ygap is and will continue to support diverse founders in Australia. We are here- backing local change.

Although COVID-19 has brought many shifts around the world, changing the way we work and the way our impact entrepreneurs do business, ygap continues to back local impact ventures to ensure they survive this crisis and the subsequent downturn. 

Whilst there is no precedent for what is happening at the moment, we understand that this pandemic is set to have a significant impact on small businesses and vulnerable populations, making ygap’s work, both now and in the long term, more important than ever.

We have been reaching out, talking to and listening to our alumni ventures to identify how we can best support them during this difficult time.

Now, we are eager to understand how our ecosystem partners across Australia who work across the migrant/ refugee and entrepreneurship space are coping and reacting to this crisis, to determine if and how we can best work together to tackle the challenges that arise. As a sector, we are facing rare circumstances that pose new challenges and we recognise the need to think in new ways about how to meaningfully respond. 

To help inform the design of our response and the role that we can play as organisations and ecosystem partners, we would value knowing what you believe are the priorities, gaps and opportunities for collaboration. This short survey will only take a few minutes, but provides you an opportunity to share your very important insights and perspectives.

We would also be happy to share insights from these survey findings with the wider ecosystem, once they become available. 

Undoubtedly, our work backing local impact ventures has and will change in many ways as we adopt new and virtual ways of working and living – but it continues. We have developed a Resiliency Tool Kit to help ventures prepare and ensure that their businesses survive in the face of unexpected shocks, such as a pandemic. We have also created a directory of “Resiliency in Action” of our ygap Australia and First Gens ventures showcasing how they are adapting and responding to the current situation.

In such uncertain times, we can only take each day as it comes. However, we know that if we unite to share our knowledge, skills and resources; together, we can rise to meet the challenges and support entrepreneurs, businesses and communities to not only survive but to thrive. 

Till next time, we will be right here. Backing local change.

First Gens team – Adelide and Kim.