Rebecca Scott OAM

Social entrepreneur

2016 VIC Local Hero

Travelling the globe, Rebecca Scott created a vision to combine the best street-eating with a program to help young people living on the streets. With a social enterprise business model and initial funding in place, STREAT started operations in Melbourne’s Federation Square in 2010, providing young people with life skills, work experience and training. From one small food cart, three staff and nine homeless teenagers, STREAT has grown to provide training for 400 youth at risk while serving outstanding food and coffee to well over a million customers. Despite immense challenges – training young people dealing with chronic homelessness, drug and alcohol dependency, family violence, mental health issues and learning difficulties is no easy task – Rebecca now runs five cafés and catering and coffee roasting businesses that help vulnerable youths kick-start their lives. With drive, intelligence, relentless hard work and the support of her co-founder and life partner, Kate Barrelle, Rebecca is determined to continue scaling STREAT into a major hospitality venture that can transform thousands of lives each year.