Impact funding turns generosity into community action spanning generations

St John WA supported nearly quarter of a million Western Australians to live well, connect and respond with St John thanks to a total $7.6 million of statewide investment, according to its latest Impact Report.

More than half the funds came directly from the organisation, while the other 45 per cent was thanks to grants, donations, bequests and volunteer sub centre funding.

St John WA as a not-for-profit social enterprise invests in statewide community programs, supporting regional and remote investment, helping vulnerable patient cases and its Community Impact Fund, which is designed to support sub centre initiatives and local community initiatives. 

To date, the Community Impact Fund’s two rounds of micro grants has supported 21 regions, including:

• Ravensthorpe; enabling safer patient handling through specialised lifting equipment,
• Albany; delivering targeted first aid training for a local workforce group, 
• Wagin and York; strengthening local engagement and outreach capability, 
• Tom Price; increasing visibility and access to services within the community, 
• Karratha; supporting volunteer operations through improved facilities, 
• Kununurra; expanding early years first aid education and resources, 
• Kojonup; providing accessible emergency medical information for the community,
• Waroona; improving access to community defibrillators. 

“We couldn’t do this work without the support of our founding partner RAC WA, donors and those in community driving the change they want to see for betterment of all,” said Social Sustainability Manager Angel Robins.

On Wednesday evening, funders and supporters of St John WA learned about First Nations culturally safe first aid education designed in collaboration with communities, the St John Academy and how it is shaping future leaders in health response, and what St John’s Community First Responder network could look like with more support for First Aid Focus in schools.

Community hero Dylan Bennett, 18, told his story of growing up with first aid since the age of eight, thanks to St John, and how it led to his saving the life of a boy who collapsed from sudden cardiac arrest on a basketball court in December last year.

He would like to see communities of the future with Automated External Defibrillators everywhere and easily accessible 24/7.

Group CEO Kevin Brown presented Dylan with a pocket AED and thanked him again for his bravery in stepping forward and helping a kid in need.

“Dylan embodies the characteristics we see in the teenagers we train at the Academy, where with a little guidance they flourish into confident leaders who problem solve and tackle issues as teams, and make friends along the way,” Kevin said.

“We want to grow that confidence to help in a medical emergency as much as possible from a young age, so the next generation are better prepared for what lies ahead.”

St John continues to look for supporters for the services and programs charitably delivered across Western Australia.

• First Nations: Yarning First Aid and Walkabout Health Days develop health literacy in Aboriginal communities.
• Academy: St John Academy launched in 2025 and supports young people aged 12 to 17 to develop leadership skills and build first aid knowledge in a fun and supportive environment.
• Youth & Community: First Aid Focus is a charitably funded in-school program offering free age-appropriate first aid classes for Western Australian students ranging from pre-kindy to Year 10, ensuring they are empowered to take the right steps to save a life in the event of a healthcare emergency.
• Community First Responder Program: The St John WA Community First Responder program is a service which aims to activate nearby registered first aid accredited Community First Responders, who can opt-in to assist with CPR and bringing Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to cardiac arrest patients in the vital minutes before an ambulance arrives.
• St John Safe: Accidents and medical emergencies can happen anywhere, anytime. A St John Safe assessment helps develop a plan, choose the right equipment, meet workplace requirements and more.
• Community Transport Services: St John’s Community Transport Service (CTS) offers safe, reliable door-to-door service for people who cannot use public transport or drive themselves. This service operates from 11 locations statewide.

To partner with St John and grow the Impact Fund, visit: https://giving.stjohnwa.com.au/partnerships