2025 Australian of the Year Local Heros Vanessa Brettell and Hannah Costello

Australian Community Media

The 2025 Australian of the Year Local Heros are Vanessa Brettell and Hannah Costello, co-founders of Cafe Stepping Stone. ACM is proud to be a media partner for the 2025 Australian of the Year Awards.

Transcript

00:00Wow. Thank you all so much. It's a very big privilege to be standing up here and receiving

00:06this award. We would like to give our congratulations to all of the other nominees that are here

00:11with us tonight. All of your work is beyond inspiring. It's also an absolute honour to

00:17be here receiving this award in our beloved hometown, the land of the Ngunnawal people.

00:23It always was and it always will be Aboriginal land and we are so proud to live in a country

00:27with the longest continuing living culture.

00:37Growing up in Australia and thanks to our families, we were both afforded many privileges.

00:42We are so lucky to have had quality education, security and a safety net which allowed us

00:47to explore and try new things. In recognising our privilege, we felt compelled to use our

00:52skills and experience to help those who hadn't had the same opportunities. It's cheesy but

00:57at 21, I was inspired by the quote, be the change you want to see in the world. This

01:02was the driving force to start our work integration social enterprise, Stepping Stone.

01:07The World Economic Forum, United Nations and the European Union all agree that the future

01:13of business is social enterprise. By putting people and planet first and using profit as

01:19a means to achieve it, social enterprise is the most effective way to improve society.

01:24We all have the responsibility to create change.

01:28We employ and train cowed women from migrant and refugee backgrounds for whom the workforce

01:33participation rate is less than 50% as they face multiple barriers to employment. We help

01:39women from war affected areas who have experienced unspeakable trauma and loss and who arrive

01:44in Australia full of hope for a fresh start only to face new challenges. Creating a home

01:49in Australia is not always easy. Finding economic security, community, support and

01:55a sense of belonging is hard and often women can become very isolated and vulnerable. My

02:00own grandmother experienced this and I wanted to minimise this for others.

02:05Through cafes, Stepping Stone provides employment, training and community. Connecting through

02:09food, women can share their knowledge and culture, enriching our society through diversity.

02:15It's about providing opportunities, stability and hope to people who just like us, just

02:21want a chance to make something of their lives. Everybody deserves a fair chance to thrive.

02:27Feel safe and have access to meaningful work and be part of a community.

02:32In four years we've employed over 60 women from migrant and refugee backgrounds. Collectively

02:36they've earned almost $2 million in wages and for most this is their first job. After

02:42working with us they've increased financial security but also confidence, skills, the

02:47ability to speak English and make connections out of the home. They now have the autonomy

02:52over their path forward.

02:54Australia, when we lift others up everybody benefits. As a consumer every dollar you spend

03:00is an investment in the world that you want. Choose social enterprise. You have the power

03:05to create change. Stepping Stone is only what it is with the support of so many people,

03:11the incredible women that we work with, our volunteers, the ACT government and all of

03:15our customers.

03:17We dream of a society where diversity is celebrated, where all people are empowered and able to

03:22live the lives that they choose. The work we're doing is far from over and we'll continue

03:26to create a Stepping Stone for others who need it.

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