Brightspark International · 2016-05-20 · Vision advertisements in their presentation style and...
24
Dilir Ali [email protected] brightsparkinternational.org Brightspark International BUSINESS PLAN DRAFT 6 February 2016 ABN: 95610625593
Transcript of Brightspark International · 2016-05-20 · Vision advertisements in their presentation style and...
Dilir Ali [email protected] brightsparkinternational.org
Brightspark International BUSINESS PLAN DRAFT 6
February 2016
ABN: 95610625593
1 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 3
Our Values ....................................................................................................................................... 4
Planning and Development - Groundwork ........................................................................... 5
Summary.......................................................................................................................................... 5
Registration ..................................................................................................................................... 5
Brand Awareness ............................................................................................................................ 5
Website and Social Media Outreach ............................................................................................. 6
Finances ............................................................................................................................................ 7
Planning and Development – Collection of Funds and Donateables ........................... 8
Summary.......................................................................................................................................... 8
Schools............................................................................................................................................. 8
Collection Method A ..................................................................................................................... 8
Collection Method B ..................................................................................................................... 9
Collection of Funds at Schools .................................................................................................... 10
Politicians ...................................................................................................................................... 11
Corporations and Individual Donors ........................................................................................... 11
Community Engagement .............................................................................................................. 12
Long Term Improvements............................................................................................................ 12
Planning and Development – Storage and Transportation ............................................ 13
Summary........................................................................................................................................ 13
Transport from Schools to Storage .............................................................................................. 13
Processing ...................................................................................................................................... 13
Storage ........................................................................................................................................... 14
Transport to Bangladesh............................................................................................................... 14
Implementation ............................................................................................................................. 15
Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 15
Collection Method A .................................................................................................................... 15
Boxes .......................................................................................................................................... 15
2 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Storage ........................................................................................................................................ 15
Transportation ............................................................................................................................. 15
Collection Method B ....................................................................................................................... 15
Boxes .......................................................................................................................................... 16
Storage ........................................................................................................................................ 16
Transportation ............................................................................................................................. 16
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 16
Objectives ....................................................................................................................................... 17
Expansion ...................................................................................................................................... 17
Economies of Scale ...................................................................................................................... 17
Future Projects .............................................................................................................................. 17
Marketing ...................................................................................................................................... 18
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 18
Our Team ........................................................................................................................................ 19
Our Partner – Khelna Bank ...................................................................................................... 23
3 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Executive Summary
The notion that the youth are the future remains the driving force of Brightspark International and its founding members. We are the young men and women working in service of children like ourselves in the most disadvantaged areas of the globe. Working to better their lives. Through distributing learning equipment and playthings, these children are better able to gain the education which is crucial to breaking the cycle of poverty. More than that, they will be able to live as every child should - happy.
Brightspark International aims to align with the established charity organizations ‘Khelna Bank’ formed by Build Bangladesh. Upon establishment, we will be distributing toys and books (hereafter referred to as donateables) from homes and schools within Sydney to the children in schools, hospitals and orphanages across Bangladesh. Our firm will be involved in the collection of these donateables and their transportation to Dhaka. From there, the Khelna Bank and local partnered NGOs will be responsible for distribution to the institutions and children on a needs base as determined through their local expertise.
We plan to hit the ground running, establishing ourselves as an official entity within the month and sending out our first shipment by the end of the school term. Work has already begun on the designing of a logo and a website to accommodate donations and we are currently building up our team of talented young men and women. In the long term, we seek to look further beyond our borders, sending to children all around the globe. But for now we’re focusing on my home country of Bangladesh, one of the poorest corners of the world where children all too often go without an education due to extreme poverty. By lowering the costs of this education, we’re working towards helping to lift these all too deserving children from the poverty which entraps them.
At its core, Brightspark International engages the youth within Australia with the issues which face children around the world. It allows us to make a tangible difference to the lives of the less fortunate. Through this undertaking, we all can do our small part to make sure the future for all youth is a bright one indeed.
Dilir Ali
CEO Brightspark International
12th Jan 2016
4 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Our Values
Brightspark International is an areligious apolitical NGO dedicated to improving the wellbeing of children around the world.
We believe that every child has a right to an adequate standard of living - This includes the right to a free and holistic education as under Article 28 of the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children. - It also means that children should have adequate leisure time and the ability to enjoy
life, no matter their circumstances.
