Building a Country and City Link

What is Mateship Australia?

Click here to view our showcase video (opens in a new window)

Click here to view our Prospectus (opens in a new window)

Social Impact through Social Change:

Changing the way suburban dwellers in urban cities think about their neighbours in rural and regional New South Wales

Dr Ayda Succarie

Project Lead – Mateship Australia

In Autumn of 2022, a group of postgraduate students at Western’s School of Business, learning about governance, ethics and social entrepreneurship, were given an opportunity to engage in real social change. Through a team-based research project, they became ‘change agents’ aiming to create and sustain social value through continuous innovation, adaptation, and learning. With purpose and continuity at the core of their social vision, our students transformed into social entrepreneurs and developed a business plan for Mateship Australia that connects our rural communities and towns with suburban and city dwellers using a digital application (APP).

Following the development of their business models, our students and colleagues were invited to present their vision for Mateship Australia to several political leaders of the NSW parliament, patrons, and special guests from the corporate and NFP sectors. Additionally, in their presentation at the School of Business Thank you reception, students showcased a way forward for this initiative to 150 special guests from industry and the university sectors.

Moving forward, the Mateship Australia project is an opportunity for our students and academic colleagues to highlight social impact as a core element in the business sector. As a future-focused initiative, working together in partnership with Mr Joe Rizk AM, the Mateship Australia pilot project provides an opportunity for our students to open the hearts and minds of ordinary Australian households living in urban cities and develop better relationships with their rural and regional neighbours in the country. This is an opportunity for us all to be real ‘change agents’ by breaking the barriers of communication through ‘Mateship’.

“Bushfires, floods, pandemics, and global economic pressures are not favourable for agricultural exports. So how can we structure and implement a process that will mitigate and reduce the cyclical impact of such events on the rural sector, The Bush? We need to return to our roots and encourage Australians to take ownership of a long-term solution through Mateship. Mateship Australia emphasises the notion that following awareness is action. Through the dedication and commitment of a team of academics and students at the School of Business from Western Sydney University, my vision for Mateship Australia has been put into action by developing a social enterprise business plan for a pilot project that aims to connect city and suburban dwellers with their neighbours in rural and regional New South Wales”. (Mr Joseph Rizk AM, Managing Director and CEO, Arab Bank Australia)

“Our business school is proud to lead the Mateship Australia initiative into its pilot phase and beyond. Founded by Mr Joseph Rizk AM, Mateship Australia is a future-focused initiative. The project foreshadows opportunities for urban dwellers to develop strong partnerships with their rural and regional neighbours. Inspired by Joe, our students, and a dedicated academic team have utilised their knowledge, skills, and expertise to create a social enterprise business plan. The plan takes Mateship Australia from its ideation phase into development phase as a digital application that serves the communities of New South Wales.” (Professor Amir Mahmood, Dean and Provost, School of Business, Western Sydney University).