2024 Impact Report | Flying Fox Camps

×

To Our Community

2024 was a year to remember.

This has been a milestone year that we will reflect on for a lifetime! Our participants are flying, our buddies are thriving, our programs are buzzing. After 10 magical years, Flying Fox has landed; we are a community filled with hundreds and hundreds of young people with and without disability, who live interconnected lives filled with memorable shared experiences all year round.

Everyday, we witness people coming together to embrace opportunities that are incredibly fun – but you already knew that! In 2024, we have also seen remarkable growth in independence, confidence, and social skills, leaving a lasting impact on everyone involved. This exceptionally full year has brought a perfect blend of fun and personal growth, creating an environment where individuals feel deeply valued and experience a profound sense of belonging.

2025 – a year to anticipate.

We can’t wait to connect with YOU in 2025. Are you a young person with disability? We would love to connect and welcome you into our programs. Looking to volunteer? We’d love to chat! Run a business? Let’s explore volunteering or education opportunities for your staff. Represent a school? We’d love to work with you on disability and inclusion education.

In short, we’d love to hear from you! The coffee is on us.

×

Our Programs

×

Our Magical 10th Birthday Celebration

A whimsical afternoon tea!

In February, we brought together 800 of our closest friends and supporters for a high tea to celebrate a decade of Flying Fox. The event was a reflection of our strong communal bonds! We honoured everything our incredible organisation has accomplished over the past 10 years and reaffirmed our commitment to making an even greater impact in the years ahead.

The day was vibrant and full of joy, with celebrations, balloon popping, birthday cakes, and overwhelming generosity – all in true Flying Fox fashion! The strength of our community shone brightly, raising over $750,000 to support the continuation and growth of our impact.

×

The Basketball Corporate Funday was an unforgettable experience! This high-energy, action-packed day brought together 22 corporate teams to compete on the court with Flying Fox participants and buddies, all in support of Flying Fox. The stadium was alive with team spirit and it was amazing to witness the enthusiasm of 350 people immersing themselves in a day of fun & inclusion.

In the lead-up to the big day, each team participated in a Lunch & Learn session at their office. During these sessions, they were introduced to Flying Fox—our mission, our perspective on the disability sector, and practical tips on how to engage with people with disability, whether at our basketball day or in everyday life. These practical tips not only broadened their understanding but also provided reassurance as they prepared to show up on the day, ready to embrace inclusion and bring their best to the court. These sessions were about much more than just basketball; they were an opportunity to build awareness and deepen understanding of disability and inclusion.

We were delighted to see how much our message resonated with our corporate partners. Sharing our vision with these businesses has been a truly impactful experience, and it’s evident that our influence is extending beyond the court.

×

Since our establishment in 2014, we’ve constantly been aware of the transformative impact of Flying Fox on our participants and their families. In 2024, we took a deep dive to uncover the impact on our volunteer buddies, by partnering with The University of Melbourne and 180 Degrees consulting.

📈 200% Growth

We have tripled our active buddies since 2022.

🌍 Essential Community

100% of buddies remarked that the community or world would be different if Flying Fox did not exist.

✅ Buddy Support

Flying Fox has a surplus of volunteers despite 83% of the sector needing more help.

💬 Memorable Impact

91% of buddies recall meaningful conversations with friends or family about their experiences.

🔗 Identity & Purpose

70% of buddies remain engaged with Flying Fox due to finding a sense of identity and purpose.

💪 Life-Changing Impact

95% of buddies report that their involvement with Flying Fox has shifted their dynamics with someone with disability.

×

Education Initiatives

Flying Fox’s education programs upskill hundreds of people each year, shifting attitudes and perspectives on disability within our community and beyond. Through our collaborations with educational institutions and corporate partners, we’ve advanced research projects, health training, and critical education on disability and inclusion.

These initiatives not only enhance understanding but also create more inclusive environments for people with disability.

Our tailored programs empower students and corporate teams to embrace inclusivity, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to provide meaningful support.

Many of our incredible buddies are recruited through our school education partnerships, fostering a pipeline of passionate, well-prepared volunteers eager to make a difference.

Our 2024 Education Partners

×

Medical Training Program

Our Medic Training program is empowering the next generation of healthcare professionals with specialised training focusing on the critical intersection of disability and healthcare.

Designed for students in medicine, nursing and paramedicine, the program equips them with the skills to provide high-quality care, ensuring everyone on Flying Fox camps and getaways feel happy, safe and healthy.

Through our strong partnerships we’ve significantly expanded our reach, growing from 15 trainees in 2022 to 29 in 2024, and a projected 60 trainees in 2025.