We believe in the power of the youth - The vicious cycle of poverty which entraps millions of children worldwide shall only
be overcome through education - As youth we have a duty to our fellow children to share some of the good fortune we
have been privileged with as citizens of developed countries - The children of developed nations should have a platform through which to tangibly
affect the lives of others
We believe in bridging the developed and developing worlds - Through taking the stories of children from developing nations and relating them to
those brought up in countries like Australia, we are in fact allowing closing the divide which so often presents a barrier for the well off from helping those without even basic needs.
We believe in Charity - All funds donated to Brightspark International will go directly into the charitable
operations, facilitating the transport of donateables to those who need it most
5 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Planning and Development - Groundwork
Summary The formation of a charity involves several steps in order to be effective. Primarily, registration with the ACNC in order to receive donations. This must also be facilitated by the appropriate financial systems as required by the commission. Furthermore, it shall be crucial to establish brand awareness through several measures such as the construction of a website and social media presence. Through these efforts, Brightspark International shall be ready to begin operation effectively – making the largest impact it can.
Registration In the short term, our primary goal is to become a registered body. Once Brightspark International has been registered as either a limited or incorporated firm, it will be eligible for tax concessions, government grants and will have a legal entity allowing it to gain standing in the community. The conditions for this establishment into a legal entity requires a legal structure with three directors and a sectary as well as keeping proper financial records and a host of other requirements. Such an action is thus imperative in the creation of Brightspark International as without it there will be far less incentive for large donations and partner charities such as ‘Khelna Bank’ are less likely to work alongside us.
Brand Awareness It is also crucial to design a logo. The development of an effective logo is already finished - employing the services of graphic designer Tanjim Islam (http://www.tanjim.com.au). The current idea for such a design may be described as a child’s face in profile silhouetted on a turquoise background looking up at a yellow spark. This is to be surrounded by a circular border which displays the charity’s name in a secondary colour. These two colours, (turquoise and gold) shall be the firm’s colour scheme – incorporated in everything from a website to t-shirts. This will allow for further brand recognition in building up a reputation in the community.
The public outreach could be supported through participation in and organis ation of community events such as fairs to be coordinated with organisers such as Youth Councils. The Bangladeshi Boishakhi Mela (New Years Fair) was suggested as an ideal platform for Brightspark International. A further idea was to speak to sports clubs, RSLs, businesses in order to increase donations. The production of school packages will also be useful in building such an image, printing out professional posters and brochures to get people interested and engage their attention.
6 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Furthermore, the Marketing team are working on a short advertisement for Brightspark International to be shown at schools. This is a 3min video with original footage (sourced from both Khelna Bank and our own filming) as well as an original backing track composed and recorded through members and their contacts. The video shall be similar in style to the World Vision advertisements in their presentation style and upbeat tempo to appeal to the youth. This shall also increase the share-ability of the brand and engage students with the Brightspark International. This video shall hopefully be finished by April this year.
Website and Social Media Outreach In the same line of thought, a website shall be needed in growing this charity. The website has been designed by our team and is published at the domain www.brightsparkinternational.org. We have designed a sleek, minimalist website to portray legitimacy and engage its audience further. The website’s purpose shall be threefold. Primarily, it shall be a means of expanding brand recognition and will allow for those outside of our circles to reach us and know about our cause. In that, it shall act as an informative tool, highlighting the issues facing the children Brightspark International aims to help and the ways in which to affect change. And lastly it shall simplify the process of donation, allowing people to donate from home – hopefully leading to greater revenue. Other steps in developing Brightspark International include the establishment of social media pages and the building up of donor bases to create long-term awareness and revenue.
We must focus more on social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, with potential gains from having a YouTube account where videos to appeal to donors would be published. The directors agreed to shoot such a video explaining Brightspark and its role alongside photographer Mike Hong in early February. The entries on theses social media platforms could be blog-like, post general info such as collection dates and school trips or feature humans of NY style stories about donors or some of the children which we will hopefully be given from our partners in Khelna Bank. These shall be managed by Director of Marketing
Matthew Harris.
Traditional media is not to be discounted either, with it being a wise move to talk to local newspapers regarding Brightspark International’s efforts. Free publicity is always welcome of course.
There would also be high value in engaging in gamification, making the product of our charity (transporting toys and books to Bangladesh) more
7 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
accessible and sharable. We have brainstormed several ideas in relation to this, including the idea of a #Toynomination or similar shareable hash tag where students would be able to share an emotion or memory of a particular toy and tag their friends to do the same in order to engage people with the idea of these simple donations making a valuable difference to others. Gamification could also be achieved in leader boards, with the person who donates the most being awarded gift vouchers (which we may be able to receive at a discounted rate) and certificates awarded to those who help. To research these techniques, it was advised that members should approach charities regarding what is already done. A discounted donut system for donators, the transportation of student-made picture books and a special show and tell where primary school students bring in a toy or book special to them were also raised as possible methods. Furthermore, it was noted that a competition could be created between schools, houses or year groups to encourage donation.
Moving forward, we must do market research over the coming week interviewing young people about their habits in regards to donating and their willingness to donate to our charity. Talking to high school students (both junior and senior), primary students and students from various schools will be crucial to understanding our audience and their habits in terms of donating.
Finances These donations, however, will need to be stored within a bank account through which we may conduct transactions. Currently, the best deal for a bank account appears to be the Rabo Direct Account (https://www.rabodirect.com.au/personal-savings/high-interest-savings-account/?utm_campaign=150227AA&utm_source=AU01139&utm_medium=DISPLAY) which has a introductory variable rate of 3.5% for four months before a base rate of 2.5%. The other account we are considering is St George MaxiSavers (https://www.stgeorge.com.au/personal/bank-accounts/savings-accounts/maxi-saver-c.html) with a 3.25% introductory interest rate for three months and a standard variable rate of at least 1.75% while allowing transactions. Upon consultation with our accountant at Hannan Accounting (www.hannantax.com), we will have to look into opening such a savings account in which to channel funds. The finance team (Joseph Lin and Mitchell Sarson) shall be responsible for the administration of this bank account and the approval of purchases. It is also their responsibility under the ACNC to maintain clear financial statements and have the books audited on a yearly basis. Our finance department will look into MYOB or similar accounting software so as to gain proficiency in tackling financial issues.
8 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Planning and Development – Collection of Funds and Donateables
Summary While the initial capital shall be invested by Dr Daud Reza Ali, we hope to increase these funds through several methods. Primarily we aim to receive donations in direct transfers as facilitated by the website. We will also engage in community based fundraising, attending events to ask for donations. Furthermore, we will coordinate with schools we attend (both secondary and primary) in order to participate in fundraising activities in order to raise the sort of capital needed to pay for the transportation of donateables.
Schools In regards to the acquisition of donateables, schools will be the largest source of inflow. While we may have more contacts we can employ in high schools, primary schools will have younger children and thus more toys and books ready to be donated. In these primary schools, it may be an idea to encourage a special show and tell where students talk about their favourite toys and how it made their lives happier. There are currently two methods of collection from schools. We shall implement both methods in order to adjudicate which is the most cost effective in the collection of donateables.
Collection Method A The first method involves asking the students to bring the donateables in their own boxes and bags over the course of a week. These donateables will be deposited in a central location in the school to be negotiated with the school admin. In a week or two from the assembly, we will return to the school with a mufti day and alongside the student leadership to organize mufti, sausage sizzles and other activities as well as donuts which we could incentivize donations through giving discounts to each person who returns a box of donateables.
We shall process through and package these donateables on location at the school which will mean extra time on location but will reduce the time spent sorting at the storage facility. The donations shall be placed into Jumbo Heavy Duty Boxes (431mm x 406mm x 596mm) and packaged before being transported to the storage facility.
9 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Pros
- Cheaper as less boxes wasted
- Easier for students due to less problems with parents and public transport
- Removes the cap on how much they can bring
- Students can make multiple trips
Cons
- More lengthy process
- Schools less likely to approve it
- Makes pickup more difficult
- More likely to forget
Current interviewing suggests that students prefer this method overall, though both shall be tested to gauge effectiveness.
Collection Method B With each school we attend, we will have members host assemblies giving speeches to inspire students into donating to aid their fellow child. Within these assemblies, the Brightspark International members, in cooperation with local prefect bodies, will distribute approximately 300 boxes, at the cost of 0.74 each for the 275 x 270 x 176 size from Quick Brown Box (www.quickbrownbox.com.au/stock-boxes/consumer-stock-boxes/stock-box-35).
10 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
These boxes will be distributed to any students willing to fill it and return it the next day/event day and will have the Brightspark International logo stickered onto them.
The follow up event day will preferably be the next day, but may be any day within the week. On this day, we will work with the school leadership in organizing mufti, sausage sizzles and other activities as well as donuts which we could incentivize donations through giving discounts to each person who returns a box of donateables. Furthermore, donations may be received from the school in the form of unwanted books, toys etc. which will be put into large packing boxes from kennards (www.kss.com.au) which are 431mm x 406mm x 596mm or about 0.1 m3.
Pros
- Have a physical reminder with information distributed in such a way that it cannot be missed
- Easier to package and transport
- Makes it seem more legitimate
Cons
- More expensive
- Creates a cap on what they bring
- Burdens students on public transport
- Since we're not sorting on location we have to go back and sort through for dangerous goods
- Less feasible in rainy weather
Collection of Funds at Schools At each school we come to, we aim to collect a moderate amount of these donations, as well as to raise funds for their transport. In every case, our ambassadors will work closely with the student leadership bodies to organise our method of collection in organising the event days and presenting speeches.
These primary aim of these ambassadors is to engage the school students with the issues facing children in Bangladesh, so that they may help change lives in a tangible manner. These persuasive arguments shall be supplemented through the presentation of advertisements and the posters to be put up around the school prior to our arrival. The hype surrounding our arrival at schools and the donations shall further be fostered by a targeted use of
11 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
the #toystories social media campaign where the prefect bodies will be encouraged to share images of toys precious to them, tagging those in younger grades.
Upon the conclusion of ambassador speeches, any students who would like to donate are instructed to bring pre-loved toys and books to a central location within the school over the course of a week or two.
At some point during this time, an event day is to be organized in cooperation with the student leadership and school admin in order to raise funds. Most preferable is the running of a mufti day, due to its effectiveness as a fundraising tool. This could also be supplemented with a school sausage sizzle, bake sale and/or a Krispy Kreme donut sale on the day of collection. These stalls will not only raise much needed funds, but create interest in the charity's activities and provide more of an incentive for students to donate toys and books, with discounted rates for any students who bring back a box of donations. We are able to supply the food and make sure that it complies with any school regulations regarding allergies and food handling.
In order to make the event day as much fun as possible for the students, we would gladly organise activities such as tug of war competitions, card game competitions, a sponge throwing activity or similar school-wide games.
For primary schools, we'd encourage students to bring in a toy which is particularly special to them for show and tell as a way of better understanding the contribution their donations will make and to inspire empathy for the recipients of their donations. All of these activities would be run by Brightspark International members alongside student leadership bodies and will aim to engage the entire school community.
Through the flexible implementation of these methods, the large number of toys and books collected will hopefully be financed properly.
Politicians We may also involve politicians with these events in order to gain credibility in the public eye. Should a school agree to host a Brightspark event, we should approach the local politician of that school and explain who we are and what our purpose is. During this time we can ask if they’d be willing to donate and/or attend the events being held at the schools, thus increasing our name recognition in the community by being associated with politicians from both sides of the political divide. Already Jodi McKay MP has agreed for Brightspark International to collect toys and books from her office.
Corporations and Individual Donors Corporations and Individual donors represent another large portion of our potential donors. In order to reach these firms and families, it is imperative to build that credibility within the community which other NGOs share. These other charity groups such as the Lions Group and Rotary may also be willing to donate following their own guidelines.
In approaching such groups, we will need a media team working on sending emails and meeting with people from these institutions as well engage with our own communities
12 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
through social media and connections. This is where the website is crucial as it allows these households to donate to our cause from the comfort of their own homes.
Many households also have toys and books they wish to dispose of separate from the schools or in large quantities. We shall need to accommodate for such donations in the hiring of utes and garages to store the donateables, as expanded upon later.
One issue exists with such donations. Our accountant has advised that we would not be eligible for tax deductibility as the majority of the funds are not being channelled directly into the ‘betterment’ of the benefactors but rather on admin costs such as transport and storage. As such, donations will not be eligible for tax rebates meaning that corporations and individual donors will have less of an incentive to donate. However, this issue may easily been resolved through partnership with a DGR eligible NGO such as Lions or Rotary. While it will be a strong case to make to achieve such partner status, this will greatly increase the levels of donations we are receiving in the long term. And until then, we shall focus on other forms of collection which do not rely on tax rebates to incentivize donations.
Community Engagement The final method of collection available in the short term would be going to the streets. While standing in the city asking for donations may be a valuable way to fundraise, there are more tactical approaches. Primarily, we could position people asking for donations to stand by train stations during large community events like sporting matches or concerts or have members busking in the city or large shopping centres, utilizing all their talents for the cause. These efforts will require the appropriate permissions from local councils which shan’t be received until we are established.
