APPC Chair Darwin Chen and Christine Edwards, APPC Family Philanthropy Program Chair and CEO of The Myer Foundation in conversation with workshop participant.
“Philanthropy is always linked with money, but, to me, the real philanthropists are the people that give time. Time is limited; there will be money left when we’re gone; thus, time is more precious.”
These words were shared by Mr Baillieu Myer AC, co-founder of The Myer Foundation and member of the Myer Family, to participants during a panel on Intergenerational Practices of the 2nd APPC Family Philanthropy Workshop on 15-17 September 2008 in Melbourne, Australia. These words proved to be inspirational to the intimate group of workshop participants who were successor-generation members of families in philanthropy.
The workshop, “Giving as a Family: Engaging the Next Generation in Philanthropy”, was attended by 13 participants from Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand representing seven philanthropic families.
Hosted by The Myer Foundation, the workshop was held in Cranlana, the former home of Sidney and Merlyn Myer, pioneers of the Myer Family Philanthropy tradition. Cranlana proved to be an excellent venue for the workshop as it lent an environment conducive for reflection and thought. Successor generations of some families from APPC’s first workshop in Singapore in May 2007 also joined the group in Melbourne.
The workshop reaffirms APPC’s commitment to create venues for sharing and learning for family philanthropists in the region and to develop resources to aid the practice of family philanthropy in Asia-Pacific. This workshop is an off-shoot of the first APPC Family Philanthropy workshop in Singapore, whose participants felt that succession was one of the key issues of philanthropic families.
As Darwin Chen, Chair of APPC, explained in his Welcome Remarks, APPC’s Family Philanthropy Programme opened APPC’s doors to shaping the strategies of philanthropic families. “We thought that family philanthropy will make a significant part of APPC’s future work because we know that family philanthropists have the means to address many of our social problems—from health, to education, to social services.” He encouraged the families present to think about the future, particularly, on how to make philanthropy more effective in times today and how to make measures sustainable rather than just one-off giving.
Stephanie Yang, workshop facilitator, moderates panel discussion on Intergenerational Practices.
The workshop sessions covered Personal, Family and Foundation Values, Philanthropic Legacy, Effective Communication, Family Dynamics and Intergenerational Practices. Participants also formulated next steps on how to engage in their family’s philanthropy within the next few months.
An exciting part of the workshop programme was whole-day site visits to some Myer Foundation-funded projects. Participants visited the preservation efforts of brush-tailed rock wallabies at the Healesville Sanctuary and toured the grounds of The Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies (CERES), an internationally recognized model of a sustainable society that runs programmes to encourage environmentally friendly ways of living. In between the 2 sites, the G4 (4th Generation) Committee of the Myer Foundation presented their structure and programs, and BeyondBlue, a national not-for-profit initiative that addresses depression, briefed participants at The Myer Foundation offices in downtown Melbourne.
Participants in an outdoor Batik classroom, one of CERES' programs.
Social activities included a Private Viewing of the Art Deco Exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria, followed by a dinner hosted by Carrillo Gantner, President of the Myer Foundation and Co-Convenor of the first APPC Family Philanthropy Workshop.
The participants were generally very satisfied with the conduct of workshop largely due to the venue, workshop structure, and effective facilitation. Many have expressed that they will leave the workshop inspired and encouraged to do more for their philanthropies. The intimate setting allowed for deeper engagement among participants. The space was especially significant for members of the same family who, due to geographical distances, are not able to meet often and the workshop served as an opportunity to plan together.
Baillieu Myer AC, co-founder of The Myer Foundation and member of the Myer Family, accepts token of appreciation from APPC Chair Darwin Chen.
At the closing dinner, Darwin Chen, Chair of APPC, toasted to a successful workshop and encouraged those present to pursue “family philanthropy beyond family”—to continue molding young generations in philanthropy and to pursue the building of communities through effective giving.
Stephanie Yang, President and Founder of SYD Consulting in California, USA, was the lead facilitator of the workshop. She has worked extensively with philanthropic families in the United States and is of Asian descent with family ties in Asia. She has also published Legacy and Innovation: A Guidebook for Families on Social Change Philanthropy. As an active member of a “giving circle”—a community of givers—in California, Stephanie draws upon her own experience and expertise in philanthropy.
APPC’s Family Philanthropy Program is chaired by The Myer Foundation and Sidney Myer Fund CEO and APPC Board Member Christine Edwards. APPC envisions more workshops on family philanthropy, including in-country workshops organized in collaboration with selected local organizations.