Studio provides a platform for social purpose

Wen Li Lim plans to create what she calls a ‘community of social impact’ at Perth’s newest co-working space, Purpose Studio, when it opens mid-August.

Purpose Studio will be a 528 square metre hub located on Adelaide Terrace, an extension of existing space The Platform Perth, which is used by not-for-profit groups for training and events.

Ms Lim co-founded and has driven both projects.

She aims to build something more than just a co-working hub at Purpose Studio, however.

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“The purpose studio is like a co-working space, although we’re trying not to use that term,” Ms Lim told Business News.

“What we’re trying to build is a community of people who engage every time they come in.

“It’s not about getting in and putting on your headphones and doing your work and not talking to anyone; it’ll be a really tight community, where you know people, you know what the organisation is about, you even go and see how you can help each other.”

Both The Platform and Purpose Studio have been set up rent free thanks to Far East Organisation, which owns the building at 256 Adelaide Terrace.

Faith Community Church sponsored the project and covered some costs, including for renovation.

The opening of Purpose Studio comes less than 18 months after The Platform launched in March 2017.

“It all started with the gift of the space by the owner of the building,” Ms Lim said.

“From this gift we thought about who needed space and where was the need … The Platform, as it is, focuses on events and collaboration meetings.

“Groups like Anglicare, UnitingCare West, Red Frogs, Lifeline, they come to use the space for board meetings, volunteer training.

“We’re still growing; we have signed up a lot of partners that are doing really amazing stuff, especially in the homelessness area.

“A lot of what we do is not an event space per se, but actually connecting them with people, using our networks in the business community or not for profits.

“We partner up with other organisations in terms of training for our partner communities. We did a partner event with the Project Management Institute.

“It’s still trial and error on certain things, to see what works, what’s the demand from the not-for-profit community.”

She said demand so far for space at Purpose Studio looked strong.

“For us it’s a completely brand new thing, again, so I guess only time will tell,” Ms Lim said.

“We’ve started getting enquiries already.”

In a similar vein to The Platform, Purpose Studio will be dedicated to not for profits and for-purpose social enterprises, with a particular focus on youth at risk, poverty, indigenous disadvantage, human exploitation, health/mental health and the environment.

The intention is that it will be geared towards new ventures, with organisations eventually graduating from the space.

“If you’re an existing business but you’re very serious about a social cause then we may consider (that) because being around like-minded people would then help develop whatever the cause is that you want to integrate into your business,” Ms Lim said.

“It’s not a free for all, it’s very much social impact focused.”

Of particular importance to Ms Lim was that The Platform and Purpose Studio didn’t attract tenants away from existing leases.

“We didn’t want to open up a co-working space that’s super cheap and (have) people give up their leases or people give up where they’re at, which adversely affects the market,” she said.

Purpose Studio adds to a growing diversity of specialised co-working spaces in Perth, epitomised by the likes of Spacecubed’s Combine (agribusiness) and Core (resources), Bloom (student-focused), and Fielder Street Creative (screen industry).

For Ms Lim, involvement in Purpose Studio and The Platform satisfies a lifelong desire to support the community.

“I was at EY for 11 years and then I went into a mining company for four years,” she said.

“Even early on in my accounting days, I grew to love it, but I actually had this desire to get into the not-for-profit space.

“That was like a dream.

“I’m really passionate about seeing how people can get engaged in helping in anyway with the skill sets that they have for the needy and for the less fortunate.”