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Community

Our
community
themes

In Australia, we show our dedication and create impact by assisting not-for-profit organisations that address social issues in our communities, focusing on one or more of our community themes:

  • Improving mental health
  • Progressing reconciliation and empowerment
  • Preventing family violence

From a global perspective, SPA cares about communities around the world and partners with various organisations to give back and support through employee volunteering efforts. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are voluntary, employee-led groups whose aim is to provide support, enhance career development, and contribute to personal development in our work environment.  

SPA has five active ERGs:  

  • Multicultural Excellence, Recognition, and Individual Talent (MERIT) 
  • SPA VETS 
  • Young Professionals Group (YPG) 
  • Women’s Initiative for Networking and Knowledge (WINK) 
  •  GoGreen 

CAREERS

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flexibility, like Hannah. Reach out to careers@au.spa.com today.

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Our
community
partners

We focus on long-term, sustainable support to organisations that contribute to one or more of our community themes. If you are a community organisation operating in our community themes, please get in touch with us to discuss how we can help.

Menslink

Supporting young men in the Canberra region through free counselling, volunteer mentoring and education programs. They have helped thousands of young guys get through tough or lonely times with the least amount of pain or harm to themselves or those around them. Menslink helps young blokes reach their full potential and become the adult men they want to be, for themselves, their families, and the Canberra community. SPA Australia (as Proximity prior to 2025) has provided pro bono services to Menslink since 2011.

Website

The Farm in Galong

A not-for-profit charitable organisation located in country NSW. It was established to support women who have completed rehabilitation from alcohol and other drug misuse and wish to consolidate their recovery. The work of the Farm is underpinned by the belief that whatever has been lost in a person’s life can be restored. SPA Australia (as Proximity prior to 2025) has provided support for the Farm since its inception as a not-for-profit in 2018.

Website

The Women’s Legal Centre (ACT and Region)

Providing legal and social work assistance to women who cannot afford a private lawyer and do not qualify for Legal Aid. The areas of which are The Women’s Legal Centre’s core capabilities are family law, domestic violence, victims of crime, employment, and discrimination. SPA Australia (as Proximity prior to 2025) has provided legal assistance to The Women’s Legal Centre since 2019.

Website

Fearless Women

An outreach and support service dedicated to girls and young women in the Canberra region. Fearless Women aims to create a community that encourages and equips girls and young women to be what they want to be through connection, empowerment, individuality, care, integrity, and ultimately, fearlessness.

Website

“We are incredibly grateful for the pro bono legal advice and support we have received from the SPA Australia team to get Fearless Women up and running”

Gai Brodtmann
Board Member
Fearless Women

“SPA Australia’s different, because they don’t just give us legal advice, they actually work with our documents and processes and forms to change things for the better”

Martin Fisk
CEO, Menslink

“SPA Australia’s support ensures women can access their rights and entitlements in family law and employment law matters.”

Ania Zalewska
Client Services Manager
Women’s Legal Centre (ACT & Region)

Pro bono

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We were the first incorporated legal practice to become a signatory to the Australian Pro Bono Centre’s Aspirational Pro Bono Target of 35 hours per annum per lawyer, and SPA Australia (as Proximity prior to 2025) has exceeded that target since 2019.

Pro bono is an important way we have a positive impact on our local communities. Importantly, our pro bono support isn’t limited to legal advice – we provide our full suite of consulting, legal, and commercial services to community organisations as required.

Governance

SPA Australia has been built on a strong culture of pro bono and a sense of community.

SPA Australia values pro bono work for both the communities we operate in, and for the business, through improved staff engagement, a sense of purpose and connection to community. Our team understands the expectation and value of participating in pro bono, and we focus on recruiting the right people to continue this legacy.

SPA Australia has a dedicated national lead for pro bono and community initiatives, reporting directly to the Managing Director of SPA Australia. 

Meet our Community Management Team

Subi Ramesh
ESG Lead – Community Program

Kyle Wood
ESG Lead – Environment

Events

SPA Australia hosts and attends events that are linked to our Community Themes, whether it is a morning tea for NAIDOC Week, or attending Menslink’s Big Night Out each year.

We also host community organisations that require a boardroom or separate space for strategic meetings or fundraising events. If you are involved with a community organisation that is in need of a space, please reach out to us and we will accommodate you as best we can.

Reconciliation

In 2021, Proximity (now SPA Australia) commenced its formal reconciliation journey, adopting a Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). This RAP outlines the initial steps SPA Australia is taking to make systemic and sustainable contributions to support reconciliation.

We embarked on our reconciliation journey with a deep desire and commitment to build strong foundations and respectful, meaningful, and sustainable relationships with all First Nations peoples, and particularly with local Indigenous communities in the locations around Australia where we work.

We recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the first Australians and affirm their important and unique position in Australian life as the custodians of the land. We celebrate the contribution that First Nations people bring, and are capable of bringing to SPA Australia, our staff, and our community.

We seek to better understand and build on our existing reconciliation activities, and identify how to better engage with First Nations people in our communities through our internal processes, our supply chain, service delivery, and overall impact on the communities we work in.

Reconciliation is a journey SPA Australia is committed to taking, just as we are committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and cultural awareness across our organisation.

Community
awards

Finalist – Pro Bono Program of the Year, 2021, Australian Law Awards (as Proximity)

Finalist – Pro Bono Program of the Year, 2020, Australian Law Awards (as Proximity)