Seven projects have been shortlisted for the first ever Social Impact Awards in Malta, to be held on October 25. The initiative aims to bring the private and non-profit sectors together to offer opportunities for financial and non-financial support to develop and see to fruition a project that will have a positive social impact on Malta.
After an overwhelming number of applications received back in July, six were shortlisted to vie for the opportunity to be awarded financial and non-financial support.
This initiative aims to give more opportunities to social purpose organisations and their projects and to create a platform for new philanthropic ideas. The awards will recognise non-profit organisations and individuals who submit innovative, social projects that can solve some social issues for Malta.
The six finalists have already received non-financial support in the shape of mentoring services by some of the movers and shakers within Malta’s business community in order to help develop their projects.
These awards are the fruits of a collaboration between Maltese businesses and company foundations which have raised €70,000 collectively to donate as grants to the best and most effective submissions.
The projects cover a wide range of social issues from walk-in centres for women involved in street-based prostitution, to a project on suicide and self-harm prevention to fighting obesity and inactiveness within school children.
At the awards ceremony, the finalists will present their project to a selected panel of judges and an audience of philanthropists, professionals and corporate leaders who could potentially offer further support, whether financial or non-financial.
“With these awards we hope to inspire people to give, give more and give smart.” said Mark Weingard, founder of Inspirasia Foundation.
Anyone interested in attending this ceremony or offering support to a project can find the awards on Facebook or contact louisa@inspirasia.org
Dar Hosea – Walk-in Centre – St Jeanne Antide Foundation
The project looks at women trapped in a life of street-based prostitution as victims of gender-based violence and offers them access to a range of support such as facilities to meet basic needs, guidance on self-care and self-development, sexual health education and harm reduction screening as well as social work support and non-formal education.
Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention – Crisis Resolution Malta
The project aims at setting up a 24/7 crisis lines at suicide hotspots across Malta and Gozo to help save lives and create a national crisis management course to help identify those at risk of mental illness and self-harm.
Step Up For Parkinson’s – Natalie Muschamp
The project’s concept is to establish ongoing dance courses in Malta focused on helping People with Parkinson’s (PWP). The project’s primary aim is to create an annual, two-week international training programme in Malta in which PWPs are monitored by specialists to further research within the field.
ASAL – Active in Schools, Active in Lives – AYA – Are you Active (Malta)
Children are getting fewer physical activities – and as a consequence the obesity rate is alarming, which puts tremendous pressure on the health system. Project ASAL is aimed at providing Kindergarten and Primary School classes with an innovative game that will help kids become more active. Thanks to its easy-to-use approach, kids will be engaged in physical activities as part of their daily lives at schools.
Project WO (Watch Out) Phase I – Victim Support Malta
This project aims to encourage community-building and social engagement at the grassroots level by setting up Neighbourhood Watch schemes, through the provision of specialised training. Project WO seeks to address the twin issues of crime and social disengagement through the establishment of Neighbourhood Watch schemes.
Pregnancy Outreach – The Help Line – LifeNetwork Foundation Malta
The project aims to counsel, advise and give material assistance to women facing difficult situations related to pregnancies. The project aims to set up an institutional structure designed to guide and assist a woman facing a crisis pregnancy from the moment that the first call of help arises, through the term of pregnancy and the actual birth, to the earliest phases of the mother-child relationship.