Searching for Community Champions

7 February 2003

Searching for Community Champions

Leaders, innovators, movers and shakers in the community ¡V the Community Employment Group (CEG) wants you to apply to a special Social Entrepreneur Fund.

The fund is to pay for social entrepreneurs to take courses of study or to research activities that will improve their skills and contribute to their personal development. CEG general manager Charlie Moore says these people are often seen as community champions and spend heaps of time improving their communities but can neglect themselves.

¡§Investing in the skill level of these leaders is an investment in sustainable communities,¡¨ says Mr Moore. ¡§Our fund has paid for 24 social entrepreneurs already and their activities were as diverse as taking on managerial studies and travelling overseas to research their field of interest.¡¨

This year the fund has been widened to seek social entrepreneurs with an interest in not only economic and employment development but also in the areas of youth, welfare, health and education community development. If a potential applicant can show proof of their entrepreneurial background and present a case for an activity that will enable them to gain new skills or experiences, they can apply to the fund.

More information is available from www.ceg.govt.nz/socialentrepreneur or by contacting CEG 04 915 4270 . The closing date for the current funding round is March 21st.

Examples of CEG funded Social Entrepreneurs

„h Bruce Trask, Environmental Education for Resource Sustainability Trust,
Contact: Ph 07 578 7025 Bruce Trask is committed to driving a zero waste philosophy by encouraging his Bay of Plenty Councils to fund waste minimisation programmes. Bruce has visited a number of cleaner production, waste management and community recycling network programmes operating successfully in England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Denmark, Holland and Belgium.

„h Tracey Tangihaere, CEO, Te Runanga o Turanganui a Kiwa (TROTAK), Contact: Ph 06 867 8109 Tracey Tangihaere¡¦s passion is tribal development. TROTAK specifically represents the Turanganui a Kiwa (Gisborne) iwi but, assists all Iwi within the Turanganui a Kiwa district as well as non maori groups. As part of her grant, Tracey has researched technical and scientific information within international indigenous models to enhance the financial and non-financial wealth of the Iwi and access to venture capital.

„h Tanya Muagututi¡¦a, Executive Producer, Pacific Underground, Christchurch,
Contact: Ph 03 377 1097 or 021 131 3693 Tanya is the Executive Producer of Pacific Underground. This support will allow her to research digital story-telling, increase employment opportunities within the Pacific performing arts industry and provide long-term economic development opportunities by developing a performing arts network.

„h Sheryl Stivens, CEO Wastebusters Trust, Canterbury,
Contact: Ph 03 308 9998 or 021 927 8328 Sheryl is committed to environmental education and the practical application of environmentally benign methods of production. Sheryl and Wastebusters have a proven track record of information dissemination through seminars, workshops, networks and one-on-one mentoring. This financial support is enabling Sheryl to meet with key resource recovery and waste management organisations throughout Australia; United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland and Japan.

„h John Ransley - Innovative Waste Kaikoura, Contact: Ph 03 319 7148
or 025 274 9553 With John Ransley at the helm, Innovative Waste Kaikoura has been responsible for many exciting community projects. These include the design and construction of a composting system for green waste, a fifty tonne press for the compaction of waste for landfill, an employment programme for at-risk youth, a miniskip business and the development of a native tree nursery. This opportunity has allowed John to research other recycling groups in New Zealand.

„h Tony Goodman ¡V Gisborne and Tairawhiti Small Business and Enterprise Trust,
Contact: 027 2458007 The development of an eco-cultural tourism trail is seen as a possible economic solution for Te Urewera' and Tairawhiti¡¦s many small disadvantaged communities. Tony is helping build the infrastructure to develop the trail. This fund has enabled him to attend the Community Infomatic Conference in Australia which he found very valuable for producing new ideas for implementing in the community.

„h Charles Royal - Maorifood.com Charitable Trust,
Contact: Ph 07 343 9008
Charles drives an indigenous herb business. He has used his own networks to build an impressive client base of some of the finest restaurants in New Zealand. Charles will use this opportunity to further his research and consult with the appropriate bodies to develop processing and monitoring systems for the development and expansion of the indigenous herb range.

„h Anne Rush, Nelson Bay Arts Marketing and Advocacy Trust,
Contact: Ph 03 548 2722 or 025 220 7441 Anne has always been a powerful advocate for the arts community in Nelson. This assistance will enable Anne to research cultural mapping in NZ and Australia. Cultural mapping is a method of interpreting and presenting information on the environment and features of a location. Anne will apply the knowledge she gains to the new arts museum - Suter Te Aratoi O Whakatu in Nelson and broader regional arts and cultural tourism projects.

ENDS

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