IN THE MEDIA
Photo by Adam McLean
2024
Volunteering: it’s not just an act of charity
ILLAWARRA MERCURY | 18 May 2024
The word creates an image of an altruistic person, generously giving their time to a good cause in their community; maybe they’re providing meals to people in need, planting trees or working at an animal shelter.
Fair Food Farm
ABC Gardening Australia | SERIES 35
Episode 10 Special | April 2024
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.
A holistic solution to youth homelessness in the Illawarra
ILLAWARRA MERCURY | 9 March 2024
The Wollongong local government area has been named a homeless hotspot, and our young people – those aged under 30 – are being hit the hardest.
Homelessness NSW’s analysis of the recently released Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) figures revealed the Wollongong LGA now has the third highest number of people in the state receiving assistance at specialist homelessness services, with figures rising by 6 per cent in 2023.
Zoe Matthews
Green Connect helps young people Strive For Success with new jobs program
THE ILLAWARRA FLAME | 26 Feb 2024
In a bid to empower young people, local social enterprise Green Connect has created an employment initiative called Strive For Success. This jobs program, launched in collaboration with Homebase Youth Services, has already started to have a positive impact in the Illawarra, helping young people find mainstream work.
2023
The urban farm creating jobs that are good for people and planet
Australian Circular Economy Hub | October 25th, 2023
Hidden away in a small community in Wollongong is the not-for-profit social enterprise Green Connect Illawarra, operating on their 11-acre permaculture farm and empowering marginalised groups through work that helps people and the planet.
Zero Waste Team Leader Freyja Jorgensen on ABC Illawarra Radio for National Recycling Week
ABC Illawarra | 13 November 202
Our Zero Waste Team Leader Freyja Jorgensen recently chatted with Nick Rheinberger on ABC Illawarra Radio for National RecyclingWeek! She discussed why sustainability has numerous benefits for businesses of all sizes, and gave her top tips to overhaul office waste systems and win the war on waste
Green Connect farm produces fresh food, jobs and a sense of community
regionillawarra.com.au | 6 November 2023
Jen White
Located in a gully and surrounded by suburban family homes, a primary and a high school, Green Connect has transformed a 4.5 ha parcel of wasteland into one of the largest urban permaculture farms in the world.
Wherever you look on the Warrawong farm there are garden patches boasting plentiful produce grown organically and tended to by young people and refugees grateful to learn new skills in a safe and supportive environment.
New Pick Your Produce Veg Box Subscriptions Launch
ABC ILLAWARRA RADIO | 19 October 2023
Green Connect Fairfood coordinator Lindsay Burlton talks to Lindsay McDougall on ABC Illawarra about the launch of their new Pick Your Produce veg boxes.
Listen to the full Episode below
New flower garden for Green Connect
ABC ILLAWARRA | 12 October 2023
The Green Connect farm is an 4.45 hectare urban farm in Warrawong that trains and employs young people and refugees, and now they are offering fresh flower bouquets! 💐
Their new flower garden was funded by musician Jack Johnson through his charity foundation and community donations.
Su Meh is a senior farm hand at Green Connect and Burmese refugee and instead of walking the farm to find flowers to sell at markets, she has a new dedicated flower garden named after her.
Green Connect partnerships a win-win for the region
ILLAWARRA MERCURY | 12 August 2023
In 2021, the Illawarra had a 4.6 per cent unemployment rate, and while that rate appears to be falling post-COVID, with Wollongong City’s unemployment rate sitting at just 2.8 per cent in March, plenty of people in our community are still searching for permanent work. Yet somehow, on the flip side, many local businesses continue to feel the pinch of the labour shortage.
Growing fun at Green Connect’s Thursday Farm Playgroup
THE ILLAWARRA FLAME | 17 July 2023
As big kids head back to school this week, little ones can look forward to picking up their playgroup routine. This Thursday, those who like their nurture in nature can visit the Farm Playgroup, which launched at Green Connect’s urban farm in Warrawong in term 1 this year.
Every Thursday during school terms, the Green Connect Farm Playgroup focuses on early learning about the environment and sustainability. It gives children and families a chance to connect with nature and experience farm life.
Food waste costs, on average $3,000 a year per household.
WIN NEWS | 13 July 2023
Green Connect features on WIN TV News to provide some quick tips on how to make food last longer and avoid food wastage.
From left: Su Meh, Emily Henderson and Pleh Meh.
Two sisters share a sweet treat from home at Culture Mix
THE ILLAWARRA FLAME | 6 October 2023
October 21’s Culture Mix Festival will be a feast of diversity, including a cooking demonstration of a traditional dish at the Thai/Myanmar food stall presented by Green Connect.
Green Connect is a social enterprise dedicated to helping people facing employment challenges. They achieve this through eco-friendly jobs, including at their urban farm in Warrawong, two op shops and a zero-waste division.
Emily Henderson and Robert Servine from Green Connect, which now has a new, user-friendly online shop for its farm. Picture by Sylvia Liber.
Green Connect launches online shop for fruit and veg boxes
ILLAWARRA MERCURY | 10 July 2023
An Illawarra social enterprise hopes its new online store will attract more customers for its farm-fresh offerings – and in turn provide more support for its work employing migrants, Indigenous people and youth.
