LAA Member of the Month: Beacon Laundry
“For me, Beacon Laundry has become just that – a beacon of hope for a better life.”
How long has the laundry been in business?
We officially opened in April of 2024, so we are still in our infancy.
What sort of work do you do?
Beacon Laundry is a commercial laundry servicing hotels up and down the coast of the Northern Rivers in NSW. Importantly, we are also jobs-focused social enterprise designed primarily to create jobs for people who have been shut out from mainstream employment due to their life experience or background.
Essentially job focussed social enterprises are businesses for good. They operate like regular businesses with the overarching mission that they primarily exist to create jobs for communities who face barriers to work. These include people living with disability, First Nations people, former refugees and those experiencing homelessness and mental health challenges.
Amongst our first laundry employees is Mel, a former family services practitioner who is now six months into an addiction recovery program and thriving at Beacon Laundry.
“I used my last $50 on fuel to get to the job interview at Beacon. I had enough food to last me for the week. If I didn’t get this job I was going to have to sleep in my car,” said Mel.
“This job has rebuilt my self-esteem, connected me to community, and gives me the flexibility to put my recovery first” said Mel. Since then Mel’s expansive skill set and passion have seen them be promoted to General Manager of our People and Pathways section.
Mel’s story is not dissimilar to her peers at Beacon Laundry or others within the Northern Rivers. Hit hard over the last decade with droughts, bushfires and the devastating floods, the region experiences higher than average unemployment rates, around 6% compared to 3.3% NSW rate.
After losing his wife to renal failure and his farm to fire, John lost his remaining possessions in the 2022 Northern Rivers floods. John struggled to find work and a place to live and as a result his mental and physical health declined significantly. After securing a job with Beacon Laundry, John reports that his life took a turn for the better.
“For me, Beacon Laundry has become just that – a beacon of hope for a better life.” said John.
What does the next year to five years look like for the laundry?
Our goal is to see a social enterprise, like Beacon Laundry, in every community across Australia. So that every individual can access a workplace that prioritises people over making a profit.
How will you expand to meet increasing demand?
We have a fantastic facility here in Bangalow and working hard to meet the demand of our clients. We are looking to consolidate our current client base and make sure we maintain a solid workforce so that we can look at expanding in the near future.
How long have you been with the LAA?
3 months
Have you been to the Conference or participated in any webinars?
Not yet – this is our first year of business and over this holiday period we have been so busy we haven’t had time for much else. But hopefully in the upcoming months we will be able to lean in and participate.
What would you like from the LAA in the next 12 months?
I would love to hear the successes and challenges of other members and be able to collaborate and learn from each other.
