OUR WORK

Current and recent projects include:

Management of Business and Personal Finance Programmes

Aotahi has held contracts with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa (TWoA) to assist in the management of their business programmes since the company was founded in 2004. For two years prior to this, the directors completed programme management contracts under another entity, Kawau Limited. Aotahi has been responsible for managing over 2,000 EFTS (equivalent full-time students) per year for the great majority of this time.

As the programmes managed by Aotahi are taught by independent contractors, a large component of this work involves managing relationships between the organisation and the contractors. Examples of other tasks and responsibilities include:

• Contract development for kaiako (teachers).
• Recruitment and induction of kaiako.
• Assistance in developing and monitoring nationwide rollout plans.
• Marketing support.
• Monitoring of delivery to ensure completion rates are achieved.
• Support in the areas of operations, academic policy, and problem resolution.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Development of Business and Personal Finance Programmes

Since the company was first formed, Aotahi developed the learning materials and resources for a number of tertiary education programmes owned by Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and has had contracts to update these programmes. Over the years, the company has been involved throughout the entire development process for several programmes. This has included conducting market research and stakeholder consultation, preparing the programme curriculum document for internal approval and then external approval by NZQA, as well as developing the student and teacher resources. At present (2022), Aotahi is redeveloping resources for two of the organisation’s programmes (The Level 3 Certificate in Money Management and the Level 3 Smart Steps to Business).

Resources developed vary from programme to programme and depend on the organisation’s needs, but typically include:

• a series of professionally designed magazines containing the core programme material;
• lesson plan and activity workbooks;
• assessments;
• teaching presentations;
• programme guides for contractors (the kaiako contracted to teach the programmes); and
• information booklets for tauira (students).

Other materials include case studies of Māori businesses, seminar handouts, and glossaries of terms for NZQA Level 3 programmes.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Pakihi – Workshops and Mentoring for Māori Businesses

Aotahi has worked alongside Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Findex to deliver the Pakihi initiative (www.pakihi.co.nz) since it was first offered in 2018. Funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE), Pakihi provides free business workshops and mentoring nationwide to Māori who want to start their own business, as well as Māori who are already in business.

In 2022, there are 12 intakes of the Pakihi programme being delivered. Each intake involves an introductory session, followed by five workshops on a range of business topics delivered by various presenters. Workshop participants then receive mentoring in their area of choice. Aotahi is responsible for delivery of workshops and mentoring in the following two areas:

• Te Tīmatanga – Getting into Business.
• Hokonga – Sales Creation.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Rangatahi in Business – Motivating Young People to Consider a Career in Business

Funded by the Ministry of Youth Development and developed and executed by Aotahi, Rangatahi in Business is a programme to encourage young people to consider entrepreneurship as a career path. The programme consists of a series of practical workshops in which rangatahi plan and research a potential business opportunity as well as meet with local businesspeople and professionals.

Rangatahi in Business workshops are delivered in both the Waitomo District and in Taumarunui.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Ka Piki Ka Tau – Employment Placement Service

This initiative is designed to support people in the Waitomo and Taumarunui districts who have been unemployed for a reasonable period of time to re-enter the workforce. Aotahi receives client referrals from the Ministry of Social Development and then works with clients over several months to overcome barriers to work, help facilitate employment opportunities, and support clients once in employment.

A component of this mahi involves offering workshops either one-on-one or in group settings in areas such as budgeting, KiwiSaver, CV development, understanding employment contracts, cultural awareness, health & wellbeing, and interview skills.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Be Your Own Boss

This mahi involves supporting clients of the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) to move into self-employment. Aotahi works with clients referred by MSD to develop a viable business model and compile a detailed business plan to apply for financial support offered by MSD. This support includes the Self-Employment Start-up Payment (a grant that is used to cover some of the necessary costs involved in starting a business) and the Flexi-Wage for Self-Employment (a regular payment that enables the client to cover their living expenses while starting their business). If the application is successful, Aotahi then provides mentoring support to the client as the new business launches.

If you are an MSD client and are interested in this programme, please contact your MSD Work Broker. Eligibility criteria apply.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Manaaki Taiao – Te Rohe o Maniapoto

In late 2020, Aotahi was successful in an application to Kānoa (previously called the Provincial Growth Fund) for funding for a local riparian planting and fencing project. The project, titled Manaaki Taiao – Te Rohe o Maniapoto, involved supporting the establishment of two local Māori businesses (Maniapoto Fencing Limited and Wai Ora River Care) and creating employment for more than 20 staff. Throughout 2021, these businesses constructed 30km of riparian fencing on land blocks in the Maniapoto rohe, and grew and planted 160,000 native trees in fenced areas.

Examples of the mahi carried out by Aotahi through this project included: