Innovating our future: a chat with Foundations for Tomorrow
Innovation and entrepreneurship form the cornerstone of a better and brighter future. But where to start? We chat with Darcy Small, co-founder of Kua coffee and Director at Foundations for Tomorrow (FFT), about FFT’s initiative to bring entrepreneurial youth an opportunity to make their ideas heard.
Tell us about Foundations for Tomorrow and your mission
FFT is a new nonprofit organisation run by young people from all over Australia. We amplify the voice of youth to provoke change. Why? With COVID-19 flipping the way we work, study and socialise upside down, leaders find themselves making big and quick decisions about what’s next. Choices made today will ultimately set the new normal, with ramifications for climate action, individual wellbeing and community inclusion.
FFT believes that young people have an important role to play in this moment. If the voice of youth can be united and brought to the heads of government and industry, these leaders will be able to tap into the passion and vision that we — Australia’s future generation — have for our nation.
How does FFT plan on executing this mission in the short and long-term?
Until May, FFT is conducting a huge youth consultation project. We’re collecting thousands of submissions to the ‘Your Voice’ survey from a diverse range of young people. With pointed questions exploring the challenges, opportunities and inclusivity of Australia’s future, this national campaign will uncover new insights about what should come next. The project will culminate in data analysis and a report write-up, which allows us to hand something concrete to Australian leaders for response.
Young people make up nearly 40% of our population. Longer term, FFT will be the conduit between these voices and Australia’s most prominent decision makers. We have partnerships with WEF Global Shapers and Aware Super, and we expect the results of the ‘Your Voice’ initiative to catalyse new collaborations to help progressive companies tackle the issues young people care about. After all, we’re tomorrow’s talent, consumers and business leaders — companies want to listen!
How can students make their mark through FFT and use their entrepreneurial skills and experience through their contribution?
What do you see as the biggest barrier towards Australia becoming more just, equitable or sustainable? What question do you want to ask Australian leaders? This is what FFT wants to know from you.
As budding entrepreneurs, students in Textbook Venture’s network will be able to bring creativity and innovation to FFT’s ‘Your Voice’ campaign.
I’d encourage you to do what you do best: think outside the box. Submit with honesty and don’t be afraid to bring radical ideas to the table. Together, we can share alternative pathways and new priorities with business leaders.
Tell us about your journey in joining FFT and the social impact/entrepreneurial space
I believe it’s up to business to change the world. Corporations are becoming ever more powerful, and market signals and purpose-driven leaders are driving companies to better practices for people and planet. With Australia recovering from the pandemic, we have a unique window of opportunity to accelerate the transition towards sustainable business. Inspired by FFT’s potential to expedite this transition through young people, I joined the team as a director in 2020.
Since graduating from UNSW in 2018, I’ve been working in the social entrepreneurship space. In cofounding Kua — a social enterprise that does world positive coffee for workplaces — I’ve met amazing entrepreneurs, policy makers and activists. I’ve learnt to speak up and stand for what I believe in. Just because something sucks now, doesn’t mean it has to suck forever. FFT lets everyone speak up, and I think that’s a crazy powerful opportunity for Australia.
Could you share any key learnings from your experiences so far?
Inclusivity. Our first survey was pretty intense. I ran through it with a university class, who got it done, but not easily. In the words of our amazing MD, we were privilege-blind. Just because we would fill out the survey, doesn’t mean everyone else would. Upon realising our mistake (and halfway through a six week campaign!) we pulled a pivot. Over a weekend, the impact team redesigned our submission strategy and introduced new pathways to enable the Your Voice campaign to be representative of all young people in Australia.
For me, this lesson stretches beyond our work at FFT. In social entrepreneurship, our target audience might not necessarily be ourselves, our friends or our family.
Too often, end users of products and programs are viewed as customers or beneficiaries, rather than collaborators. The target audience are always the real experts in the room.
They’re the ones with lived experience and they’re the ones who know what “better” looks like. They should be treated as such.
Advice for students who are interested in exploring the social impact side of the start-up world?
Spend 95% of your energy understanding the problem. If, after research and interviews and problem mapping, you think you’re the right person to solve it, use the leftover 5% to bring your idea to market! For those pursuing more commercial start-up opportunities, I’d encourage you to embed social and environmental impact into your business model. I see a future where every business is a social business, and it will soon be the key to success.
Eager to contribute to a better future? Amplify Your Voice here.
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