Telstra Joins Telco Collaboration for Social Good
8 April 2014 at 11:24 am
Communications giant Telstra has joined forces with the industry-led Telco Together Foundation to work together to support Australian communities in need.
The Telco Together Foundation launched in July 2012, and is a registered charity that brings together the telecommunications industry in support of disadvantaged communities in areas including indigenous communities, the homeless, mental health and refugees.
Members of the Foundation include Optus, Vodafone, NBN Co, M2, iiNet, AAPT, Aggregato, Alcatel- Lucent, Cisco, Community Telco, Informatel, Skybridge, Telcoinabox, and Vocus Communications.
Up until now Telstra has gone it alone through its Telstra Foundation to fund community projects.
“The Foundation represents a unique opportunity to harness the collective power of the telecommunications industry to support Australian communities,” Renee Bowker, CEO of Telco Together Foundation, said.
“Telstra’s unrivalled reach and experience using technology to support the community will bring valuable insight towards developing Telco Together strategic projects, and further enhance our ability to deliver innovative industry-wide programs.
“Telstra has a longstanding interest and involvement in supporting local communities through the Telstra Foundation, which has worked with thousands of community organisations and contributed over $50 million in grants.”
Telstra said it had a strong focus on creating digital connections for social change and the Telstra Foundation’s major programs include a partnership with The Allanah & Madeline Foundation to support Australia’s 1500 public libraries to become safe, smart and responsible digital hubs, as well as a unique collaboration with the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence, announced in 2013, to support Indigenous Digital Excellence.
“Telstra is all about creating a brilliant connected future for everyone – this underpins everything we do, across our business,” Stuart Lee, Group Executive of Telstra Wholesale, said.
“Our partnership with Telco Together also reflects this belief and we look forward to working with the wider telecommunications industry to improve social connection and inclusion for some of Australia’s most excluded groups.”
Telstra’s membership will include a seat on Telco Together’s Advisory Board, consisting of Executive Officer level representation from key telco members meeting twice yearly to guide the strategic direction and activities of the Telco Together Foundation, and its range of community projects.
In November 2013 The Telco Together Foundation launched an online education program – Apps4Change – to help Australian charities better understand the adoption of mobile technologies to support common Not for Profit objectives, such as fundraising, service delivery and cause awareness.
