by Dr Bibiana Chan
The Community Flower Studio (CFS) turned five this month, and we have been invited by the Centre for Social Impact (CSI) at UNSW to partner on an undergraduate course about social enterprises. As a youth-focused charity, CFS has been chosen as a case study for the course. Two young members of CFS, Thea and Jaydon, have joined me to form “Team CFS” to co-design and co-produce content for our initial presentations. They will also engage in a 10-week project with the CSI students, focusing on improving our marketing strategies—our weakest link!
I’ve been working tirelessly to create the best content for our program to fulfill our commitment to two of United Nations’ sustainable development goals to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages and making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. However, CFS must communicate better and reach our target audience. Albert Mai at Airtree Explorer summarized valuable insights after attending the 2024 Social Enterprise Festival hosted by SECNA (Social Enterprise Council NSW & ACT). One point that resonated with me was the need for diversification:
Diversify or Die: Don’t rely solely on government funding. Multiple income streams are crucial for longevity, including a mix of product sales, services, grants, and corporate partnerships. Diversification ensures financial stability and opens new opportunities for impact.
Registered charities face immense pressure to report their social impact, and while CFS regularly updates our social impact infographics on our website, this doesn’t guarantee government funding. For instance, our collaborator ‘StreetWork,’ despite its excellent record of social impact, missed out on recent NSW State funding. Their CEO, Helen Banu, OAM, and a CFS Committee member, expressed frustration over the situation.
The problem isn’t just that impactful early intervention services like StreetWork’s are missing out on funding. It’s also that most funding goes to services addressing the consequences rather than preventing the risk factors that impact young people’s lives.
During the current Cost of Living Crisis, our flower sales have taken a hit, which is understandable. To diversify, we’ve applied for relevant community grants and called for tax-deductible donations and started offering creative workshops for families. Many referrals to our Youth Mentoring Program come from young people disengaged from significant others like parents and teachers. To address this, we ran two pilot workshops for families before offering a ‘Resin Art Workshop’ in July 2024. The feedback was very positive. At the 2024 Social Enterprise Festival, families attended our Mindfulness Botanical Painting Workshops and gave us encouraging comments. I plan to include these testimonials in our next grant application, hoping for third-time luck after two unsuccessful attempts.
Thea expressed concerns about the potential overwhelming demand if our marketing campaign is too successful. Jaydon highlighted key growth areas, including effective event promotion, event sustainability, managing new member influx, and retaining current and future members. I incorporated their insights into the project brief, emphasizing sustainable event promotion and scalable growth.
To manage new member influx, our current membership application process requires online submissions, recommendations from 2 referees, and a Working with Children Check (WWCC) number. This ensures new members align with our youth-focused mission. Currently, I handle membership applications, but this task could be delegated to the Honorary Secretary or another member if needed.
Regarding event sustainability, after nearly five years of operation, CFS has a solid event calendar. We host two workshops during school holidays, avoiding competition with other Saturday activities. Additionally, we are commissioned by other organizations to conduct workshops outside school holidays, providing a steady revenue stream.
Retention of members is crucial for CFS. We prioritize looking after our volunteers by using grants to reimburse transportation costs and offering various incentives such as discounts on workshops and products from our online shop. High school students volunteering at pop-up stalls receive Opal (NSW Transportation card) top-ups, and all volunteers get reimbursements for purchases at the 2024 Social Enterprise Festival, thanks to a Federal Government Volunteer Grant.
We also support our members’ development by sponsoring them to attend Social Enterprise Council meetups and other training opportunities. This has resulted in a high retention rate among our members. For example, out of seven high school students who completed the equivalent of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards with CFS, five renewed their memberships, and two referred new members to us.
Our member referral system is a testament to our strong community spirit. We maintain this through regular communication, such as our monthly e-newsletter, which has been in continuous publication since May 2020. This newsletter connects members and features contributions from them, fostering a sense of belonging and pride in our community.
Creating a genuine community spirit is key to member retention. Members are given autonomy in CFS operations, enhancing their sense of belonging. Initiatives like the Bushwalk of the Month provide social activities that connect members and promote both physical and mental health. These efforts ensure that CFS remains a thriving and supportive community for all its members.
To quote Albert Mai again, in the next five years, CFS hopes to continue to create a ripple effect of positive change:
The Ripple Effect: What’s possible → What’s supported → What’s normal. Change starts with demonstrating what’s possible. This attracts support, which in turn normalizes the practice. By showcasing successful social enterprise models, we can accelerate this cycle of positive change.