2018 community partners share in $1 million of free advertising

Yarra Trams has today announced the 2018 recipients of its inaugural Community Partnerships Program, which will see eight community organisations share in $1 million worth of free advertising on Melbourne's iconic tram network.

The eight organisations whose message will be seen across the world's largest tram network are FareShare, City in the Community, Charcoal Lane, Arts Project Australia, Alannah and Madeline Foundation, Fitted for Work, safe steps Family Violence and HomeGround Real Estate.

Each organisation supports diversity and inclusion in Melbourne, and has been chosen for the positive impact they make within the community across Melbourne's tram network.

Applications for the Yarra Trams Community Partnerships Program opened in December 2017 and closed February this year. In March 2018, an assessment panel made up of representatives from government, community and business sectors met to select the partners, ensuring a transparent, open and fair process for allocating the free advertising.

The chosen community organisations' advertising will each be displayed for a period of three months either as a single tram wrap, or on the front and back of 50 trams. 

The annual Yarra Trams Community Partnerships Program is open to all community organisations who share Yarra Trams' vision for a connected, diverse and inclusive Melbourne.

Applications for the 2019 program will open later this year. For more information, contact communitypartnerships@yarratrams.com.au    

2018 Community Partners

• Alannah & Madeline Foundation: The Alannah & Madeline Foundation is a national children's charity which works to protect children against violence, bullying and cyber bullying.
• Art Projects Australia: Arts Projects Australia is a studio and gallery supporting artists with an intellectual disability, promoting their work and advocating their inclusion in contemporary art practice.
• Charcoal Lane: Charcoal Lane is a social enterprise restaurant and exists to meet the social purpose of providing a space of support and education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Charcoal Lane provides employment, national accredited training in hospitality, and personal resources for individuals to build their capacity to make a successful transition to sustainable mainstream employment.
• City in the Community: City in the Community (CITC) is the not-for-profit charity arm of the Melbourne City FC. With the support of fans CITC uses the power of football to promote social inclusion employment and physical activity. Free football programs are provided to disadvantaged communities.
• FareShare: FareShare rescue food that would otherwise go to waste and cook it into nutritious meals for people in need. They provide free meals to more than 400 charities around the state including homeless shelters soup vans women's refuges disadvantaged schools and community food banks.
• Fitted for Work: Fitted for Work is an innovative not-for-profit organisation and the first of its kind in Australia. Their vision is financial independence for women and their mission is to help women experiencing disadvantage get work and keep it.
• HomeGround Real Estate: Not-for-profit real estate agency HomeGround Real Estate (HGRE) a division of Launch Housing provides professional property management service to landlords and tenants while reinvesting revenue from property management fees into their organisation. HGRE also manages a number of properties where owners have agreed to a lower rent so that people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness can get housing.
• safe steps Family Violence Response Centre: safe steps Family Violence Response Centre is Victoria's state-wide first response service for women young people and children experiencing family violence providing a 24/7 family violence phone response emergency accommodation immediate and practical assistance.