Girls from Oz will run its 11th annual Giving Circles Campaign from May 26 – June 30.
This year’s campaign, ‘Voices for the Future’, will ambitiously aim to raise $100,000 in support of our 22nd g-oz Travel Program to Sydney.
In November, 30 g-oz participants from Halls Creek (WA), Bidyadanga (WA), Lockhart River (QLD) and Kowanyama (QLD) will embark on a week-long visit to the heart of Sydney.
The 2025 cohort will enjoy a unique, dynamic and inspiring program of high-quality performing arts education and workshops; mentoring activities; visits to tertiary and vocational locations to explore post-schooling pathways; as well as the unique opportunity to perform on stage alongside the Australian Girls Choir (AGC) at the Sydney Opera House as part of the AGC Annual Concert.
The aim of the Travel Program is to provide participants with transformative challenges and opportunities that contribute to enhancing their passion, overall wellbeing, as well as their personal and professional development.
Let’s come together to amplify the ambition and raise the voice of the next generation of Australian women!
“I sang a solo and I remember thinking this is exactly what I want to do. It gives you confidence and makes you think you can be somebody and go somewhere.”
– Ooen-s’tae, g-oz Halls Creek alumni
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Giving Circle?
A Giving Circle is a group of individuals with shared values and goals who come together to pool their financial resources and then collectively discuss and decide where to donate their pooled, charitable gift.
Giving Circles empower participants to have a direct impact on their communities while also fostering a sense of shared purpose and collective decision-making. They can vary in size, focus areas, and methods, but the common goal is to amplify the impact of individual donations through collective giving.
In a g-oz context, individuals who are passionate about supporting g-oz will sign up to lead their own Giving Circle and reach out to their personal and/or professional circles to seek donations towards a pooled gift.
Collecting these individual donations into their circle, the g-oz Giving Circle Coordinator then donates this collective pooled donation to g-oz on behalf of their circle.
How did g-oz Giving Circles start?
Nicole Muir AM, g-oz Chair and CEO of the Australian School of Performing Arts (ASPA), attended an event presented by Australians Investing in Women in 2013.
Nicole was inspired by the words of keynote speaker, Colleen Willoughby, who presented on the power of Giving Circles and collective giving. A particular potent scenario was presented: if 100 people come together and each decide to contribute $1,000 to their Giving Circle and donate this all to one charity, this $100,000 has a much larger impact than an individual $1000 donation ever could.
Nicole recognised the opportunity for Girls from Oz to leverage the strength of ASPA’s Australian Girls Choir community to create meaningful change. For Girls from Oz, the Giving Circle model enables each dedicated supporter to lead their own circle, raise awareness of g-oz, and encourage friends and family to contribute through donations. This approach is an accessible way to engage our networks and share a cause we deeply care about.
The first g-oz Giving Circles Campaign was run in 2015 and, with the support of 23 Giving Circle Coordinators, we raised $35,836. Skip ahead to last year’s campaign and 47 different circles worked together to raise a total of $105,230!
I’m thinking about leading a g-oz Giving Circle, what does that involve?
Becoming a g-oz Giving Circle Coordinator is more straightforward than it may seem!
The term ‘coordinator’ often brings to mind the need for complex and labour-intensive event planning, but leading a Giving Circle can be as simple as reaching out to friends and family via text or email to encourage donations. For those interested in a larger-scale effort, organising a dinner gathering, a workplace bake sale, or a community sausage sizzle are great ways to engage others and raise funds.
The beauty of the Giving Circle model is its flexibility, allowing coordinators to choose the level of involvement that best suits their time and resources.
OK, I’m in! How do I sign up?
Email Daniella at [email protected] to sign up to become a 2025 g-oz Giving Circles Coordinator.
Closer to the start of the campaign, you will receive a Welcome Email and Resource Pack full of marketing goodies to help you promote the campaign to your Giving Circle, as well as opportunities to connect with other GC Coordinators to share tips, tricks and insights throughout the campaign.
During this time, you will also be guided as to how to register your ‘CrowdRaiser’ account on our GiveNow donation collection platform. Your CrowdRaiser page will have its own personal link for you to share with your network, so they can donate directly to your circle.
Great! I’m so excited! What now?
- Read up about g-oz and begin learning about the projects and programs we run. Our website and Youtube channel are great resources for this!
- Begin to educate your network about g-oz and the 2025 Travel Program.
- Share g-oz Giving Circle content on your social media platforms. Don’t forget to tag us! You can also use our campaign hashtags: #girlsfromoz #goz #gozgivingcirclescampaign #voicesforthefuture
- Plan and execute your fundraising initiative and/or contact your friends, family and colleagues asking them to join you in pooling donations together in support of your Giving Circle.
How have GC Coordinators engaged their networks in the past?
While some Coordinators simply directly call or message their network to seek donations, many Coordinators enjoy getting quite creative, hosting fundraising events either with their close friends…or the entire Bunnings parking lot!
Past initiatives have included:
- Bake sales
- Sausage sizzles
- Dress up parties
- Themed dinner parties
- Movie nights
- Concert fundraisers
…to name a few!
Fundraising will look different for everyone. We encourage you to consider your current capacity and availability, and draw on your interests and strengths to fundraise in a way that is most appropriate, fun and engaging for you and your circle. Your fundraising initiative can be a one-off event, or it can span the duration of the campaign from May 26 – June 30 – it’s up to you!
Above: g-oz Bake Sale at Bunnings led by 2024 Giving Circles Coordinator Andy (right).
Any more ideas?
- Host a trivia night with friends?
- Host an ‘Open Mic’ night in your loungeroom or at a venue?
- Organise a DIY Craft Sale?
- Host a Garage Sale?
- Host a BBQ or Picnic?
- Coordinate a raffle?
We’ve even had one GC Coordinator decide to run a triathlon, raising over $1000 for g-oz!
Above: g-oz Instructor and 2022 GC Coordinator Laura with Australian Girls Choir alumni Ella running, swimming and cycling in support of g-oz!
What if I don’t raise enough money?
While the primary goal of Giving Circles is to encourage donations from your network, raising awareness about g-oz and our programs is equally important.
Many people in your network may not be familiar with g-oz or fully understand the important work we are doing to contribute to closing the gender gap and breaking the cycle of disadvantage experienced by youth in remote Australia. You can use this campaign as an opportunity to learn more about g-oz and share that knowledge with your network.
Whatever approach you choose for your Giving Circle campaign, it should be something achievable within the five-week timeframe, and it’s important not to place too much pressure on yourself.
There is no one-size-fits-all formula for leading a Giving Circle, and each individual will have their own way of participating. Some may prefer a more ‘low-key’ approach, such as sharing donation links or posting on social media, while others may have the time and capacity to organise larger-scale events. Ultimately, as long as you are sharing the mission of g-oz with your network, you are making a meaningful impact!
Wait, I still have more questions! Who can I speak to?
Please email all questions to Daniella at [email protected] and she will help you out!
