Eden of the East Foundation | About us

Our foundation

Eden of the East Foundation Inc.

About us

A future with more opportunity, stronger connections and places people are proud to call their own. That is the direction behind Eden of the East Foundation.

Eden of the East brings economic opportunity, community empowerment and environmental responsibility into one connected purpose: progress and renewal in Latrobe City.

Our formal organisation name is Eden of the East Foundation Inc. Through our website, stories and initiatives, we help people discover Latrobe’s places and opportunities and connect with its future.

Why we exist

Purpose

Our purpose is to drive progress and renewal in Latrobe City, bringing economic growth, social empowerment and environmental responsibility together.

The Foundation’s Rules set out six connected areas of charitable purpose. They provide the foundation for our strategic hubs and the public benefit each initiative is intended to create.

Illustration of a shop owner and craftsperson reviewing plans while fitting out a shop.

A guiding belief

Confidence is an economic asset.

Confidence in a region’s future helps people see possibilities and act on them: develop their skills, build an enterprise, invest, collaborate and contribute to community life.

The Foundation seeks to build confidence in Latrobe—in its people, its capabilities and its future—by making local strengths visible, connecting people with opportunities and supporting action that creates lasting value.

Confidence grows through experience: seeing what is possible, having a way to contribute and seeing progress take shape.

The future we work towards

Vision

A thriving Latrobe City where innovation, leadership, and sustainability drive progress, empowering businesses, communities, and individuals to build a prosperous and resilient future.

How we intend to contribute

Mission

Eden of the East Foundation Inc exists to position Latrobe City as a global leader in economic innovation, community empowerment, and sustainable development. We achieve this by advancing business growth, developing future leaders, championing mental resilience, advancing next-generation energy solutions, revitalising public spaces, and elevating the region as a premier destination for visitors and investors. Through strategic action, collaboration, and forward-thinking solutions, we create lasting opportunities for the people of Latrobe City and beyond.

Our six strategic hubs

Six connected areas bring the Foundation’s purpose into focus. Together, they form our strategic framework; individual initiatives develop through their own planning and approval.

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Strategic direction

Business & Innovation Hub

Enterprise, workforce development and economic resilience.

Illustration of a young adult leading peers in a community task, with their faces visible.

Strategic direction

Leadership & Youth Academy

Confident, capable young people and emerging leaders.

Illustration of two adults on a park bench, one speaking and the other listening attentively.

Strategic direction

Health & Resilience Hub

Mental wellbeing, personal empowerment and social connection.

Illustrative scene of a researcher examining a brown-coal sample at a workbench.

Strategic direction

Carbon Innovation & Renewable Futures Hub

Environmental responsibility, carbon innovation and renewable futures.

Illustration of residents caring for a public streetscape beside a timber bench with a reclining backrest and metal supports.

Strategic direction

Community & Place Activation Hub

Public spaces, cultural identity and community participation.

Illustrative scene of two travellers looking across water and eucalyptus hills.

Strategic direction

Tourism & Regional Branding Hub

A stronger relationship with Latrobe as a place to discover, visit and return to.

Our theory of change

How we intend to turn shared ambition into lasting opportunity. The Foundation-wide theory connects the six hubs; each hub then sets out its own pathway from resources and activities to intended outcomes.

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Overarching theory

The Foundation

Explore the change pathway

The starting point: The strategy brings economic transition, leadership, wellbeing, energy, community participation and tourism into one connected regional approach.
Inputs: Local knowledge, strategic leadership, education, research, community involvement and cross-sector partnerships.
Proposed activities: Develop work across the six hubs, build partnerships, engage the community and measure progress.
Intended outputs: Business and leadership programmes, community projects, resilience initiatives, energy research and regional promotion.
Expected outcomes: More opportunities for enterprise and work, stronger leadership, connected communities and greater regional recognition.
Long-term aim: A prosperous, resilient Latrobe City whose people can participate in shaping its future.

Illustration of a mentor, entrepreneur and apprentice testing a mechanical prototype.