This remarkable growth reflects the success of the Medic Training program in providing vital hands-on experience for trainees while enhancing the care delivered to participants and buddies.

×

We have been successful in our pursuit of building an inclusive world because of the generous support of our community. We recognise that there is more work to be done and many untapped opportunities that we are excited to have the capacity to address.

And so, we are thrilled to announce The Flying Fox Hub: a centralised location for daily ‘Hangouts’, an education and training space for our buddies, as well as a new Flying Fox HQ.

A nexus for all things Flying Fox, our new Hub will be a place of meaningful social connection, youth empowerment, and fun.

CONSISTENT SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

The Hub will exist to provide meaningful social engagement to our participants, who disproportionately face profound social isolation. This location is a safe space for our community members, buddies and participants alike, to socialise and nurture friendships and reinforce the special bonds of the Flying Fox community.

We know that we have to step up to the plate to fill this gap in the daily lives of our participants. It is an urgent need that we are eager to fill.

HANGOUTS @ THE HUB

The Hub will provide a dedicated meeting space for our Hangouts program, serving as a launchpad for community activities. This new space will allow us to expand the program, reaching more young people in need and positively impacting their lives by increasing participation and engagement.

After 3 years of delivering successful Hangouts once a week, there is demand for Hangouts to take place more often. We endeavour to deliver a range of activities, hosted at this centralised, accessible and welcoming location. Over time, we’ll be able to cut down costs, increase our efficacy and enhance our program engagement.

PROGRAM SPACE

One practical example of how The Hub will be utilised for programs is as a space for our weekend getaways to get started. The Hub will host a space where, ahead of the weekend getaways, our participants and buddies will meet and break the ice before they adventure away for the weekend.

TRAINING & EDUCATION SPACE

Over the last decade, Flying Fox has facilitated training sessions for thousands of young people in order to up-skill and prepare them with the right tools to navigate the disability sector. We pride ourselves on our ability to equip every person we reach with the skills to build a more inclusive world. Now, all these trainings will take place at The Hub.

OFFICE SPACE

Core to The Hub will be an office space: Flying Fox HQ. Our team will continue to work hard at Flying Fox’s mission, ensuring we continue to provide meaningful social engagements to our participants, buddies and community.

×

Our Team

We are passionate, energetic and relentless in our pursuit of inclusion. Our team is committed to making the world a better place, and bringing the Flying Fox mission to life.

Our Board

The Board of Directors are our advisors, supporting the organisation to create a space that can passionately pursue the building of a more inclusive world. They lead risk management and governance. They nurture our team and our ideas. We are better for having each and every one of them in our Flying Fox community.

×

We have the best friends in the entire world!

We are so grateful for every dollar you provide, every minute you spend with us, and every piece of advice. We appreciate the impact you have had on the Flying Fox community over the past decade.

A special thanks to our friends at Arnold Bloch Leibler Lawyers, HR Legal and Cohen Fasciani Chartered Accountants for their endless support and guidance since the beginning of our journey.

Thank you all.

×

We are so grateful to our incredible Corporate & Event partners who continue to support Flying Fox and our mission to create a more inclusive world.

×

Impact Report 2024

To Our Community

2024 was a year to remember.

Our Programs

Camps, Weekend Getaways, Weekly Hangouts, Medic Training & Education

Our 10th Birthday

A whimsical afternoon tea!

Basketball Corporate Funday

350 people immersed in the magic of Flying Fox.

Our Impact in Numbers

Spots filled, programs run, students educated!

Education Initiatives

Shifting perspectives on disability.

Medic Training Program

Empowering the next generation of healthcare professionals to provide quality care for people with disability.

The Road Ahead for 2025

A BIG dream has come true!

Introducing the Flying Fox Hub

A centralised space for Flying Fox.

Our Team & Our Board

Passionate, energetic and relentless in our pursuit of inclusion.

Our Supporters

We have the best friends in the world!

2024 Corporate & Event Partners

We are so grateful to our incredible corporate & event partners for their support.

Testimonies from the Community

Thank you for your kind words.

2024 Financial Report

Read our 2024 Financial Report.

Download the 2024 Impact Report

hello@flyingfox.org.au

0405 673 883

Victoria, Australia

To Our Community

Our Programs

Our Magical 10th Birthday Celebration

A whimsical afternoon tea!​

Education Initiatives

Our 2024 Education Partners

Medical Training Program

Our Team

Our Board

We have the best friends in the entire world!

We are so grateful to our incredible Corporate & Event partners who continue to support Flying Fox and our mission to create a more inclusive world.

A whimsical afternoon tea!