Citi Australia’s Head of Community, Sponsorship, and Engagement, Louise Lindsay, said Citi, globally, had a long history of addressing racial equality and was proud of local efforts to elevate the voice of Indigenous Australians.

“It’s great to be partnering with Bangarra and the Minderoo Foundation and to welcome them as our newest partners. Both organisations are making great strides to create economic opportunities for Indigenous Australians, while also celebrating the incredible culture and achievements of our First Nations people,” Ms Lindsay said.

Bangarra Dance Theatre is a leading Australian performing arts group promoting awareness and understanding of Indigenous Culture. For more than 32 years, Bangarra has been working with Indigenous dancers to bring the stories of First Nations Communities to life.

“Bangarra is internationally renowned for its breathtaking, creative works, which not only showcase exceptional talent, story-telling, and technique but bring Indigenous culture to life for the audience. Through our partnership with Bangarra, we aim to support in this mission of creating inspiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experiences that promote awareness and understanding of culture. We look forward to sharing this with our clients, colleagues, and broader community.”

Citi Foundation is supporting the Minderoo Foundation’s Generation One Youth Co:Lab initiative, which supports Indigenous entrepreneurs through capital, mentorship, and training. Minderoo’s Dream Venture Masterclasses have already trained more than 120 Indigenous business owners and through Youth Co:Lab will this year expand to offer a youth program.

“Youth Co:Lab is the largest youth social entrepreneurship movement in the APAC region, and we are excited for Citi Foundation to co-lead this work with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Working with Minderoo Foundation we can bring this highly successful program to Australia. Through the masterclasses we hope to equip Indigenous Australians with the connections, capabilities, and access to capital to become investor ready. We have a wealth of knowledge and experience in this area at Citi and it will be a great opportunity for our team to connect with and mentor the next generation of business leaders.”

In its 47th year of celebrations, NAIDOC 2022 celebrates the proud history of Indigenous Australians getting up, standing up, and showing up.

“At Citi, we recognise the role and responsibilities we have as a global financial leader to support diversity and inclusion and strive for economic equality. We look forward to working with both Bangarra and the Minderoo Foundation to showcase the history and heritage of Indigenous Australia,” Ms Lindsay concluded.

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Marc Luet

Citi Foundation has awarded grants of over A$1 million to community partners in Australia to support youth employment programs over the next 12 months.

The awarding of grants is part of Citi Foundation’s global Pathways to Progress program, which aims to equip young people, particularly those from underserved communities, with the skills and networks needed to succeed in today’s rapidly changing economy and be the most employable generation yet.

This year, to further efforts in diversity and inclusion, Citi Foundation has included Northcott NEXT program on their list of grant recipients. With this grant money, Northcott NEXT program will provide personalised services and empower school leavers with a disability to gain the skills required to transition to their next life stage.

Commenting on the grants, Citi Australia CEO Marc Luet said: “Disability is an increasing area of focus at Citi. Globally, Citi celebrated Disability Awareness Month in October and our partnership with the Paralympics is Citi’s first global, mission-led collaboration. It made perfect sense for us to extend this focus into our community partnerships with our Citi Foundation grants.”

The full list of programs funded by Citi Foundation for 2021/2022:

Disability

Northcott NEXT program is one of Australia’s largest not-for-profit disability services organisations and supports people with a disability to realise their potential. Northcott provides personalised services to over 12,000 adults and children and aims to build an inclusive society where people can live the life they choose.

Indigenous

AIME – The IMAGI-NATION program aims to engage 500 Year 11 and 12 Indigenous students to develop a clear post-school plan with the goal of transitioning every student into university, full time employment, trades or further training.

Foundation for Young Australians – Project Dinnawan is a national program supporting Indigenous young people across Australia, focused on strengthening their capacity and leadership, building the connection and vision of young Indigenous people to shape the future of their communities and country. This includes a focus on storytelling and platforming young mob’s voices and seeding systemic change.

Disadvantaged youth

Brotherhood of St Laurence – The Creating Futures for Youth program supports young people experiencing disadvantage pursue their career aspirations and build their capacity for an ever-evolving workforce. We equip young people with skills, help them plan their careers and link them with opportunities that align with their aspirations to put them on track to the world of work.

Social Ventures Australia – Through the Rebuilding the Career Ladder Initiative, SVA work with a community of employers in Western Sydney that are committed to rewiring their current and future recruitment practices. The project will build the foundations for adoption of inclusive and sustainable employer practices to increase opportu

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