The Social Firm Business Development Team can support organisations to establish and develop social firms by providing assistance with a range of activities including assesments of business opportunnities, busines planning and locating suitable partners.
The Partnerships with Industry Project has been developed to assist social firms increase their capacity and consequently employment opportunities for their clients by encouraging business and government to purchase services from or award contracts to social firms.
SoFA provides workplace supports consultancy services to the employees and managers of Social Firms, social enterprise and general workplaces. The services provided are specifically focused on the needs of employees with mental illness including common disorders like anxiety and depression as well as illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder.
Local Employment Access Partnerships (LEAP) have been established in six areas of Victoria. The partnerships meet on a quarterly basis and also collaborate to deliver the Health Optimisation Program for Employment (HOPE). HOPE assists job seekers with a mental illness to take greater control of their wellbeing.
SoFA is committed to increasing the evidence base in best practice employment supports for people with a mental illness. SoFA works in partnership with many organisations in its research and evaluation program.