Recycling for our community and the environment

Demand for our services is growing. We have an opportunity to increase our social and environmental impact. We need some extra space and some essential equipment to make this happen.

Can you help to make this possible for our participants, volunteers and our community?

Our situation:

Hi there. We’re eWaste Connection, a not-for-profit charity, providing opportunities to recycle, volunteer, train, and empower people of all abilities in an inclusive environment.

We have an opportunity to expand our workshop space at our location in Yeronga, Brisbane.

Our social enterprise offers a fantastic program for people of all abilities, based around recycling ewaste in a social, friendly environment. The program builds fine and gross motor skills, using various tools to pull things apart and encourages problem solving. Our participants help the community by recycling, while building social and verbal skills. We aim to increase self-esteem by promoting a fun and encouraging atmosphere.

Why we need your help?

Demand is growing! Your help would allow us to populate an extra space, allowing more room for storage and recycling. We could also install specialist recycling machinery leading to more job opportunities and experiences for our participants and volunteers from the community. More space also gives us a safer work environment for the growing number of participants interested in our program - pulling ewaste apart, gaining skills and making friends!

Together we can make a difference.

Our goal is to raise $50,000.

This will cover three main areas:

With your help, we can make this happen!

Please donate so that we can continue to expand our recycling efforts and offer more opportunities to people with a disability / disadvantaged background.

A bit more about Ewaste Connection:

We are a not-for-profit charity creating a unique environment where together we recycle electronic waste, while providing purpose and connection for participants and volunteers.

We have workshops tailored to each individual’s needs, where we take apart electrical items and sort the materials for recycling. It’s fun, we do our bit for the environment and we make friends.

We are working hard to grow our locations and capacity to support many more people to lead a meaningful and purposeful life.

Our Mission

To be a social enterprise for the local community providing opportunities to recycle, volunteer, train and empower people of all abilities in an inclusive environment.

Our Vision

Empowering people to thrive and belong.

How We Got Started:

eWaste Connection was born from a desire of its founder to find a meaningful activity for her son who has an intellectual impairment. Monique noticed her son’s interest in taking things apart, which led her family to start a centre where electrical materials could be pulled apart and recycled.

Why we are important?

Demand is growing! Ewaste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world. Our two locations currently process an average of 10,000 kg of ewaste per month and provided the opportunity for over 250 participants to take part in eWaste workshops. It is now more important than ever to assist this social enterprise to keep growing.

We offer a valuable opportunity for some of the least advantaged members of our community to develop a purpose. We also provide much needed respite time for family and carers of our participants.

We are committed to helping to combat the effects of the fastest growing waste stream in the world! The impact of e-waste on the planet is frightening and ever-growing. Electronics continue to be discarded globally at an alarming rate.

We are taking action! We provide our local communities with a free drop-off location/collection service for unwanted electrical items. Recycling or reusing more than 95% of items received into useful products and bi-products.

FAMILY TESTIMONIALS

Here’s what some of the parents have to say regarding their children attending eWaste Connection.

PATRICK

Patrick is a young adult on the autism spectrum. We were thrilled to discover eWaste Connection. Here, Patrick is understood, works as part of a team and his joy of pulling apart things is fully utilised. Workplace satisfaction is 100 per cent. Patrick has a purpose and a job.

JOSEPH

Joseph struggles with all forms of communication. We decided to give eWaste Connection a try at a time when his confidence, self- worth and social skills were at an all time low. The staff were very inviting and made Joseph feel comfortable from the moment he stepped in. His self-confidence and demeanour has changed drastically and he loves the fact that he’s helping the environment by recycling.

MITCHELL

Since joining eWaste Connection Mitch’s manual dexterity has improved greatly. Mitchell loves to go to work. Mitchell talks about his day at eWaste with such pride. As his tasks get harder the more proud of himself he is. Mitchell has made many friends at ewaste which is all part of having a job.

EMMA

Emma has been attending eWaste for 2 years and has increased her attendance from 1 session per week to 3 as she enjoys it so much. In that time her confidence has increased. The team have created a great atmosphere for the attendees, encouraging them to increase their capabilities and develop a good work ethic. Emma takes great pride in dismantling as many different types of equipment as possible and the team always comes up with a new challenge for her. eWaste provides the perfect environment for intellectually disabled people by giving them a sense of purpose and achievement in a warm, friendly environment. They feel productive and useful for their efforts in the highly valued electronic recycling industry.

NICK

Being a part of an environmental recycling industry is a great boost for Nick’s self-esteem and sense of worth.. Being autistic, Nic has never sought out social interaction but to our delight, he has formed friendships with the wonderful volunteers at eWaste and this is one of the reasons why he looks forward to going there every week. There has also been a vast improvement in Nic’s fine motor skills since he began working there saving us thousands in occupational therapy fees.

JORDAN

He really enjoys going, feels he has friends there and gives us feedback that he is very satisfied. He loves the people, both workers and helpers, feels welcome and part of the eWaste community. The work requires concentration and hand eye skills, still all very important therapy for him. Finally, with the huge environmental problems with waste at present, he couldn’t be involved in a better program.

Thank you so much,