Adelaide is reaping the benefits of combining with local advertising and business service company We Create Print Deliver.
Beyond the work the agency did for the Club – including printing the Club’s Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan, a Sir Doug Nicholls Round canvas print, a wall print for the Club and the game day banner in Round 12 – players like Ben Davis are now taking advantage of the leading business.
Marketing executive and Eastern Arrernte man Pat Caruso founded We Create Print Deliver following a highly regarded career in high-end advertising.
“Working alongside businesses like the Crows who are making these changes internally makes me feel like being Indigenous is something I should be proud of,” Caruso said.
“When I was growing up, a lot of people didn’t realise I was Indigenous, and they would say things that I really internalised and made me feel ashamed of my culture.
“Now, it is one of the strengths of my business that it opens the door for us to show our skill set, partner with other Indigenous and non-Indigenous business and allow us to grow to the point where we can support programs and create opportunities others within the community to work towards closing the gap.”
Davis visits the business regularly and works on one of the spare desks alongside Caruso.
“He is able to work on projects under my guidance and I teach him things I have learned about how to run a business, like managing clients, invoicing, and managing his workflow,” Caruso said.
“If I can assist him and others by teaching them how to manage and run a business in this space, they can then build a sustainable career and then go on to teach others.”
Adelaide’s Second Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) includes a focus on continuing to support economic participation for local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses and community organisations through procurement opportunities.
We Create Print Deliver recently awarded NAIDOC SA 2021 Business of the Year Award.
Adelaide Football Club Indigenous Programs Manager Jeremy Johncock said the Club would continue to use We Create Print Deliver and other Aboriginal businesses alike in its commitment to creating more Aboriginal procurement opportunities across its business.
“Research tells us Aboriginal businesses are more likely to employ Aboriginal people,” Johncock said.
“Procuring goods and services through these businesses is a way for organisations to reduce the employment gap of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, so although we may not have the capacity to employ directly in the current climate, we are contributing indirectly through procurement.
“It’s a win for everyone.
“Pat is a great ambassador in the community, and we have been really impressed with the work that he and We Create Print Deliver have done for the Club this year.”
The Adelaide Football Club is committed to being an active participant in Australia’s reconciliation journey.
The Club’s Second Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan can be found here: https://resources.afc.com.au/aflc-adel/document/2021/02/25/4fdc1f8c-3dcc-4a00-a9cb-79380b49f3d9/INTR0501-2021-2022-RAP-Report-FA-Web-.pdf