Long Term Improvements In the long term, we may expand these into community events of our own, such as charity dinners or Youth Week – Style events. Further, we may expand to include programs similar to World Vision’s highly successful Forty Hour Famine and Global Leadership Program which work because they engage youth directly. Such plans will be elaborated upon in the Objectives section.
Each dollar collected must be stringently noted within the accounts with the donor name (for schools the school name) and the date of donation to be checked against all expenditures similarly labelled. This keeping of financial records is not only a requirement of the ACNC but a crucial step going forward with Brightspark International as it outlines the effectiveness of the charity as well as highlighting areas of potential improvement.
Regardless, such methods of collection shall be the cornerstone to Brightspark International should it continue to grow as they engage the youth of Australia directly to these issues abroad and allow for us to make a difference to the lives of children across the sea.
13 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Planning and Development – Storage and Transportation
Summary The main difficulty of this immense undertaking remains in the storage of large quantities of donateables and their subsequent transportation to Bangladesh. From schools and homes the donateables will likely be stored in a garage such as Kennards then processed and recorded. Through the use of hire vans, they will then be transported through ocean freight and be taken into custody by Khelna Bank to be processed and distributed.
Transport from Schools to Storage In order to transport the large quantity of donateables from schools to a warehouse or garage, we will need to hire a van or make several trips in a ute and four wheel drives. Budget Trucks (https://www.budgettrucks.com.au/quotes-bookings/vehicle-selection) has vans and utes from $70 - $100 for the day. Thus the most efficient manner of conducting these school events is to have several on the same day to save on hiring costs. There are, however, other options. Wherever possible, we should ask to have these services performed at no cost, possible through the volunteering of family members or other contacts who have the transport capability, such as Director Mitchell Sarson whose grandfather has access to a rather large ute available for use.
Processing While it is preferable to process the donations on site at the schools, often the processing must be completed at homes where the donations are kept or at the storage facilities. The team member in possession of the boxes or a group of team members will then check the boxes for dangerous goods and perishable foods before sealing them and ensuring they are ready to be packed out. During this time the boxes and the donations within each box must also be individually weighed, described and given an approximate price in order to satisfy the paperwork needs. It is crucial to keep these records, so every box upon packaging and weighing should be marked by a serial code eg. NBHS201 which would be the serial code for the 201st box from Normanhurst Boys High School. These will then be collated to create the stats of each school and to have a better understanding of what is being donated and in what quantity.
The meticulous processing associated with each box will represent a rather large drain on our time. It will be necessary to organise specific dates for the whole team to gather and process each box as a combined effort. As it takes approximately one and a half hours each box, depending on the size and type of the contents (lego for example will take considerably longer to process), a large team would be able to sort through the shipments over the course of a weekend or two.
14 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Storage These boxes may be stored in members’ garages and backyards or, should there be too many, within a self-storage garage such as Super Cheap Storage (http://www.supercheapstorage.com.au) which has a price of $218 per month for 17m3 in mobile storage. We are still looking into various options in terms of storage, considering storage facilities of not for profits who may donate space.
Transport to Bangladesh Trucks must again be hired in order to transport all the donateables to the servicing centre of Cargo Australia (www.cargoaustralia.com.au), from where it will be freighted to Bangladesh at the rate of approximately $250 per metre cubed for LCM sea freight.
Upon arrival in Chittagong port, it will be entrusted with ‘Khelna Bank’ who will send confirmation of where the donateables are being distributed to.
This part is the most expensive part of the process, as highlighted in the Implementation section, and will require much research into cutting the costs through economies of scale. It is imperative that this research is completed as soon as possible.
15 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Implementation
Summary The transportation costs will vary depending on the size of the cargo we collect. In order to analyse the effectiveness of the proposed strategy and to understand the level of fund we need to raise, let us explore two hypotheticals – Collection Methods A and B.
Collection Method A The first method is defined by the use of big boxes to be filled by Brightspark International volunteers at the school sites where the students deposit the donations at a central location.
Boxes The Kennards Jumbo Heavy Duty boxes are priced at $5.10 for each 431mm x 406mm x 596mm size box (approximately 0.1m3). At each school, we would need to bring at least 40 boxes at a cost of $204. This shall be plenty of space to package the donations not only of students but of the schools as well.
