As we bid farewell to 2023, it's with immense pride and gratitude that we reflect on the incredible journey Dismantle has undertaken throughout the year. In the spirit of the festive season, we're excited to share the successes and milestones that have defined our year and set the stage for an even more impactful 2024.
A big internal change for the Dismantle team was moving our headquarters from West Perth to a new, bigger space in Burswood. This move took a whole team effort, to transport a warehouse, office and workshop. Alongside our dedicated team we were supported by the team at Kennards Hire who provided trucks and volunteer staff to help us out. We now have a larger space to expand our impact and reach.
Alongside our mission, we intend to influence and advance the social enterprise landscape in WA. This year, Dismantle was the host and co-founder of the Investing for Impact WA group, bringing together socially conscious investors and philanthropists, connecting them to Western Australian social enterprises. With the first event in March 2023, we successfully raised $250k in impact investment. Then again in November, Dismantle hosted another Investing for Impact event for other stand out social enterprises - Noongar Land Enterprise, Reboot Australia and Loop.
In October, our dedicated Cape2Cape charity team embarked on a challenging journey, conquering both physical and fundraising goals. The team's incredible effort resulted in raising over $30,000 in support of WA’s at-risk young people.
A monumental achievement that truly embodies the core of our mission – Dismantle reached an extraordinary milestone, hitting $1 million paid to our youth employees. This is a highly significant marker of our model working and we’ll look to double that in the near future.
In November, we were honoured to be recognised as a finalist in both Social Traders’ Social Procurement Game Changer and RISE Business Awards. With so many fantastic fellow finalists we feel privileged to be among such great company.
As we express our gratitude for the successes of 2023, we acknowledge that none of this would be possible without the unwavering support of our community, partners, and dedicated team members. We’d like to express gratitude for the range of support we receive, ranging from grants and donations, social enterprise trade clients, volunteer contributions and everything in between. A special thank you goes out to Lotterywest for their generous grant recently, which has already begun making significant operational enhancements to our work and young people and will continue to do so in the years ahead.
Saving the best for last, congratulations and thanks to our incredible young people. The determination, courage and grit they demonstrate every day is the continual source of our energy and inspiration. It’s incredible to see the dedication and hard work of a young person getting their life on track. We're excited for the opportunities that lie ahead in 2024, as we continue to dismantle barriers and build a brighter future for all.
On behalf of the board, team and volunteers, wishing you a joyful holiday season and a happy New Year!
