Paid Charity Leave Up for Grabs
4 February 2014 at 10:09 am
The Vodafone Foundation is offering the chance for two people to take leave from their regular jobs to work for a year at a charity of their choice.
The 2014 World of Difference program, now in its 11th year, will fund two Australians’ charity work for up to $85,000 each.
Organisers say the participants will also receive training, mentoring and ongoing support to best serve their charity and to help them to make a significant and lasting impact.
Alyssa Jones, the Head of Vodafone Foundation, said the Foundation didn’t believe in cash alone as the cure but rather to tap into people’s consciences and invest and empower them to do something amazing.
“The World of Difference program gives participants the unique opportunity to make a difference in their local community by offering paid charity leave for an entire year,” Jones said.
Juliette Wright, a participant in the 2013 World of Difference program, has spent the past eight months managing GIVIT in Brisbane, a website that enables people to donate everyday items directly to those in need.
“Taking part in the World of Difference program has been a life-changing experience,” Wright said.
“By allowing me to spend the last year dedicating my time and energy to promoting GIVIT’s philanthropic efforts, we’ve managed to make a real difference to those in need.”
Other past participants include Loren O’Keeffe who spent her Paid Charity Leave establishing the Missing Persons Advocacy Network (MPAN), based in Melbourne, and Jackie Ruddock who will spend her Paid Charity Leave as the first employee for refugee social enterprise, The Social Outfit.
So far, 42 Australians have received paid charity leave through the World of Difference program.
Applications to the 2014 World of Difference program are open until 5pm on 3 March.
For more information and the program’s full Terms and Conditions, click here.