Storage Transporting from the school to the storage facility will cost from $70 - $100 a day according to Budget Trucks (https://www.budgettrucks.com.au/quotes-bookings/vehicle-selection). If at each school we receive 4m3, we would need a storage size of approximately 17m3 for the holding of boxes before being transported. This may be sourced from Super Cheap Storage (http://www.supercheapstorage.com.au) charges $220 per month for those thousand units. Thus, for the 4m3, the price will be $52 for that month.
Transportation The cost of transport to Bangladesh, using Cargo Australia (www.cargoaustralia.com.au) will be approximately $250 per m3 for a LCL load. However, this price will be considerably lower for a FCL load. The 4m3 shipment (in LCL) would thus equate to $1025 due to the $25 handling fee. There will be an additional $100 for the transport of the boxes from the storage facility to the processing centre, but all release costs and port costs at Chittagong port will be handled by Khelna Bank.
Collection Method B The second collection method requires small boxes to be filled by students at home and brought to a collection spot and packed and transported within the individual boxes once the contents have been processed.
16 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Boxes Say, for example, we take three hundred boxes to each school. These boxes come at the price of 0.74 each for the 275 x 270 x 176 size from Quick Brown Box (www.quickbrownbox.com.au/stock-boxes/consumer-stock-boxes/stock-box-35). While it is not certain that every school will take all 300 boxes (costing $222 total), let alone return them, we must incentivize the retuning of boxes with discounted donuts. Further variables include students bringing boxes of their own of varied sizes and damaged boxes which need replacing as well as school donations. For this we will have one or two jumbo boxes from kennards (www.kss.com.au) which are 431mm x 406mm x 596mm or about 0.1 m3 for $5 a box.
Storage The transport to storage remains the same at $70 - $100 a day according to Budget Trucks (https://www.budgettrucks.com.au/quotes-bookings/vehicle-selection). Furthermore, the volume of these boxes will be about 13068cm3 per box or 3.9m3. In order to store it, we will need a Full Garage Storage Space (17m2) which could comfortably fit approximately 1200 boxes with space to spare. Super Cheap Storage (http://www.supercheapstorage.com.au) charges $220 per month for those thousand units. Thus, for the 300 boxes, the price will be $52 for that month.
Transportation Then to transport it to Bangladesh, using Cargo Australia (www.cargoaustralia.com.au) which quotes the cost for 12,000 units as $3580 thus making the cost of transportation for 300 boxes $895. There will be an additional $100 for the transport of the boxes from the storage facility to the processing centre as well as a further $25 in paperwork costs.
Conclusion As such, under collection method A the overall cost for each school that donates 4m3 worth of donateables will be approximately $1481 under the current model. Collection Method B seems cheaper for the equivalent size package of 4m3 (totalling about 300 small boxes) incurring approximately $1,330 in costs.
While there are certainly flaws in the hypothetical, it presents an interesting problem regarding cash flow. School events, in my experience, scant raise over $1,500 and raising so much is doubly difficult when factoring that we are asking students to bring donateables as well as monetary donations. We will therefore be heavily reliant on donations from community events and private donors. Furthermore, cutting costs will be imperative – beginning with reducing the costs of storage by sharing the boxes of donateables between the garages of members. In order to remain an effective charitable organization, these issues must be resolved.
17 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Objectives
Expansion Brightspark International will hopefully continue to expand over the coming years, causing several changes. Primarily, it will create the need for a larger team alongside the expansion of the donor-base. This team will ideally be split into several sectors, collecting from schools and community events within those areas. Each sector will be led by a director as appointed by the secretary to whom they would report. Such a structure shall allow the greatest efficiency in the carrying out of objectives and in raising fund in methods particular to their particular areas. There would still have to be constant communication between the sectors to allow for cooperation in transportation, storage etc. so that economies of scale truly reaps benefits.
We should also expand interstate, employing volunteers in Queensland and Victoria in order to widen our reach in terms of donateables and funds, as well as legitimizing the charity further in the eyes of the community. In order to expand, we will begin with close contacts living interstate whom we trust, before interviewing volunteers.
As a test, we shall launch a pop up branch within Melbourne by July to organise one or two events. Whether Brightspark International continues with these branches will be based on the results of those tests.
Economies of Scale Capital must also be accumulated as part of this economies of scale in the purchasing of storage space or a van to allow for long term transportation. Even office space may be necessary should the firm grow large enough. This capital must be raised through a steady stream of donations, which we will not be able to receive unless we truly hit the ground running. The donor base must be maintained through community events and close work with schools and other charities so that the revenue stream doesn’t die down.