Hub theory of change

Business & Innovation Hub

Explore the change pathway

The starting point: Help businesses and workers respond to changing industries and emerging opportunities.
Inputs: Business mentors, investment partnerships, workforce education and research capabilities.
Proposed activities: Mentoring, incubation, adaptable skills training, industry roundtables and technology support.
Intended outputs: Businesses supported, workers trained, partnerships formed and investment opportunities developed.
Expected outcomes: More adaptable businesses and workers, new enterprise and employment opportunities.
Long-term aim: A diversified, resilient regional economy with pathways for entrepreneurs and workers.

Illustration of young adult organisers presenting a neighbourhood model to a mentor.

Hub theory of change

Leadership & Youth Academy

Explore the change pathway

The starting point: Create pathways for young people to develop leadership and contribute to Latrobe’s future.
Inputs: Mentors, leadership education, school and business collaboration, and community networks.
Proposed activities: Leadership workshops, entrepreneurship support, civic learning and youth-led community projects.
Intended outputs: Young people trained, community initiatives developed and education and business partnerships formed.
Expected outcomes: Greater confidence, practical leadership experience and participation in community and working life.
Long-term aim: A continuing culture of mentorship and young leadership, with more people choosing to contribute locally.

Illustration of three adults listening and sharing in a peer conversation.

Hub theory of change

Health & Resilience Hub

Explore the change pathway

The starting point: Support people navigating stress, uncertainty and changes in work and community life.
Inputs: Resilience education, peer networks, confidence-building resources and community involvement.
Proposed activities: Peer conversations, personal growth workshops, transition support and wellbeing activities.
Intended outputs: Participation in programmes, stronger support networks and opportunities for social connection.
Expected outcomes: Improved coping skills, confidence and support through life and workforce changes.
Long-term aim: A connected community where people have the capabilities and support to navigate change.

Illustration of researchers examining a brown-coal sample beside materials-testing equipment.

Hub theory of change

Carbon Innovation & Renewable Futures Hub

Explore the change pathway

The starting point: Explore how Latrobe’s resources, industrial capabilities and workforce can contribute to future energy and carbon innovation.
Inputs: Research partnerships, carbon reuse technologies, industrial expertise, investment and workforce education.
Proposed activities: Investigate carbon recycling and materials, evaluate hydrogen and synthetic fuel pathways, and develop pilot research and skills.
Intended outputs: Technologies tested, research partnerships formed, workers trained and evidence for investment decisions.
Expected outcomes: New research and industrial opportunities, adaptable capabilities and progress towards lower-emission applications.
Long-term aim: A resilient regional industry with sustainable opportunities in energy and carbon innovation.

Illustration of residents arranging trees and benches on a model of a public square.

Hub theory of change

Community & Place Activation Hub

Explore the change pathway

The starting point: Connect people with shared places, local heritage and opportunities to shape community life.
Inputs: Resident involvement, public spaces, arts and heritage knowledge, and grassroots enterprise.
Proposed activities: Community-led placemaking, heritage storytelling, public art, social events and local enterprise projects.
Intended outputs: Improved shared spaces, cultural projects, events and opportunities for residents to participate.
Expected outcomes: Stronger social connections, civic pride and a greater sense of ownership of local places.
Long-term aim: Welcoming public places sustained by a culture of community participation and care.

Illustration of two people preparing maps and supplies for a regional visitor experience.

Hub theory of change

Tourism & Regional Branding Hub

Explore the change pathway

The starting point: Connect Latrobe’s places, stories and local businesses with people seeking meaningful regional experiences.
Inputs: Visitor infrastructure, heritage and nature experiences, regional storytelling, marketing and business participation.
Proposed activities: Improve wayfinding, develop visitor experiences, strengthen regional promotion and support local operators.
Intended outputs: Clearer visitor information, new experiences, wider regional visibility and greater business involvement.
Expected outcomes: More visitor engagement, longer stays and stronger connections between tourism and local enterprise.
Long-term aim: A recognised regional destination that supports local prosperity and enduring connections with place.