Could a zero waste farm be the answer to supermarket shortages?
A Current Affair – 19 March
Green Connect Bins
The Illawarra Mercury – 15 February
Green Connect: The farm helping refugees build a life in Australia
BBC News – 3 January 2022
Green Connect is an Australian urban farm that employs former refugees who are struggling to find work.
Emmanuel Bakenga tells the BBC how it “changed his life dramatically” after he arrived from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Living Sustainably: A How to Guide
Global Learning Festival – 8 November 2021
Kylie has become a “go to person” for friends, family and local businesses who have questions about growing food, making food, reducing waste, reducing carbon footprint, or living sustainably. Her team at Green Connect helps to design sustainable events, conducts sustainability and waste audits at businesses of all sizes, and created and runs one of the largest urban permaculture farms in the world.
Kylie Flament shows why no problems too big for a community working together
Illawarra Mercury – 25 November 2021
When Green Connect started almost 11 years ago, “we wanted to help solve unemployment, particularly for young people and refugees, we wanted to help deal with the unprecedented levels of waste going to landfill and we wanted to address the unsustainable food system we have here”.
Warrawong’s Green Connect farm workshops are restarting
The Illawarra Mercury – 26 October 2021
Experts will be teaching skills in beekeeping to propagation, seed saving to gardening in a small space, from December through to January.
Turning 11 acres of a NSW ‘dumping site’ into a world-class farm
Sydney Morning Herald – 24 October 2021
The land had little going for it when Wollongong not-for-profit group Green Connect selected it as the site of their new urban farm.
Green Connect at Home
Win News Illawarra – 5 October 2021
Social enterprise Green Connect is having a backyard blitz, taking its farming techniques to homes across the region. The not-for-profit’s also on a recruiting drive… helping our youth and refugees get their first job.
10 Great city projects for nature
The Guardian – 1 October 2021
Around the world, architects, activists and communities are finding ways to bring wildlife into urban areas
Green Connect wins global Commonwealth Innovation Award
Illawarra Mercury – 30 September 2021
Port Kembla social enterprise Green Connect has been recognised by the Commonwealth of nations for its innovation – the only group from Australia picked for the global awards.
15 Commonwealth innovators awarded for ground-breaking work on sustainability
thecommonwealth.org – 29 September 2021
“We hope that people are inspired by this project and that it will be replicated in other parts of the world, because it shows that it is possible to bring about social change and environmental regeneration while running a business.”
Many small steps can lead to a greener planet
Financial Review – 29 September 2021
“(…) the fact is that going green is good for business on many levels…”
Tackling climate change is a business goal
The Financial Review – 29 September 2021
Last year, Green Connect kept 157 tonnes of waste out of landfill, grew and distributed 35,118kg of chemical-free food and employed 111 refugees and young people.
Green Connect giving groceries, care packages to Illawarra families in need
Illawarra Mercury – 21 July 2021
Illawarra-based social enterprise Green Connect are delivering free fresh produce and care packages to people doing it tough in the midst of the pandemic.
The community are being asked to consider donating to the cause, or nominating someone who could use a bit of help.
Support our local fruit and veggie producers
Illawarra Mercury – 6 July 2021
Illawarra social enterprise Green Connect is encouraging us to support our local fruit and veggie producers.
The community organisation employs refugees and disadvantaged youth, and is one of only three market gardens in the region.
‘Stateless’ refugee’s 17-year ordeal to find a ‘safe’ home in Wollongong
Illawarra Mercury – 26 June 2021
Eh Moo readily admits working at the Green Connect urban farm in Warrawong has changed his life for the better.
“Before I started at Green Connect I was very shy and scared to talk to people because my English was not very good, but now I have so much selfconfidence and I believe in myself,” he said.
Illawarra op shops, charity bins not the only solution to getting rid of clothes
Illawarra Mercury – 22 May 2021
Think putting unwanted pants in a charity bin is a good deed? Few realise about 90 per cent of donations will never end up in an op shop. So where do you take your old clothes? READ MORE >
Workshops for Urban Growers
The Bugle – 6 March 2021
Those who shop at the Kiama Farmer’s Market will have seen Su Meh and others selling vegetables at the Green Connect stall, without knowing the story behind the produce.
Green Connect ready to show off its redeveloped farm
Illawarra Mercury – 4 March 2021
Cal Champagne says the new farm setup at Green Connect’s Warrawong base is like being in a new world.
