OUR STORY
The Grow Hope Foundation was established in 2015 with a commitment to listening and learning. In order to develop mutual respect, we enter partnerships and relationships with a willingness to learn first and teach later; to receive first and to give later.
From listening to Indigenous communities, we have learnt that today’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders want the next generation to be equipped with the skills for a complex global environment, while retaining ownership and strength in their cultural heritage. This is the common cause of First Nations Australians: to ensure that another generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are not lost, but empowered to grow in their culture and in their country. As a people, they seek to be strong and strive to be the leaders of tomorrow.
Indigenous Australians have suffered terribly from the colonisation of their lands, but while the path to reconciliation is challenging, it is not insurmountable. Working together with Indigenous young people and their communities, Grow Hope endeavours to deliver solutions. These solutions are grounded in what our Elders have always known - that we can have a significant impact in addressing any issue when we focus our efforts, build trust, and fashion a reputation as listeners that truly have the best interests of others at heart.
MEET THE BOARD
Grow Hope Foundation Limited is a Registered Charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors, which is responsible for the development and implementation of organisational policy and the Foundation’s strategic direction.
RAY PURCELL
(CHAIR)
Ray is an experienced solicitor, serving as the Founder and Director of KPA Lawyers. He has also lectured in commercial law at Monash University and is an Accredited AFL Player Agent. In his law practice, Ray supports a wide range of clientele, including sporting professionals, community associations, and local, national and international companies.
JOE BROWN
(DIRECTOR)
Joe is currently the Director of Community Engagement and Local Decision Making at the Northern Territory Department of Education, where he has worked for over thirty years. He is an active contributor to many Aboriginal-led organisations, including the Ironbark Aboriginal Corporation and FORWAARD.
STEVE CREELMAN
(Treasurer)
Steve is a chartered accountant with over thirty years’ experience as a professional practitioner and senior finance executive. Steve uses the commercially-focused skills he has honed through extensive experience to offer practical solutions for a variety of clients.
JOSE ALGUERA-LARA (DIRECTOR)
Jose is a Chartered Global Management Accountant, CEO and Business Consultant with over twenty years of experience in managing and developing businesses. He specialises in business strategy and is passionate about helping others to succeed.
VICTORIA ALGUERA-LARA (DIRECTOR)
Victoria comes from a background in Medicine and Mental Health, and is currently studying a Masters of Public Health to further her interest in our wellbeing and the multiple factors that impact it from both a local and global perspective.
TOM PURCELL
(CEO)
Tom brings a track record of over thirty years in teaching, with a particular emphasis on service learning and supporting students to create positive change through projects and partnerships in Uganda, Kenya and Australia. Tom is currently the Director of Outreach and a Chaplain at Trinity Grammar School, Kew.
OUR PARTNERS
STRATEGIC PLAN
It is vital that, as an organisation, Grow Hope has a clear plan for the future and an equally clear vision and mission to strive towards. Towards Tomorrow is the summation of our strategic thinking and planning for the next five years. It is the blueprint which will position Grow Hope as a Foundation that makes an enduring contribution to Indigenous Australia through the transformative impact of education. We invite all Australians - and young Australians in particular - to be not just readers of our nation’s story, but also writers.
FINANCIAL REPORTS
The Grow Hope Foundation Limited is a Registered Charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. Since 2015, it has been endorsed as both a Public Benevolent Institution and Deductible Gift Recipient. Complete financial information and Annual Information Statements for the Foundation can be found on the ACNC Charity Register.