Non-profit M.A.T.E.S focuses on increasing multicultural participation in social issues.
A new non-profit organisation focused on increasing multicultural participation in social purpose issues was recently launched at Swinburne University of Technology.
The organisation, called M.A.T.E.S, aims to equip and mobilise young multicultural Australians to support non-profits.
The group’s inaugural seminar at Swinburne met with a strong response with close to 300 students attending.
“For the first time in Australian history, almost half of all Australians are either first generation migrants or have a parent that was a migrant. Many of these youth and young adults are highly educated and have the capability to advance social causes” said Robin Lim, co-founder and director of M.A.T.E.S.
“There is a need to raise awareness of this situation and to mobilise Australia’s increasingly multicultural population.”
Fellow co-founder Kevin Xiao, who runs one of Victoria’s most successful private tuition schools agrees.
“Many of my students study hard and are on the path to lead successful careers, however how many of them are engaged with the pressing social issues that exist in our community today. This is what M.A.T.E.S has been established to do,” Mr Xiao said.
The inaugural seminar was sponsored by Swinburne University of Technology with guest speakers including Mr John Pesutto MP - Shadow Attorney General of Victoria, Dr Samuel Wilson - Senior Lecturer at Swinburne and Ms Amanda Phiri – Operations Lead at PLAN Australia. Community partners include Rotary Australia, Boroondara Cares and Breakthrough Education – ENDS.
For further media information contact: Kevin Xiao,
kevin.xiao@matesforchange.org or visit www.matesforchange.org.
