Social impact crowdfunding platform StartSomeGood has partnered with social media hub IndigenousX to empower Indigenous Australian change- makers to raise funds and rally community support for diverse Indigenous-founded initiatives.
The first campaign to launch on StartSomeGood.com/IndigenousX is Vote Yes, a period film by Nick Waterman featuring star of The Sapphires Miranda Tapsell.
Vote Yes aims to contribute to the conversation about equality in Australia by telling the story of the 1967 referendum on Aboriginal rights.
No doubt Croakey readers may have some ideas for health-related projects that might benefit from the initiative.
At the recent National Indigenous Women’s Health Workshop, it was made clear there are plenty of contenders.
Workshop participants heard that many women in remote communities have difficulty accessing mammography screening because of the high costs of travel, and that in some communities women are unable to afford the high prices being charged for tampons and sanitary products.
It will be interesting to see if the new site attracts many health ventures.
According to IndigenousX founder Luke Pearson:
“We want to give the opportunity to a wide range of Indigenous people from right around the country to support projects and ideas that make impact on a local, national or global level to improve outcomes for themselves and their mobs.”
“We wanted Indigenous people to have that opportunity to access funds independent of government administration.
“It also provides an opportunity for the wider community to contribute to closing the gap in a more meaningful, practical way than the more usual symbolic efforts.”
The partnership also signals an expansion of the role of the IndigenousX project.
“I want to allow the IndigenousX audience and Twitter community to offer more practical support in the offline world, in addition to influencing the conversation online,” said Pearson.
Indigenous change-makers wishing to raise funds on StartSomeGood.com/IndigenousX can contact Indigenousx@startsomegood.com or @IndigenousX on Twitter, or sign up directly on StartSomeGood.com.
Projects will set two fundraising goals (a Tipping Point goal and a Total Fundraising Goal) and offer rewards to backers in return for support.
Backers can view new projects as they come online at http://www.startsomegood.com/IndigenousX
To pledge support for the current campaign and learn more about the film Vote Yes, visit http://www.startsomegood.com/voteyesfilm
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Previous Croakey articles about IndigenousX
• Some thoughts on how the public health sector can learn from @IndigenousX
• Profiling online opportunities for Indigenous health discussions