Printer-friendly VersionInformation for Businesses
Connecting and building businesses
Small and Medium sized enterprise project
97 per cent of businesses in New Zealand employ fewer than 20 people and many of these small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are run by ethnic people. Their many connections and overseas experience provide a huge amount of potential.
Despite this high level of participation, many ethnic business people find it difficult to understand the business culture and regulations within New Zealand. Our SME project has been created to address these issues and involves a number of initiatives.
EPIC NZ website - promoting business connectionse
The website www.epicnz.co.nz is home to a free database designed to connect ethnic businesses with those in the wider community in order to improve trade opportunities here and overseas.
The site helps match ethnic people, who have contacts and know-how from working in their home communities, with Kiwi businesses looking to expand their markets.
People with global experience who share their knowledge of local customs, language and contacts can offer real value to New Zealand-based businesses looking to trade overseas. In return, ethnic business people can benefit from new connections and opportunities.
Registering on the database is free and easy. Go to www.epicnz.co.nz and click the Register Now button.
Find specific skills, experience and market opportunities.
Connecting the Regions
Included in the SME project is a series of workshops being held around the country to connect ethnic businesses to regional key players.
The programme is called Connecting The Regions. Find out more on the EPIC NZ website.
The first one was held in Nelson. Read more details and hear some feedback in this release.
Knowledge Workshops
The Office of Ethnic Affairs is holding a series of workshops aimed at helping ethnic business people become better equipped to start and run a business in New Zealand. More details.
Ethnic Diversity in the Workplace
Riding the Wave
A manual and a series of workshops to provide employers and managers practical tips and resources to take full advantage of the benefits of an ethnically diverse workplace. Riding the Wave-pdf (1.73mb).
Why maximising the opportunities of ethnic diversity in the workplace is important - Director, Office of Ethnic Affairs, Mervin Singham explains. Video
Read about the "lunch test" in this speech by the Office of Ethnic Affairs' Director, Mervin Singham at the launch of Riding the Wave in Wellington. Launch speech in html or Launch speech on Scribd.
Reflections - from our multicultural workplace
See how our programmes, aimed at increasing the effectiveness of people working in an increasinlgy diverse environment, have been implemented by organisations in a range of different sectors.
Reflections - pdf (2662kb).
Training the Trainers programme
Sessions designed to up-skill participants so that they may establish effective communication, interaction and relationships with people from diverse backgrounds in the workplace.
Training the Trainers programme - pdf (2083 kb).
A Foot in the Door - Opening the door to ethnic diversity
A guide to bias free recruitiment to unlock the potential of ethnic diversity in the workplace. (PDF 1.83mb)
Keeping it Real
An interactive documentary DVD developed to promote dialogue on themes related to ethnic diversity in New Zealand. (Hardcopy)
Social Enterprise - sustainable futures for our communities
Social enterprise is becoming an increasingly important concept for not-for-profit organisations searching for ways to become more sustainable within the tight economic climate.
Social enterprises are organisations that blend social objectives with a commercial orientation. Read more details on this information sheet.Hear Sam Rye, co-founder of the Collaboration Cafe in Wellington explain.
An expert on social enterprise in Britain is Peter Holbrook, the CEO of Social Enterprise UK. He shared his experience with us at a recent conference. See his powerpoint presentation here
For hard copies of the above material, please email us on Ethnic.Affairs@dia.govt.nz.