Future Projects Once Brightspark International is firmly rooted within the community, we may also expand in our purpose. Certainly, we will look beyond Bangladesh and begin the sending of donateables to children in other developing nations such as Laos and Ethiopia. More than that, we may begin working directly with NGOs such as Fred Hyde’s CO-ID not only in providing the books and toys for the schools he constructs but also aiding in the construction process itself.
Furthermore, it may be interesting to engage in more programs directed at the youth such as World Vision’s Forty Hour Famine and MS Australia’s Skipping for Life. These programs make the act of volunteering and donating personal for the children as well as adding fun into the activity. One possible idea would be a toy exchange, where children may donate a certain amount of old toys and books in exchange for a new toy, providing incentive for greater donations.
18 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Marketing I also believe it will be important for us to travel to Bangladesh in the near future to see exactly how these donateables and the work we’re doing here affects the least fortunate for children. Such a trip would be humbling and inspiring as well as provide great marketing opportunities in presenting to the community how simple things such as toys and books may dramatically increase a child’s wellbeing.
Several challenges may present themselves with long term expansion. These include higher overheads for capital, inefficiencies in communication for a large team and the need for greater capital to accommodate larger amounts of donateables. However, these issues may be easily overcome should we make certain to establish a large donor base from the beginning and position ourselves as a legitimate charity organization in the eyes of the community. Marketing will be a big part of this effort, as will building up of connections with both the institutions and the youth so that we may expand our donor base and draw on talent from schools and universities.
Conclusion Brightspark International has the potential to truly give back to destitute children across the world, and it is our obligation to do all we can to preserve it. Hopefully, with careful guidance and thoughtful implementation we will expand throughout the years and establish ourselves as a firm to be reckoned with within the community. But it is up to us to ensure that this spark never dims.
19 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Our Team
Dilir Ali – CEO, Director of Logistics
At 17, Dilir founded Brightspark International as a way of giving back to his Bangladeshi community. He has always had a keen interest in social justice, founding the Normanhurst Boys Social Justice Committee which raised over $13,000 for the Forty Hour Famine and thousands for the Red Cross Ebola Drive and the Nepal Earthquake Drive. He was also the sole student organizer of the NBHS Blood Drive through which 70 students gave blood. His dedication to the school community as represented through the organization of these and many other school based activities were cited as the reason for him being awarded with the Year Advisor’s Award 2011, 2013 and 2015 as well as the Hornsby Shire Award for School Service and the NBHS Social Justice Award. He also represented NSW at the 2015 National Schools Constitutional Convention on Human Rights. Furthermore, his consistent efforts in the Forty Four Famine granted him an interview for World Vision Youth Ambassador. Graduating second from Normanhurst Boys, he now aims to pave his own way in charity work.
Rafat Islam – Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Rahath Islam, Vice Captain of East Hills Boys 2015 co-founded Brightspark International at 18 as it aligned with his passionate interest in charity, social justice and politics at a young age. He was also a representative in the 2015 National Schools Constitutional Convention on Human Rights. He wishes to continue his philanthropic efforts though out his life
Mitchell Sarson – Director of Finance and Supplies
Mitch was chosen as one of fifty year 11 students selected from several states to participate in the UBS Finance Academy. He also has extensive experience volunteering with work experience at Camp Quality, National Centre of Indigenous Excellence and Ronald McDonald House.
20 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Danielle Santos – Director of Communications, Ambassador
Danielle began her work in social justice after experiencing poverties effects in the Philippines She values the power of youth, becoming involved with Campbelltown Headspace’s Youth Advisory Group in 2013 and in 2014 speaking at Macarthur’s Mental Health Forum 2014. She was selected for Camden Youth Council 2014 – 17, being here I involved in the running of youth programs within the Camden LGA. Furthermore, she In founded her high school’s social justice group and has been an active member of UN Youth Australia, representing the organisation at a state, national and in 2016 an international level as part of the Young Diplomats Program. Such experience and dedication are what make Danielle an integral part of the ambassador team
Dr Daud Reza Ali – Founding Member
Dr Ali works as the Head of Emergency at Blacktown Hospital and Mt Druitt Hospital as a specialist in Emergency medicine. Growing up in Bangladesh, he has witnessed firsthand the power of education in allowing children to escape the suffering of poverty. Alongside his work, Dr Ali is working towards opening up of emergency hospitals in Dhaka – ensuring that healthcare systems are improved in one of the most destitute nations in the world.
