We’ve got a collab story that reflects the true meaning of ‘inclusive workplaces’.

They don’t talk about it much, but we want to shout it from the rooftops.

Retail Prodigy Group 🤝 HoMie. 

RPG is Nike's retail franchise partner, operating over 30 Nike stores across Australia and NZ. And they've been kicking goals alongside HoMie for years, giving supported employment opportunities to those who need it most. 

Here at HoMie we run a program called the HoMie Pathway Alliance. It’s an 8-month paid retail internship for young people affected by homelessness or hardship. Young people work part time on the shop floor learning retail and customer service skills, study a Certificate III in Business, and receive wrap-around support from our team of HoMie youth workers. Young people get a supported opportunity to be more work ready, better prepared for their future, and break the cycle of homelessness.

It’s called the ‘Alliance’ because we can’t do it alone. RPG has been on the journey with us since 2022 providing jobs at Nike stores for young people that are inclusive, supportive and aspirational. Nicole Galli, Senior HR Advisor at RPG says that the motivation to be involved the HoMie Pathway Alliance goes beyond positive outcomes for the young people, but their internal staff too; 

“We are so proud to be a part of the Homie Pathway Alliance. The program helps with our connection to community and provides RPG the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of young people participating in the program. The young people and Homie team have an exceptionally positive impact to our leaders and teams involved. This is a great opportunity for our leaders and teams to develop their interpersonal skills on a deeper level.”

Highlights from RPG 🤝 HoMie? Here are some of the stories of impact from our incredible partnership.

- A proud and powerful young Aboriginal woman who worked at Nike Melbourne Central in 2022 worked her way up to a logistics role and mentored new employees. She is loved by all on the team.

- An incredibly driven legend arrived in Australia in 2016 with a flair for streetwear. He grew his confidence on the shop floor at Nike Eastland in 2022 and now excels in customer service working full time hours across multiple stores.

- A young person with unmatched dedication didn’t miss one shift at Nike Melbourne Central in 2023. He worked hard (often covering full-time employee’s shifts) and was able to move out of a youth homelessness foyer and into a private rental for the very first time.

- Two incredible young people are currently blowing the Nike Melbourne Central Store team and customers away with their charisma and customer service skills. Their past experiences with youth justice hasn’t stopped them from topping the sales leader boards.

Fast forward to October 2024: Most of these young people work alongside each other as colleagues in their Nike stores, united not by their past but their love for the brand and drive for the future.

RPG knows better than anyone that these young people are absolute assets to the teams they work in. They are highly skilled, show dedication to the brand and team, represent their communities, work bloody hard and are incredibly cool people. 

Thank you to RPG for doing what you do: Creating meaningful change in young people’s lives by providing them with a foot in the door and allowing them to shine 🙂