Stand Up exists because Jewish values implore us to stand up and take responsibility for those in need. Whether it be raising funds for victims of natural disasters, running leadership training, or helping a newly arrived refugee find a job, pursuing social justice is our ultimate goal.
FAQ
Why does Stand Up exist when there are so many other not-for-profits doing similar work?
We are the only Jewish organisation in Australia whose focus is to empower vulnerable non-Jewish communities. We specialise in youth engagement with a focus on leadership training and capacity building.
How is Stand Up funded?
Our funding strategy is to engage with a range of funding sources. Stand Up is funded by philanthropic foundations, major donors and government grants. We also receive donations from simchas (celebratory events), organised events and program fees. For a comprehensive breakdown of our income for the last financial year please refer to our latest Annual Report.
As of 2022, Stand Up became a supported member of the JCA Family of Communal Organisations in NSW/ACT.
Where does my donation go?
When making a donation to Stand Up you have a range of options, including general donations or the choice to direct your funds to a particular program.
As Stand Up is now a supported member of the JCA Family of Communal Organisations, you can also make a Program Direct donation to Stand Up via jca.org.au.
To discuss channeling your donation towards a specific program, please contact our CEO at [email protected].
What does Stand Up do with my personal information?
Stand Up will only use your personal information for the purposes of corresponding with you or sending you information directly related to our organisation. We will never sell, distribute or disseminate any of your personal information and you can unsubscribe from any of our mail-outs at any time.
Why does Stand Up work with Refugee communities?
The issues faced by recently-settled refugee communities in Australia are similar to those faced by Jewish refugees when they first arrived after the Holocaust and World War II. Helping these newcomers settle aligns with the Jewish value of ‘welcoming the stranger.’
In 2004 the American Jewish World Service launched the global Save Darfur campaign in a bid to raise awareness about the genocide and humanitarian crisis in Darfur. Stand Up leaders attended protests in Melbourne and began building a relationship with the Darfuri leaders.
Stand Up’s refugee empowerment programs focus on creating quality and meaningful programs that lead to long-lasting impact. We are a relatively small organisation, so working with small communities in Australia enables us to develop meaningful relationships based on continual consultation and improvement. We are a well established community, paying it forward.
Why does Stand Up work with Indigenous communities?
Stand Up partners with a number of Indigenous communities to run recreational and skills development programs. Our programs have a strong youth focus and include holiday programs and youth leadership programs. We also assist our partner communities with special projects when requested, and provide study and work experience opportunities.
We believe that creating long term, meaningful partnerships is the most effective way of facilitating change. We aim to empower our partner communities with the skills and networks needed to take action on their own behalf.
What is Stand Up's position on the Arab-Israeli conflict?
Stand Up only engages in political discourse regarding campaigns with which we’re actively involved and for the purpose of promoting those projects. We are not currently involved in any campaign that relates to Israel and Palestine.
Our aim is to work with vulnerable communities in Australia. We currently do not work with any communities in Israel or the Middle East.
As a Jewish organisation, we recognise Israel as the sovereign expression of the Jewish people’s right of self-determination. We support the long held two-state solution to achieve a long lasting peace.
We will not fund or work with any organisation whose policy or actions give sufficient cause to believe that they do not recognise Israel’s right to exist as the sovereign state of the Jewish people. We will not partner with any organisation that demonstrates an antagonistic position towards Israel and the peace efforts in the Middle East. We do careful due diligence before partnering with any organisation to ensure that our values align.
We applaud the excellent work of Jewish organisations in Australia that raise funds for and awareness about social justice and poverty in Israel.
Is Stand Up a political organisation?
No, we are not a political organisation. We don’t align ourselves with a political party. Occasionally, we speak up against social injustices and human rights abuses.
How does Stand Up measure impact?
Every program is evaluated to ensure that we are achieving our mission of empowering communities, and to improve programs over time.
By having built long term relationships with the Sudanese and Indigenous communities, we are able to interview program participants, volunteers and partner communities to record testimonials, and to show how goals and outcomes are being met.
We utilise a participatory approach when it comes to developing, planning, implementing and evaluating our programs. Methodologies include:
- Community consultation
- Data accumulation, summary and interpretation
- Participant evaluation forms
- Participant pre and post attitudinal surveys
- Participant focus group sessions
- Volunteer reflection sessions
How old must you be to volunteer with Stand Up?
We accept volunteers of any age. However, most of the opportunities for volunteering are suited to those 18 years or over.
Do you have volunteering opportunities for children?
From time to time we have opportunities for children to get involved. We believe it’s vital that children are introduced to values of giving and social justice from an early age. For more information please contact [email protected].
Does Stand Up provide kosher meals?
Yes. There will always be kosher food available to volunteers who have requested kosher food, and all our major events are strictly kosher.
HOW DOES JCA SUPPORT STAND UP?
In 2022, Stand Up was invited to join the NSW & ACT Jewish Communal Appeal (JCA).
To give you some background, JCA supports its 25 member organisations from schools through to aged care facilities via effective fundraising and collaboration with constituents, donors, volunteers and other community stakeholders. It inspires financial support through various fundraising initiatives engaging members of our community across social and economic demographics, each in their unique way.
This is a really momentous occasion and a huge leap forward for Stand Up. This is recognition of Stand Up’s high impact work, unique offering in the Jewish Community and potential for growth in the coming months and years.
While we’ve had a significant presence in the NSW Jewish Community for a number of years, becoming part of the JCA family will enable us to reach even more of the NSW Jewish Community.
What is Stand Up's position on the proposed First Nations Voice to Parliament?
Stand Up supports the Voice to Parliament; while acknowledging its complexities and that some of our First Nations partners and others in the broader community have a different view. Each individual perspective is important to understand.
Please read our detailed Position Statement here.