·S2 E22
Room For All - S2 E22 - Live at 2025 Social Enterprise Festival - Vanessa Brettell, Stepping Stone
Episode Description
Creating Opportunities: Vanessa Brettell on Empowering Refugee and Migrant Women
In this episode of Room for All, we sit down with Vanessa Brettell, the co-founder and CEO of Stepping Stone Social Enterprise. Vanessa shares the mission of Stepping Stone, a work integration social enterprise in Canberra that provides employment and training to migrant and refugee women facing multiple barriers to employment. The initiative operates two cafes and a catering business, offering both long-term and transitional job pathways. Vanessa also discusses future plans for an urban farm and expanded catering services to provide more inclusive employment opportunities. Join us as we learn about the impactful work being done to help women gain financial stability and build their futures.
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
02:09 About Stepping Stone Social Enterprise
03:25 Employment Streams and Challenges
06:19 Running Cafes and Business Model
07:47 Vanessa's Motivation and Background
09:38 Future Plans and Expansion
11:54 Community and Support
15:13 Finding Stepping Stone and Upcoming Events