The Sebastian Foundation // Rebecca Oxenbould

Today we introduce to you Rebecca Oxenbould, from The Sebastian Foundation. Rebecca is the sole paid employee for the Foundation. Her title is Foundation Manager which may sound pretty lofty but like any small business manager, she spends 10% of her time doing managerial duties and the balance being a courier, home decorator, fundraiser, content manager, book keeper, marketer, administrator and so on.

When we asked Rebecca what it is about the Sebastian Foundation that gets her fired up – this is what she had to say:

“I guess you get into the work that I do because you really enjoy making a difference in the lives of people who are going through a tough time. At The Sebastian Foundation, the decision regarding who to help is not predetermined by what our corporate guidelines say we do. If the need is there, we meet it. In my job I get to meet the people you are helping, I see the joy on their faces, I’m able to create the difference in their lives – which is obviously done with the help of so many others – but it makes me feel pretty good, when I have made other people who are really doing it tough, feel happy and hopefully helps them towards a brighter future.”

The Year So Far

In the last twelve months, the Sebastian Foundation has completed an amazing number of projects to help those in need. They have helped to support music therapists at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital for Children and have also done a lot on a smaller scale, making donations to individual families going through a hard time; for example they have helped to pay funeral expenses for a family of five who lost their mum, and helped another family who lost their home in a fire get back on their feet.

The Foundation have renovated a garden space at a women’s refuge in Glebe, created two new kitchens in a refuge in Manly which – with more effective storage spaces – has meant the shelter is able to take in two more women each night. They have renovated a shelter in Western Sydney to provide a home office and playroom where women can take their first steps away from a life of violence towards their new lives, and renovated a garden at an indigenous shelter in Enmore.

The Sebastian Foundations plans for the next twelve months are jam packed – with no sign of stopping or slowing on the amazing work they do.  Currently running two ongoing programs for young women, “The Changing Lives Mentoring Program” helps young women already within the shelter system to  get a foot into their dream career, alongside “Girls who Glow”  a series of short term day workshops to empower 13 – 17 year olds to be their best, brightest self.

To finish the year on a high note and help the Sebastian Foundation complete this huge variety of tasks, it will hold it’s annual fundraiser, Carols in the City concert on December 16 at Luna Park in Sydney.

Families helping Families

Each year Bohemian Traders makes a substantial donation in support of The Sebastian Foundation. Every dollar you spend with us not only keeps our family business going – but allows us to make a difference in the lives of many women, and families across Australia who are facing significant hardship, injury or domestic violence.