Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/891637
maltatoday WEDNESDAY 25 OCTOBER 2017 17 AFTER a very successful first edition last year, The Malta Social Impact Awards 2017 is around the corner and with that, we are excited to be announcing the finalists. This initiative aims to bring the private and non-profit sectors together to offer op- portunities for financial and non-financial support to de- velop and see to fruition a project that will have a posi- tive social impact on Malta. After an overwhelming number of applications re- ceived back in June, eight pro- jects have been shortlisted and will pitch their proposals to businesses, philanthro- pists and potential philan- thropists for a chance to win financial and non-financial support. This innovative ini- tiative aims to give more op- portunities to social projects and to create a platform for new philanthropic ideas. The eight finalists who have been shortlisted have re- ceived non-financial support in the shape of mentoring services by TAKEOFF Malta in order to help develop the projects. The finalists will now be paired with a CEO from the Malta Academy of Chief Executives, that have partnered with the Social Impact Awards to help final- ists put on a great pitch of their projects. The purpose of the Academy for Chief Executives is to unlock the potential of successful busi- ness leaders and enable them to get more out of themselves and their businesses, this will be ref lected onto the fi- nalists. Furthermore, ZAAR will award one of the projects with a free crowd funding campaign and professional services, Lovin Malta, acting as SIA's media partner will bring more exposure to the winners. These awards are the result of a collaboration between Maltese businesses and com- pany foundations which have raised 100,000 euros collec- tively to donate as grants to the best and most effective submissions. An Audience Participation Award will also be awarded to the audiences' favourite project through their contributions to the event that will give 100% of the contribution to a project. The awards ceremony will take place on 16 November 2017 where all finalists will present their project to a se- lected panel of judges and an audience of philanthropists, professionals and corporate leaders who could potentially offer further support, wheth- er financial or non-financial. "With these awards we hope to inspire people to give, give more and give smart." said Mr. Mark Weingard founder of Inspirasia Foundation. Those interested in attend- ing this Awards ceremony or anyone offering support to a project can find the awards on Facebook or contact louisa@inspirasia.org Events Eight finalists to pitch their social projects for funding opportunity Finalists 1. Making Care Giving a Positive Experience Submitted by: The Malta Hospice Movement Hospice's project: After hours On-call Service: Making Caregiving a Positive Experience is a professional nursing advice/guidance regarding symptom man- agement, nursing care and emotional support, aiming to reduce isolation, avoid hospitalization and enabling patients to die at home should this be their wish. In this difficult period, Hospice Malta is a life-line to patients/relatives in the community. Over 1000 families may benefit from this after-hours service free of charge, at a time when other professionals are not easily available. 2. Friendship Cards Submitted by: Relationship are Forever Friendship cards is an innovative education tool to help children develop Emotional Literacy and Conflict Resolution Life Skills. These life skills will help children at school and families build strong relationships. Our project is to train teachers and children so that Friendship Cards will be shared in a number of schools in Malta. 3. Sport4Youth Submitted by: Malta Youth Athletes Network Sport4Youth is a project that incorporates sports with social improvement. They aim to deliver an Online Awareness Raising Campaign to combat obesity and unhealthy living, create a Youth Athletes Community, deliver a sport train- ing programme for orphans and help change policy. 4. SAHA! Submitted by: Migrant Women Association Malta SAHA is a project that aims to integrate and empower migrant women living in Malta through employment. They have identified an opportunity to utilize the strengths and capabilities of migrant women to build a social enterprise based on culinary skills, where the project envisions the employment of mi- grant women through a food truck named "SAHA!" which would serve interna- tional, healthy dishes to the Maltese public, with an international cuisine that reflects the different nationalities of women working on the food truck. 5. Giving Gardens Submitted by: Terra Firma Collective What if we could create a collection of community art gardens in urban cen- tres – refreshing green oases where young and old could rest, share and learn how to create and grow sustainable beauty together? The GIVING GARDENS PROJECT will be a radical new way to unite com- munities and experience the arts. Besides providing much needed space for members of the community to grow fresh organic food, our gardens are intend- ed to be "art" gardens, where artists will have the incentive and opportunity to present their art in an outdoor setting. 6. Green Roads Malta Submitted by: Green Roads Malta Green Roads Malta is a concept that will start by releasing a mobile applica- tion that aims to address this environmental problem by delivering consisent rewards to carpoolers and public transport users. The solution is delivered via a simple to use mobile application (iOS, Android & Windows) that promotes car pooling and/or use of public transport by establishing a gamifed reward system for passengers / drivers with the aim of reducing pollution during rush hour times. The project aims to reduce the carbon footprint caused by traffic. 7. iContribute Submitted by: Contribute Malta As companies and individuals, we all want to help others and give to charity, but how? What if there was a solution where companies could just sell products or services and give to charity at the same time, and customers can get the op- tion of choosing a charity product, doesn't that sound like a win-win? iContribute comes in the form of a sticker (or logo when sold with services) that can be put on any product or service. This product/service will then be- come a "charity product", as part of the sales price will go to a local charity or- ganization. The iContribute concept is a "platform" for companies to take care of their CSR and for people to make conscious choices of how they consume and help others at the same time. 8. OOPS – Mental Health Campaign Submitted by: OOPS (organisations of Psychology Students) OOPS is proposing a school-based Mental Health Awareness Campaign. The campaign aims to increase awareness about mental health issues, improve pub- lic attitudes towards people with mental health problems and empower and support people with mental health issues in seeking help and treatment. The project will also launch a new in-house psychological service for staff and stu- dents of GCHSS as a walk-in clinic, free of charge.