At The Wyatt Trust, we talk a lot about our commitment to honouring the lived experience of the community members our work is designed to help. As a philanthropic funder, our financial support is only brought to life by the frontline services and efforts of our grantees. Though we regularly hear from our not-for-profit partners about how Wyatt’s support is making a difference in the community, it’s not too often that we get the chance to hear those stories firsthand.... Read more

The 7th April 2022 marked a special day in Wyatt’s calendar, the official launch of our new office space, Inparrila. The Kaurna word for ‘meeting place’, Inparrila is more than just a home for Wyatt, it is a place where values aligned organisations work, gather and create. We were honoured to have Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia join us on the morning. She reflected on her career and how, ‘collaboration, innovation and listening to... Read more

Dr Kylie Heneker, the newest member of our Board of Governors, shares several traits in common with our founder Dr William Wyatt. Not only does she have a deep connection to South Australia and a wish to help those doing it tough, but her family history also stems back to the earliest days of the colony. “I’ve been a life-long South Australian,” Kylie says. “And in fact, the Henekers were among the earliest South Australian families with one of my... Read more

The doors have opened at 161 Frome Street, the new home for Wyatt. In Kaurna language, Inparrila translates to ‘meeting place’. And this is the vision we have for our new home, a place where can meet and share this collaborative space with other organisations. The co-shared space is an opportunity for us to help create a new story for philanthropic foundations, non-profits and social businesses with aligned purpose and values. Inparrila is more than just an office space, it... Read more

With property prices soaring, the traditional Australian dream of owning your own home has become increasingly out of reach for thousands of South Australians. Home ownership is even more difficult for older women and single parent families, with the disparity in property ownership between men and women playing a significant role in the gender wealth gap. According to Eliza Owen, Head of Residential Research at Corelogic, property ownership remains “a powerful means of wealth accumulation and a pillar of retirement.... Read more

“Sometimes it starts with a boyfriend who stays overnight at first, then stays for longer and longer periods of time and doesn’t contribute to the cost of living,” says Sonya Conrad, Financial Counsellor Manager at Zahra Foundation Australia. “Other times it might be that the partner restricts access to bank accounts, builds up debts in his partner’s name, or says one salary will go towards household costs and the other one will be used at his discretion.” Financial abuse and... Read more

It is with great warmth that we acknowledge two past Wyatt Governors who were yesterday each awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia. Rosemary Osman OAM was recognised for her service to the community which included longstanding voluntary work with The Wyatt Trust, Clayton Homes and the Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Elizabeth Wilson OAM was recognised for her public service to the State of South Australia and has also long performed voluntary work with The Wyatt Trust, State Theatre... Read more

As we near the Christmas break, we reflect on our reconciliation intentions and practice to share what we have been up to over the past six months, and what we have planned for the new year. Wyatt always seeks to support, attend, and arrange events around significant cultural days and weeks and this year has been no different. From documentary screenings for staff and Board, to quizzes that our children had the opportunity to engage with, yarns over morning tea... Read more

The experience of older women and sole parent families of making ends meet, abruptly finding themselves in changed circumstances, or feeling they are only an event away from being trapped in poverty is something Wyatt’s partners have long spoken about. Understanding these experiences, and how we can best provide support to the growing number of older women and sole parent families in financial hardship, will be the focus of a new grants program in 2022. Working closely with organisations and... Read more

Thanuja Hiripitiyage has worked in the homelessness sector for close to a decade, with a deliberate focus on early intervention. As Program Manager for ac.care’s Murraylands Homelessness Service Thanuja has spent the past five and a half years securing the Studio Purpose project, a collaborative initiative between local agencies and community partners, which provides stable housing, a safe environment and extensive support for young people. “Homelessness is a broad social issue and vulnerable people cannot overcome serious challenges in their... Read more