Interflow and GO Foundation: a purposeful partnership

At Interflow, their people are driven by a shared purpose: to improve lives. A new partnership with GO Foundation brings that powerful purpose to life.

Interflow has entered a partnership with The Goodes O’Loughlin Foundation (GO) to provide First Nations kids with vital funding towards the Foundation’s scholarship and cultural support program.

Interflow’s Executive General Manager of People and Capability, Tracy Keevers, said she was proud of this momentous occasion in the organisation’s history.

She shared that there are many very good reasons that Interflow has thrived for over 85 years, and they’re not just related to the innovative solutions the organisation provides to water authorities and councils.

“It is strongly related to the organisation’s purpose, which has always been about improving the lives of the people we work with and those within the communities we serve,” Keevers said. “As a family business, we’ve been able to do things differently. We have always cared for the families of people working within the business. That philosophy hasn’t changed, but it has grown to include the lives of people outside the business, too.”

Founded by proud Indigenous men and AFL legends Adam Goodes and Michael O’Loughlin – the ‘G’ and ‘O’ of GO Foundation – the 15-year-old organisation provides scholarships for Indigenous children during primary school, high school and university. Importantly, they put culture at the heart of everything they do.

The holistic program creates opportunities for young Indigenous people by focusing on the student’s identity, culture, and wider community as they complete their education.

“Education is the most powerful tool, said Lua Pellegrini, who went through the GO Foundation program. “It allows me to unlock many opportunities and change my potential.”

“If every Indigenous person had the opportunities I had, it could change the world.”

Developing meaningful partnerships

Interflow launched its first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in 2022 as part of its Diversity and Inclusion strategy. The new partnership with GO Foundation aligns with its RAP commitments and the broader Interflow purpose by:

improving the lives of the communities we serve
supporting young people to have brighter futures through education
demonstrating a commitment and action towards reconciliation
focussing on cultural respect
unlocking Indigenous talent

Interflow joins several other notable organisations, including David Jones, Bloomberg, Citi, GHD, Graincorp, Toyota and more, as partners and supporters of GO Foundation.

Founding partners Sydney Swans, KPMG, QBE and Allens are still vital to GO Foundation’s success.

Why Interflow chose GO Foundation

Interflow’s focus on a community and family, Keevers says, heavily influenced the decision to seek a partnership with GO Foundation.

“We already had two community partnerships close to our hearts,” she said. “One is The Smith Family, particularly its Learning for Life program, which improves lives through education.”

The other is WaterAid Australia, for which most funding goes overseas. It brings life-saving clean water and sanitation to families.

“With that partnership, we can proactively see the dollars hit the ground over there, making a real difference to families,” Keevers said. “It’s about providing vital infrastructure and services such as sanitation to communities in the Asia-Pacific region.”

The GO Foundation partnership is deeply tied to Interflow’s Reflect RAP, currently in its second year. This program is focused on building strong foundations for meaningful reconciliation.

“Part of it is down to our industry,” she said. “We want to learn about sustainable land practices and have a closer connection to Country as an organisation. At the same time, we want to have a long-lasting, positive effect on communities, and that’s what GO Foundation is all about. It is very grassroots. Every dollar we give will make a difference to Indigenous children staying at school.”

Importantly, while GO Foundation focuses on cultural pride and students’ being comfortable in their own skin, the organisation also consciously focuses on the eldest child in each family.

“It’s just such a clever idea,” Keevers said. “They focus on the eldest child because they know if they can get the eldest child through, other children will have role models to follow. That insight comes from really knowing the community and knowing the people.”

Similarly, 60 per cent of GO Foundation scholarships are awarded to girls, acknowledging the importance of women in Aboriginal communities.

“In Aboriginal communities, women are often leaders and decision-makers,” Keevers said. “So by giving young women the very best chance of a good education, it will enable and empower social change.”

Of course, in a partnership, support is not one-dimensional. It’s not just about funding. Interflow is exploring with the GO Foundation ways it can add value to the organisation’s mission by sharing skills, knowledge, and opportunities.

Interflow and GO Foundation: A grand goal

By partnering with the GO Foundation, which has been making a difference in Indigenous student education for 15 years, Interflow contributes to achieving a grand goal.

Right now, GO Foundation funds over 660 active scholarships. The organisation’s goal is 1000 active scholarships, and Interflow is proud to support that goal, Keevers says.

“Maybe in the future, Interflow will be able to offer positions to candidates who have come through the program, but it’s really not about that,” Keevers said.

“What is it really about? If we’re truly committed to reconciliation and truly committed to improving lives, we need to put our money where our mouth is and do something about it. This is about us having a positive, powerful, long-term impact on future generations.”