the scenes as each presenter is coached to craft and hone their delivery for maximum impact and finds out what makes these not-for-profits tick, why they need support and what they plan to do with the money (if they’re successful).

In episode two airing August 18, Kumi travels to Geelong where recovering ice-addict Kane Nuttall is using his personal experience to help others break the cycle of drug addiction. After 12 years in addiction and a failed suicide attempt, Kane has been clean for three years and started his support group, the Power In You Project in conjunction with Community Veracity.

“There’s so much stigma that comes with addiction, if you get called a junkie enough times or you get called a scumbag enough times, that’s all you think you that you are ever going to be,” he said.

Fellow Geelong resident Simon Reeves is building and nurturing the community from the ground up where he lives and works in Norlane, an area of high disadvantage.

Simon runs Norlane Community Initiatives and said he uses food to “try and cultivate community and regenerate the neighbourhood in which we live”.

The third presenter is youth worker Rachael Parker who created Ocean Mind, an organisation that gives kids the opportunity to surf whilst teaching them self-confidence and resilience.

“It’s all about getting back on the board after being knocked off. We put smiles back on young people’s faces, young people that have been through traumatic events. Young people that might have been bullied at school,” she said.

“Young people that might be experiencing mental health issues. As a youth worker I understand the importance of putting a smile back on young people’s faces.”

Tune into ABC to see whether the respective charities raised their goal of $15,000, for more information head to abc.net.au/compass.