Matthew Harris –Marketing
Matthew Harris is a Law student from Sydney who has worked as a volunteer for various charities over many years. Matthew completed his HSC in 2015 achieving 6th in the State of New South Wales in Legal Studies and received an Australian Defence Force Long Tan Leadership Award for his involvement in community and schooling activities. Furthermore, he represented NSW in the 2015 National Schools Constitutional Convention on Human Rights. Matthew brings extensive knowledge of online media and marketing to Brightspark and he hopes to bring the charity to new heights into the future.
Joseph Lin – Finance
21 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Guy Segev – Ambassador
[email protected] Guy’s passion for entrepreneurship as a means for philanthropy began at the age of 15, in the creation of the concert series Blues4Blues. This series was a means for giving back to the community which had helped developed him as a musician, by giving other underage musicians the chance to perform. From there, he has worked with Generation Entrepreneur; a cause teaching entrepreneurship to high school students. Guy worked for 4 years with “Crayons Imagine Learning”, a toy shop aiming to provide educational toys and technology for children. Beginning at UNSW and studying Computer Science, he aims to work on the global front for philanthropic entrepreneurship.
Shahan Bhuiyan - Ambassador
The former captain of Parramatta High School, Shahan is a natural leader as evidenced by his participation in the National Youth Leadership Day and consistent Swimming Age champion from 2010 to 2015. He also has a broad experience with volunteering, in everything from the Red Shield Appeal, Daffodil Day and Jeans for Genes Day. This experience is what defines Shahan as an integral member of the ambassadors team.
Manan Lathra - Ambassador
Laura Cook – Ambassador
Laura was the Youth Deputy Premier of 2015 in the YMCA NSW Youth Parliament and Minister for Justics, Juvenile Justice. Laura has received an acknowledgement of merit from the Order Of Australia for her efforts in community service, particularly as a volunteer with St. John Ambulance Australia. She is involved in a variety of current youth consultation programs including a national program based on high quality representation of the views of young people in organisations. Laura received, in 2015 the ADF prize for Leadership and Teamwork for her efforts as SRC President. She is currently pushing for better access to services in her school for students of diverse sexualities and genders.
22 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Mike Hoang – Marketing
Dane Luo – Marketing Department
Dane Luo, Captain of Chatswood High School (2015- 16) has a wealth of experience in community service, volunteering at the Wesley Mission, NSW Local Court and High Resolves Combined with his outstanding performances in public speaking, he is an invaluable member of the marketing team.
Jasraj Chouhan - Member
Jasraj is an accomplished musician who has experience volunteering with the Young Adult Volunteering Association and INKquisitive. His love for travel has revealed many global injustices to him, fuelling his passion for social
Stephen Choi – Member
23 | B r i g h t s p a r k I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Our Partner – Khelna Bank 260/B, (1st Floor) Tejgaon Industrial Area Dhaka- 1208, Bangladesh
Khelna Bank is a local Bangladeshi NGO founded as a part of ‘Build Bangladesh’ in 2015. Local and young, the charity is headed by youth volunteers in a similar way to Brightspark International. The program is delivered in partnerships with primary and secondary schools across the country. Jointly the program promotes sharing and caring among school children based on the idea of enhancing playfulness, as part of childhood by sharing personal toys and also by arranging fun participatory and learning events.
In partnership with schools, Khelna Bank arranges a fun filled week at the school venue with the school children and teachers. This usually entails recreational activities and access to interactive games arranged for the students to play and enjoy their time while learning about the powerful message of sharing is caring through a toy collection activity. But these leisure activities have educational value at their core, emphasising leadership building activities, reading circles and skills fostering.
After the collection program, the toys collected are distributed among the school children who are missing out on the playfulness of toys through various fun participatory events such as art competition, quiz competition and performing arts within the ‘Khelna Bank Day’. At the end of the ‘cycle’ of collection and distribution, some ‘young leaders’ are being identified at the donor schools to continue with this program in the future and at the recipient school a ‘Toy Library’ is established to ensure no child must live without toys. This program also ensure that the commencement of this ongoing relationships between schools establishes a long-term mentoring and sister concern relationships between them.
The partnering of richer and impoverished schools is a hallmark of the Khelna Bank program and adds to the sustainability of the program, which continues long after Khelna Bank has moved on. Already three schools have hosted activity weeks, and the charity has visited multiple poverty stricken schools to establish a toy library with great success.
As partners, Brightspark International looks forward to working alongside Khelna Bank into the future so as to achieve our similar purpose – lighting up the sparks in children who need it the most.
