Social Engine

Powering young people into employment

Social Engine’s mission is to build life skills and provide work experience that enables ‘at risk’ young people to secure real jobs. Our primary purpose is to change lives through getting young people into work that matters, but we’re also committed to building awareness of issues surrounding youth unemployment. Our mission is to create a financially viable and sustainable social enterprise that facilitates the ongoing creation of job opportunities for those who need them. Any profits are reinvested in the enterprise to create more jobs for ‘at risk’ youth.

Until recently, the businesses now run by Social Engine were part of the Whitelion family. We are now an independent social enterprise under the leadership of Mark Watt (Whitelion Co-Founder) and Colin Stimpson (Associate Director, Social Ventures Australia) – supported by an amazing and involved advisory board. This change of ownership aims to scale the business model and increase the number of employment positions offered to disadvantaged youth from 15 to 50 per annum by the end of 2020.

As a unique and multi-faceted social enterprise, our focus is on offering diverse employment opportunities to ‘at-risk’ youth aged 16-25. This currently includes three kinds of businesses – the first is a warehouse located in Dandenong offering warehousing, basic production, packing and distribution. The facility caters to a range of industries and clients which support the logistics for a comprehensive range of PPE and workwear products supplied to the building and construction sector.

Social Engine also operates two cafes and a catering business in central Melbourne, these sites train our youths in hospitality and retail. Our aim is for young people in need to transition through Social Engine workplaces and emerge having gained life skills, confidence and independence to ensure a better future for themselves.

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