A mentoring relationship unleashes potential

With an unemployment rate more than three times the national average and the lowest life expectancy, poorest health, and highest incarcerations rates of all Australians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men have the odds stacked against them when it comes to creating a stable life for themselves and their families. The impact of this is felt throughout communities, which struggle to escape the cycle of poverty and disadvantage.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community leader and Townsville local Gavin Kum Sing is a strong believer in the power of meaningful work to change lives and strengthen communities. In 2010, Gavin established Brothers Acts of Random Kindness (BARK), a social enterprise which offers a brighter future for long-term unemployed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and at-risk young people – helping them into permanent jobs, reconnecting them with their culture, boosting their self-esteem and transforming them into role models for their communities.

One of the strengths of BARK is its ability to connect with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, government, other not-for-profit agencies and the corporate sector, to build a service that brings the best of these worlds together for change. As part of his commitment to the commercial success of BARK, Gavin has established a mentoring relationship with PwC Director Brian Fanning.

Brian and Gavin have had ongoing conversations since October 2010, bouncing around ideas as BARK has established itself as an independent social enterprise. Brian has connected BARK to his professional networks, and Gavin is now engaging more broadly with our Townsville office, running cultural awareness programs and encouraging other PwC people to develop relationships in the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business community.