Green Connect has recently launched a store, where customers can purchase boxes of organic produce grown at the enterprise’s Warrawong farm, either as a subscription or a one-off.
Giving Back Through Photography: A Day at Warrawong’s Green Connect Farm
26 June 2023
Tyneesha from Neesh Photography visited the Green Connect farm to photograph our work, staff, volunteers and our animals. She kindly donated her time to capture some amazing images for us.
Tyneesha recorded her visit in her online blog, “their (Green Connect) commitment to fostering community through organic farming and regenerative practices was truly inspiring. I felt privileged to capture their devotion to the craft and have their practices explained to me. I rather quickly fell into complete adoration for the animals, and each pen brought a new set of challenges.“
AUSTRALIAN FARMERS – TELLING OUR STORIES
ON SPOTIFY – 3 June 2023
Green Connect Farm Manager, Emily Henderson joins host Angie Asimus to discuss: Emily’s favourite place on the farm when it is quiet and still. How she came to be involved with Green Connect Farm and growing up on a farm.
Emily explains the concept behind this little farm, with a big conscience.
Green Connect helps people with barriers to employment by showing them skills they can use for
How Green Connect uses education to work towards zero waste
ILLAWARRA MERCURY | 3 June 2023
Australians generated an estimated 75.8 million tonnes of waste in 2020-2021, up 3 per cent from the year before, according to the latest National Waste Report.
Green Connect Farm was today bursting with fun as the Lake Heights site joined in celebrations for Shellharbour KidsFest.
WIN TV | 26 May 2023
We are thrilled to be featured on WIN News Illawarra for our involvement in the KidsFest Shellharbour! At Green Connect, we are proud to promote diversity and inclusivity in our community, and we’re honoured to be part of such a wonderful celebration.
Dedicated senior farm hand Su Meh says Green Connect must continue to build more lives
regionillawarra.com.au | 30 April 2023
Dione David
Come hell or high water, Su Meh comes to work as a senior farmhand at Illawarra urban farm Green Connect.
She’s the smiling face on many of the social enterprise’s marketing assets, and the busy hands that have sown, grown, harvested and packed the farm’s produce are often hers.
Growing Wild – Start Them Young
Growing Wild | 21 April 2023
CNA – English language Asian news network
It’s a new season of growth and big changes are afoot for urban farmer and host, Chris Leow. He’ll be both student and teacher, chef and guinea pig.
Chris Leow visits Green Connect farm alongside students from Mount Ousley Public School to learn how our food is grown and meets up with the farm animals.
How a little farm in the suburbs is bringing the world to The Gong
Illawarra Mercury Opinion | Saturday March 25 2023
The Australian tradition of celebrating multiculturalism during Harmony week got me thinking. I’m originally from the US, and
as the General Manage at Green Connect I’m always fascinated by the official statistics which show just now much Australia has been shaped by successive waves of
immigration over the past 200 years.
Jack Johnson & Allatonce Australia & New Zealand Impact Report
jackjohnsonmusic.com | February 24, 2023
Read the Australia & New Zealand Impact Report
Jack Johnson’s The Meet the Moonlight Tour expanded green touring practices and supported 35 All At Once Non-Profit Partners promoting sustainable local food systems and plastic free initiatives. At the concerts, All At Once came to life in the Village Green where concert goers connected with non-profits and took environmental action.
Green Connect was one of the 35 Non-Profit Partners at the event and also received support in funding for a new Flower Garden at the Farm.
Green Connect helping children grow up healthy and happy
Natureproject | February 12 2023
GC featured in an international project on examples of environmental best practice around the world – Good Practice Guide by Jönköping University.
This Good Practice Guide outlines inspiring examples of social inclusion, creating urban value and environmental welfare through dialogue, education, collaboration. It also reveals new jobs and new skills that are invented on the way.
natureproject.info/guide-to-good-practice-en
PAGES 38-39
Green Connect helping children grow up healthy and happy
Illawarra Mercury | Saturday January 14 2023
There are many benefits to being the General Manager of Green Connect, but the big one is that I get to work from our farm in Warrawong regularly and when I’m there I am surrounded by a vibrant natural environment. Decades of research have proven that exposure to natural spaces is critical to our mental and physical health.
Farm Blitz: Green Connect wants you to share a behind-the-scenes experience
Illawarra Mercury | Friday January 13 2023
Illawarra’s favourite farm Green Connect is inviting the community to be a part of its crew for a behind-the-scenes working experience on Saturday.
PHOTO: Green Connect general manager Robert Servine. Picture by Adam McLean
Wollongong Council in second summer of beach recycling bin trial
Illawarra Mercury | Thursday January 12 2023
The council partners with the social enterprise Green Connect, which sorts the yellow bins to remove items of contamination prior to collection.
2022
Green Connect’s Flower Garden
Eastside Radio, Monday Drive | December 2022
Ruth Hessey talks to Green Connect farm manager Emily and farm worker, Su Meh about a project to grow more sustainable flowers to sell to the community.
Zero Waste Coordinator Bella Pearson interviewed on ABC Illawarra for National Recycling Week
ABC Radio Illawarra | Friday 11th November 2022
From Seattle to Spring Hill: How new Green Connect GM is connecting people and planet
Illawarra Mercury – 19th September 2022
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.
2021
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.
2020 – 2016
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.”