OVER 50 YOUNG MELBOURNIANS UNITE TO RAISE $50,000 FOR CHARITY

Lawyers, Actors, Doctors, Bankers, Designers and Marketers Organize A Gala Ball With The Message: "Get Involved. Do Good. Have A Ball."

Over fifty young professionals from a diverse range of backgrounds have joined forces and set themselves one very big task: change the way an entire generation of Melbournians think about charity.

Young Professionals for Charity (YP4C, www.yp4c.org.au) is a new non-profit organisation founded in 2005 by a group of young professionals who decided to turn the goodwill and admirable intentions of their peers into direct financial and volunteer support for Melbourne-based charities. They do this by providing links between the non-profit sector and a network of socially-conscious people rapidly rising through the ranks of the business, science and arts communities.

Three good friends, Tim Stitz, Anthony Nantes and Ally Akbarzadeh, hatched the plan to start the group early this year. "We saw the overwhelming response to the Boxing Day tsunami among our friends and realized that our peer group really wants to give back more to the community and see their world become a better place," says founding member Tim.

Ally adds, "But between saving for house deposits and working late for that next promotion, charitable giving and volunteer work just keep slipping our minds. We want to do more than just hold a one-off event to raise money; we want to encourage our peers to give more of their time and resources back to those who need it most. And of course we want to have fun doing it."

YP4C's first big event is a gala ball for 1,500 people, to be held at the Melbourne Aquarium on 1 October 2005, will raise money in support of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, beyondblue, Child Wise, and Oxfam Australia. Planning is already well underway, with many members of the group devoting their time and enthusiasm to finding sponsors and organising a spectacular line up of entertainment.

"We've been impressed by the passion of the committee, and their response to the democratic structure that's evolved," says Anthony. "Our members have voted on four charities relevant to their values to benefit from our first event, and we're excited about using the ball as platform to let these organizations connect with a new generation of supporters.

"We can't wait, it's going to be a fantastic night."

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What:Young professionals group forms to raise money and encourage philanthropy among peer group.

Photo opportunities available:Tim Stitz, Ally Akbarzadeh and Anthony Nantes at Melbourne Aquarium; other members and planning subcommittees at planning meetings in the bars around Melbourne.

For more information, or to arrange a photo opportunity, contact media@yp4c.org.au.

Charities being supported by the launch event: The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, beyondblue, Child Wise, and Oxfam Australia.

Background information

Young Professionals for Charity (YP4C) is a new non-profit organisation founded in 2005 by over fifty young professionals who decided to turn the goodwill and admirable intentions of their peers into direct financial and volunteer support for Melbourne-based charities. YP4C achieves this by providing links between the non-profit sector and a network of socially-conscious people rapidly rising through the ranks of the business, science and arts communities. YP4C is non-partisan, secular and welcomes anyone with the ideas and energy to make its fundraising events and volunteer drives a success.

YP4C is funded by the goodwill and generosity of corporate sponsors, but most importantly by the drive and commitment of its volunteers: young professionals who want to help foster a culture of compassion among their peers, meet some amazing people and have fun doing it.

YP4C's inagural gala ball will be supporting the following charities:

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre has become Australia's largest asylum seeker aid, advocacy and health organisation. In just four years is has assisted over 2000 asylum seekers with material and financial aid, legal advice, health, employment, counselling, casework, advocacy, recreation, community and detention-outreach.
beyondblue is a national, independent, not-for-profit organisation working to address issues associated with depression, anxiety and related substance misuse disorders in Australia.
Child Wise is an Australian non-for-profit organization addressing children's rights and the prevention of child sexual abuse globally. Child Wise operates in the Asia Pacific region to develop and implement training programs, build capacity, prevent child abuse, raise awareness, educate communities, conduct research and advocate law reform and policy development.
Oxfam Australia's vision is of a fair world in which people control their own lives, their basic rights are achieved and the environment is sustained. Oxfam works to increase the number of people who have a sustainable livelihood, access to social services, an effective voice in decisions, safety from conflict and disaster, and equal rights and status.