Living The Dream Foundation all began with a dream from Founder/CEO Richard Weiss OLY
“I have a great vision for the Frankston community’ a place where the most vulnerable at-risk children and young people are not left behind, have a voice and have access to services that truly provide a pathway for a better quality of life.”
About Us
How Living The Dream Foundation was started as told by CEO Richard Weiss.
“Living the Dream Foundation was founded in 2008 post my return from living in Mongolia, where I was privileged to work with poor communities and sporting sector, with a special interest working with the Mongolian wrestling community. Arriving in Mongolia in 2003, I quickly learned the hardships people were experiencing due to limited resources as the country was undergoing a political and economic reforms.
Community support and sport played a huge part in providing support to the neediest Mongolian families and young people. The enthusiasm of being engaged working with the poor communities and the sporting sector was a key motivator for my daily purpose. I love Mongolia, the culture, the wrestling, the salty tea, the Mongolian ‘buuz’ dumplings, the countryside and mostly I love and miss the people. I have learned a lot from them.
What I have learned from Mongolia is that not all get to experience privilege. When you are born into poverty- and poverty-stricken community life becomes difficult and hard and the only option for survival comes through the support of others. A key representation of what truly means a ‘community support’.
Frankston City is my home, a place of opportunities but also place of disadvantage and disengagement. The idea of the Living the Dream Foundation begun when I saw that not all children and young people had access to local gyms, gym membership or a regular weekly session with a personal trainer. Those who are experiencing hardships or living in poverty can’t afford such opportunities. As other kids get to ‘Live the Dream’ where quality of life is demonstrated by provision of shelter, liveable households, regular meals, holidays, support for academic engagement, and financial provisions towards recreational and sporting engagement there are many kids who do not get to live the dream.
The Living the Dream Foundation was set up to create a free access to a fitness training facility for the most disadvantaged at-risk children and young people where they get to ‘to live the dream’ by having a personal coach and a life coach as a mentor.
As we begun to meet and consult with the parent’s experiencing hardships and disadvantage such access to such services for their children and young people was well received. I learn a lot about hardship and living on little as a child. From single parent home where my mum worked hard to provide and care for her children, to political asylum seeker escaping political oppression and starting new life in Australia at the age of 16 were all difficult times no child should experience. Not all get to live the dream but where there is empathy and solidarity demonstrated by others to the neediest families and young people, they get to begin to experience the fresh breath of recovery, a possible new hope, a life of safety, belonging and new identified purpose.
For me the purpose was sport, being active as a young child and starting wrestling at the age of 6 the sport truly has transformed me to whom I am today. I remember coming to Australia at the age of 16, with no language and understanding of the culture and finding place for training wrestling in the Melbourne VUT, Footscray with the national team. My coach never asked for money, he took me into his team, he did this with many young men and later with women as sport of wrestling become a sporting opportunity for women in male dominated sport. Coming to Australia with nothing to becoming a National Australian wrestling Champion, and later Oceania Champion pave the way for me to become 3 times World team member and a 1996 Atlanta Olympian under the Australian flag. What a privilege.
That is why ‘I have a great vision for the Frankston community’ a place where the most vulnerable at-risk children and young people are not left behind, have a voice and have access to services that truly provide a pathway for a better quality of life.”
Our Vision
Healthy Community is to what we envision for the Frankston City where we get to equip and empower the most vulnerable at-risk children and young people by ‘Turning Loss into a Purpose’ creating a positive change in their lives, so they too become a vibrant and active members of our society.
The services of Living the Dream Foundation create engagement opportunities for the most vulnerable at-risk children and young people to have access to an environment where they can feel welcomed, safe, and empowered through our meaningful Wellbeing, Mentoring and Member Care programs during times of hardships and uncertainty.
As a not-for-profit organization, led by the Founder/CEO and a Volunteer Committee of Management, we know our why and we are committed to remaining active in improving our community by assisting in the recognized priorities identified over the past few years.
Our three key priorities are ‘Reducing Poverty’ by creating access to free health training, ‘Crime Prevention’ working with the most at-risk and ‘Improved Mental Health’ for children and young people through collaboration with the community youth sector and other community services.
The targeted cohort will be families and young people on a low income, women and girls with poor mental health, young people cough up in the youth justice system, young people experiencing poverty and who are unemployed and disengaged. These families and young people will now have an opportunity to connect with a wellbeing service that offer access to coaching/mentoring to help them with improving their physical health, guide them in establishing healthy routine/habits, and help them effectively connect to other services to address their specific needs.
Our projects are community driven solution to address the demand and the needs of the children and young people in our community towards better improvement of the quality of life. We have observed that children and young people from a high socio-economic disadvantaged areas are at risk of ongoing welfare dependence due to lack of practical skills, knowledge, and engagement.