Call for scale-up of Illawarra youth jobs program with proven outcomes
Illawarra Mercury – August 2020
Community Resources CEO Jess Moore and Green Connect general manager Kylie Flament have approached state and federal MPs regarding a funded program they believe can be used as a blueprint for other parts of the country.
Environmental benefits provide ‘silver lining’ – and social connection – during COVID-19 crisis
Illawarra Mercury – March 2020
Enviro boost: CEO of Green Connect Kylie Flament says more people are taking up gardening or ordering food from local farms.
21 Illawarra school holiday events you’ll want to know about
Illawarra Mercury – December 2019
Farm experience for kids at Green Connect. Kids can touch, smell and taste their way through 11 acres of farmlands at Lake Heights. They’ll get to meet the pigs, chickens and sheep and see how the social enterprise recovers waste and grows fair food.
Dance, music, poetry, circus for Viva la Gong 2019
Mirage – November 2019
Remember that Viva la Gong is a sustainable festival and works with Green Connect to support festival goers to manage their rubbish.
Bruce Precious takes out lifetime honour award at Green Globes 2019
The Fifth Estate – November 2019
Illawarra-based social enterprise Green Connect won the Community Leadership Award for its work connecting young people and refugees with environmental employment opportunities.
Perfect pitch to a make more sustainable future with full employment
Illawarra Mercury – October 2019
A group of five Dean’s Scholar students has taken out iAccelerate’s #Act4SDGs Challenge Pitch Final with a three prong approach to creating full employment for Wollongong.
20 things to do in the Illawarra these school holidays
Illawarra Mercury – September 2019
Green Connect farm tour. Take a look around this urban farm in Warrawong with its market gardens, slow-producing fruit forests and free-range sheep, pigs and chickens.
Full list of IMB Bank Illawarra Business Award finalists named by business chamber
Illawarra Mercury – September 2019
Green Connect is named a finalist in Excellence in Sustainability and Excellence in Workplace Inclusion. Kylie Flament, General Manager of Green Connect, is named a finalist in Oustanding Leader of the Year.
Fair Food Farm
Gardening Australia – July 2019
Although Fair Food Farm looks like it could be set on a South-East Asian hillside, Clarence assures us that this abundant project is actually in the Illawarra, and is doing great things for migrants in the local community.
The Illawarra organisation providing green opportunities for former refugees and youth
Planet Ark – July 2019
Stop leaving your shit behind! Music festivals unite to target campsite “littering” by gromets
The Music Network – June 2019
Green Connect is connecting disengaged Illawarra youth to farming jobs
Illawarra Mercury – January 2019
Kiama Independent – September 2018
Green Connect has been supplying the Illawarra with organic, seasonal vegetables for four years and now their veg boxes are available in Kiama.
SBS News – August 2018
The Illawarra region is grappling with high unemployment and refugees are among those struggling to find a job. But one grassroots organisation is forging a new way forward.
ABC Landline – August 2017
This project converts over-grown, forgotten land into sustainable community gardens that employs refugees and Australians struggling to find work. In a nutshell, it’s fair food and a fair go — what’s not to love about it?
ABC Illawarra – August 2017
Have you seen the market gardeners in Wollongong? Karenni refugees are using urban wasteland to grow food.
Bioculturally diverse farmers
Sydney Environment Institute – July 2017
What would happen if landless farmers were given more opportunities to develop ecologically sound social enterprises and feed neighbourhoods?
Youth Food Movement Australia – March 2017
Managing the farm clearly isn’t just a job to Callum Champagne, either. We asked Callum a bit about how he turned a neglected space into a flourishing new home for a community growing good, fair food.
Green Connect – A different Warrawong
UOW blogs – December 2016
AUSCCER PhD Candidate Ananth Gopal reflects on his time volunteering with social enterprise Green Connect and the possibilities for productive relations to grow.
Trash to Treasure: the social enterprises transforming recycling
The Guardian – 21 November 2016
Green Connect is a social enterprise working with former refugees and young people to grow food and manage waste in the Illawarra
Refugees involved in Green Connect make a difference at TIGS
Illawarra Mercury – June 2016
“TIGS Great Fete organisers said they do such a great job many people visiting the event have remarked on the friendly service offered by the Green Connect team looking after waste management and sustainability.”