Local Rangatahi Set Sights on Big Business

Local rangatahi set sights on big business

Māori students are turning their talents to ‘big business’ this week as workshops to boost Māori enterprise get underway in Whakatāne.

“Rangatahi will discover what it takes to transform their innovative ideas into real-life business in our very own version of ‘Dragons Den’” says Ngawa Hall, acting regional manager Waikato-Waiariki, Te Puni Kōkiri.

“We want to inspire and unleash rangatahi potential, and support them to #DreamBig. That’s why we’re delivering these wānanga to promising local taitamariki aged 14 to16”.

Students from Edgecumbe College, Tarawera High School, Trident High School and Ōpōtiki College are taking part in workshops at Te Kura Whare, Tāneatua from 13-15 September.

“Previously students have pitched solar powered water purifiers, te reo courses and an online parking app. I can’t wait to see what our local kids come up with”, says Ms Hall “It’s about them learning how a successful business operates and connecting with their local business community, while having fun”.

The Year 10 and 11 students will learn skills in budgeting, problem solving, team work and communication. On the third and final day, the teams will present their ideas, creations and discoveries to a panel of judges made up of local business people.

Te Puni Kōkiri and the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment are partnering with the Young Enterprise Trust to deliver the Māori Business Challenges. The initiative comes under the national Māori economic development strategy, He kai kei aku ringa.

Workshops are also scheduled for Waikato in October, and have already been successfully delivered in Manawatū, Rotorua and Whangārei.

He kai kei aku ringa, meaning ‘providing food by my own hands’, sets ambitious targets for the Māori economy. The Māori Business Challenges are part of a $1.5 million package of initiatives to boost Māori enterprise growth.

ENDS

More information

The Māori Business Challenge workshops happen on 13 – 15 September 2017, 9am - 2.30pm at Tribal Chambers at Te Kura Whare, Tāneatua, 12 Tuhoe St, Tāneatua.

Student business pitches run from 12:30pm to 2:15pm on Friday 15 September.

Local judges

The panel includes Haylee King (Whakatāne Beacon), Katarina Ngamoki (owner Ohope and Ktown Pharmacies), Hone Douglas (Drone Patrol Ltd) and Jenna Hudson (Tūhoe – Te Uru Taumata).

Youth Facilitators

Ezekial Raui (Te Rarawa) is studying towards a Bachelor of Business Studies degree. Ezekial has been mentored by Dr Lance O’Sullivan and Mike King due to his scholarships and leadership potential. Charlizza Harris (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Whakaue and Ngāpuhi) is an award-winning youth worker, entrepreneur and social change advocate. She is the founder and CEO of InOvation Trust and 2FACE Drama, a non-profit performing arts company that delivers free leadership workshops to youth.

He kai kei aku ringa

He kai kei aku ringa is the Crown-Māori Economic Partnership and national Māori economic development strategy. It is designed to lift Māori achievement in Employment, Rangatahi, Enterprise, Regions and Education (E RERE). The updated He kai kei aku ringa was released in June 2017 with a goal of achieving a 20 per cent increase in the annual Māori median income from $26,500 to $31,800 by 2021. www.erere.maori.nz

#DreamBig - DreamBig Māori is also part of He kai kei aku ringa. The campaign encourages rangatahi to consider their economic aspirations and future. www.dreambig.maori.nz/

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