That is why, we would like to see the improvement of the quality of life to be demonstrated by the process of change initiated by the families and young person itself. We want to be part of their journey and provide required supports were families with children, youth and young people experience sense of belonging, resilience, confidence, sustained participation, greater self-reliance, improved physical and mental health and learning to become an active and thriving members of our society.
Community Focus
Since Living the Dream Foundation’s inception we have developed a credible recognition within the community and the youth sector regarding the provision of our services to children and young people. As a community and especially with all the youth sector organizations and their workers, we are all aware of the needs of the young people and families in our community and we work proactively in collaboration to achieve the best outcomes for our clients.
Our long-standing collaborations are with the Frankston City Council, Youth Service, Frankston Police, Frankston Courts, Diversion Services, Living Free project, TaskForce, Anglicare, Peninsula Health, DHHS, Youth Justice, Berry Street, Whitelion, YSAS, Victoria Legal Aid, Brotherhood of St Laurence, and McClelland Secondary College.
These organizations demonstrate what it truly means to serve our Frankston community a well-established ‘Community Support’ to a struggling families, children, and young people.
We love how we all know our purpose.
Living the Dream Foundation exist on the principle of solidarity where we get to provide a caring and empathy driven environment ‘a culture’ where young people are empowered to make positive changes, are equipped to overcome adversity, and work towards improving their quality of life so they can become a vibrant and active member of our society.
Living the Dream Foundations, has a Volunteer Committee of Management (CoM), that governs the operation of the organisation assuring the required governance, policies, procedures, and reporting obligations are met. Our CoM meets on monthly basis to discuss operations, strategic plan implementation and the nature of works that we conduct, and inherent risks associated with the work. We regularly review risks and adopt policies and procedures to mitigate these risks. Living the Dream Foundation’s business excellence is supported by the CoM expertise in the areas of Financial Management, Process Engineering, Youth Learning and Engagement Programs, Recruitment, Governance and NFP sector, Delivery Management, Human Behaviour, and Coaching/Mentoring, allowing the organisation to have extensive business and sector expertise to draw from.
As a founder of the organisation, we are enthusiastic about what we do in the community and the work we have so far achieved over the past decade since its establishment. We do believe we must grow and expand so further services can be provided to more vulnerable at-risk children and young people.
Come and join our journey and ‘Live the Dream’
Richard Weiss OLY
Founder/CEO
Living the Dream Foundation Inc.
Our Team
Richard Weiss OLY
Founder and CEO
Richard Weiss is an Australian Olympian, Husband, Father, Coach and Mentor with a passion for social consciousness.
To live the dream, one must create it.
I am enthusiastic about impacting the lives of young people through social enterprise, embracing solidarity, collaboration and inclusion, where the most vulnerable at-risk children and young people are not left behind, have a voice and have access to services that genuinely provide a pathway for a better quality of life.
Arthur Proios
Committee of Management President
Arthur Proios is a Family man, Father, Leader, Corporate Director, Professional, Giving, and community-minded.
Words to live by…words to live up to.
Always willing to give my time, assisting and cultivating a unique team spirit. I believe in the philosophy of ‘win – win’. This attitude is my Pillar. Founding Director of the Agents Agency, a National real estate company housing 500+ members.
Happy married for over 35 years, with 2 adult children and a supportive loving wife.
Stephen Rando
Committee of Management Secretary
Stephen Rando, a prominent figure in finance and community leadership, is celebrated for his dedication to community empowerment and positive change.
A seasoned banker, Stephen combines financial acumen with a commitment to community development, making significant contributions to both fields.
Known for his passion for community service, he has led initiatives through various organisations to address societal challenges and improve lives.
Stephen's guiding philosophy, "Life is a canvas, and each stroke we make contributes to the masterpiece of our existence," underscores his belief in individual potential to effect positive change.
Anca Anderson
Committee of Management Treasurer
Anca Anderson is the driving force behind INCA Organics, a thriving nutritional supplements company she founded to positively influence people's health and wellbeing.
Originating from Germany but calling Melbourne her home, she brings a wealth of cross-functional expertise from a successful career in Marketing and Sales within local and multinational corporations.
Anca's unwavering focus on health and wellbeing extends into her personal life, where she lives actively, embracing outdoor activities like running and traveling.
Beyond her professional and personal pursuits, Anca is committed to applying the experience she gained in the private sector to improve social justice and make a positive impact on vulnerable and at-risk youth within our community.
Drew Westblade
Committee of Management Member
Drew Westblade is an experienced senior leader and manager, having held various operational and client-facing roles in heavy industry and has also volunteered on multiple not-for-profit boards and committees. Holding an MBA and Engineering double degree, Drew offers his generalist skills and a high attention to detail to support the governance of Living the Dream Foundation.