The Colin Biggers & Paisley Community has continued its strong commitment to pro bono, volunteering and fundraising throughout FY23. We have used the skills of our people to assist many individuals and organisations assisting vulnerable communities.
Our Pro Bono legal services continue to focus on the issues that impact the day-to-day lives of our pro bono clients through casework, law reform and advocacy for structural change. We continue to work with not-for-profits supporting marginalised and disadvantaged people so as to help establish strong legal foundations for their work and to build their capacity.
We have been able to use the skills of our people to assist vulnerable women and children, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities, refugees, people with disabilities, the elderly, people with mental illness and everyday Australians who cannot afford legal services, to access the law. We have also helped and partnered with many organisations which exist to assist the disadvantaged. By supporting these organisations with their legal issues they can focus on the important task of helping the disadvantaged in our community.
In our commitment towards Reconciliation, this financial year saw the launch of our second Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) -
Innovate RAP. Through procurement of goods and services from First Nations businesses, we saw a 53% increase in expenditure with First Nations businesses. Through the Foundation's ongoing support for
Arts Law Centre of Australia, we supported two solicitors on trips to the Northern Territory and Western Australia as part of the Arts Law Centre's Artists in the Black Program, assisting to protect the cultural and artistic rights of Indigenous artist.
During FY23, the Foundation focused on providing new and innovative opportunities for our people to come together and assist our community clients. Through a mix of fundraising campaigns and volunteering initiatives we were able to bring our people together across the offices, providing a platform for them to engage, foster team building and collaboration, thereby boosting employee engagement and morale by generating a sense of purpose in support of our Foundation clients.
During FY23 the Foundation has refined its volunteer programs with an emphasis on client collaborations. The Foundation has created volunteering information packs for each office to offer opportunities that focus on connecting with our clients. We have curated a range of opportunities which maximise team building, client connection and giving back to the community. This is an invaluable project for us to showcase Colin Biggers & Paisley's commitment to for purpose community engagement and an opportunity to spend time with our clients in new and meaningful ways.
This year has demonstrated the deep commitment of our people to the work of the Foundation and our community partnerships. A massive thank you to everyone for their efforts throughout FY23.
Below is a snapshot of our contribution to the community for the FY2023 period:
