In 2020, Axi 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. 

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 don’t 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.”

That’s 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.”