Axi partnership with the STaR Association

Axi Broker which was Founded in 2007, grown from a two-person startup to an industry-leading online trading company, which was tested by about 60,000+ customers In 2020, was privileged to enter into a partnership with the STaR Association, a Sydney-based not-for-profit that delivers high quality special education support to young children with disabilities and additional needs, as well as the people who care for and support them. STaR Association, a Sydney-based not-for-profit that delivers high quality special education support to young children with disabilities and additional needs, as well as the people who care for and support them.

STaR Association enables children with disabilities and additional needs to make the best of their abilities. They do this by enrolling, teaching and including them in childcare centres in their communities. Since they started in 2002 with five children in one childcare centre, they have supported more than 400 children and their families across 27 childcare centres.

As a registered not-for-profit with limited access to funding, STaR was focused on delivering its core service as best it could, but suffered from under-resourcing in key operational areas, as Mark Ryan, Charity Ambassador at Axi, explains:

The fact is that small organisations like STaR who do such vital work simply dont have the money or resources to do things that larger businesses take for granted. For example, they were dependent on a single computer running unsupported software, having to share email addresses across multiple staff, had no access to remote working and relied on procedures where double and triple handling was common.

“These inefficiencies – not to mention the organisational risks – were actually very significant. It would put unnecessary strain on staff and take precious time away from their main purpose.”

Thats where, as well as offering direct financial donations to help with running costs, Axi has been able to step in and provide STaR with technology and HR expertise that is now helping their team spend less time on administration and more time on their most important role: helping children learn and develop.

Says Mark, “People all across Axi, both in Australia and in other countries, have gone all-in on this partnership, working directly with the STaR team to help implement new software and systems and act as mentors to ensure they have access to better ways to manage their important work.”

Regarding the partnership, STaR CEO Margaret Meaker says, Our partnership with Axi began just under 12 months ago and in that time the difference thats been made to our organisation has been amazing.

“We are not a business, but we must adopt sound business practices to deliver excellent service to many more people and achieve our mission. Axi is mentoring and coaching us to do that and the STaR community deeply appreciates this.”

She added, “I am really excited about the relationship and partnership and for us to work together and grow what could be an example of absolute excellence of social responsibility and corporate responsibility, joined together for the betterment of a whole lot of people out there who need us.”

Axi is extremely proud to be associated with STaR and the work they do in our community. We look forward to continuing this relationship and engaging in other partnerships in other regions where the Axi team can provide support to organisations making a positive difference.