Media Releases
Searching for Community Champions
7 February 2003
Searching for Community Champions
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.
Community Newspapers Note: This could be a good opportunity to create dialogue in your community about who are our social entrepreneurs. However we have provided some names and backgrounds of several social entrepreneurs if you wish to contact them.
Contact: Media Liaison Sue Lytollis 025 242 5487 for more information and if you want an image for the story she can send a PDF of a Kea image associated with this fund
Examples of CEG funded Social Entrepreneurs
· 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.
· 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.
· 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.
· 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.
· 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.
· Tony Goodman - 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.
· 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.
· 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.