The Waikato Enterprise Agency was established in 1987, and became a Charitable Trust in 1993. The Trust currently comprises of 6 Trustees and 1 Community Adviser, who give their time to the organisation on a voluntary basis. We are located on 30 Main Street, Huntly, with a focus on the Waikato District. The Agency currently provides a Mobile visitation service to it's client base.

Nature Of Business:

Building Community Capacity by way of supporting small businesses, community groups with information, training and resources. To provide Tourism Information, to promote the district as a better place to live, reside and invest.

Mission Statement:

The Agency's statement of mission is...

"Encourage enterprise and employment opportunities with community capacity building initiatives that focus on the dissemination of information, sharing of resources in order to strengthen the Communities of the Waikato District"

THE TRUST, Comprises of the following whom give their time to the organisation on a voluntary basis.

Chairman

Wayne Morris

Vice Chairperson

Murray Perry

Committee

Shelley Lynch

Murray Craig

Glenys Roe 

The Staff

Kim Bredenbeck (Unit Manager)

Responsible to the Board of Trustees, oversees organisational performance, relationship management and liason with stakeholders. Developing, promoting, co-ordinating and growing of the enterprise agency's training and business support mechanisms. Working alondside the Board, a highly motivated team of individuals and stakeholders is an extremely rewarding and challenge. Has worked alongside and assisted numerous individuals, businesses and community groups, and has been involved with the development, co-ordination and organisation of promotional events.

Cathy Wardlaw (Assistant Manager and Business Faciltator)

Cathy manages the Enterprise Training Program in the Waikato and King Country Districts. This is part of Industry New Zealand's Enterprise Training Program. Designed to assist New Zealanders with small to medium businesses to help them achieve better business management skills at no financial cost. Seminars and workshops are held regularly within the Waikato and King Country Districts, providing excellent resources and working examples that will help businesses tackle some of the more complicated business issues they are likely to be faced with. To register, contact 0800 424 943 or (07) 828 8623.

Janie Gill (BYOB, CV's for Huntly Community Link Clients,ETP Business support Services & Administration)

Janie works with Work and Income clients who are contemplating setting up in business. The program provides the following services: business planning, seminars on all aspects of running a business, employment, career planning and linking into the Business Mentor Program. Kim Bredenbeck supports this position with advice and overseeing of final plans. Janie also carries out writing up off CV's for  people wishing to update their CV or receive a new one - this is done through Huntly Community Link. Janie also manages the databasethat is required to assist Cathy to deliver Enterprise Training. Please Note: The Agency does not administer funding for business start-ups

Brian Curle (Financial Manager)

Brian brings a vast range of skills to the agency, he has extensive knowledge in the areas of financial information and funding applications, he also provides administration, support to the Enterprise Agency and Information Centre .

I. Site Huntly Visitor Information Centre .

Meet our friendly energetic team at the Information Centre in Huntly. They will greet you as you enter the Information center. The dynamic team ensure our visitors are given the best quality service.

Karn de Thierry (Visitor Information Center i-SITE Huntly)

Karn maintains a wide network of tourist operators throughout New Zealand and she is able to provide visitors with information about the Waikato District and beyond. She can assist with inquiries regarding accommodation and activity bookings, Karn's role also includes evolving the local event calender, maintaining tourist operators promotional brochures,answering local inquires and providing up to date information for the Waikato District Web-site.

Karn has the excellent P.R. skills and can assist you with accommodation bookings and activity information.

Lynley Rogers (Visitor Information Centre i-SITE Huntly)

Lynley works at the i-SITE with bookings, assisting tourists and tourist operators

Rangi Keropa (Manager Raglan Information Centre)

Rangi is an active member of the Raglan community and brings a vast amount of life experience to the position. Rangi can assist with Visitor information inquiries, Visitor Program Planning, Accommodation and Activity Bookings to various destinations.

Noleen McCathie (Financial and Administration Support Raglan Information Centre)

Noleen is providing the Administration support and Financial Management Services to the capable and enthusiastic team of workers and volunteers in Raglan.

Information Centre & Enterprise Agency Support Staff & Volunteers

A dedicated and dynamic team of three part-time workers in Huntly supports the Information Centre's and 11 Volunteers who support the Raglan based staffThe Information Centres are supported by a dedicated team of part-time workers and volunteers who support the full time staff.

Range of Services

• Business Plan Development & Training
• Business Visitation Services
• Business Educational Seminars / Workshops
• Employment / Career Planning / Support
• Curriculum Vitae Services
• The Mentor Scheme
• Contract Work
• Business Inquiries
• Community Capacity Planning
• Tourism Information Services
• Lifestyle Inquiries
• Employability Products

One to One Facilitation:

A facilitator will sit down with a client and help them look at ways of achieving their goals, be it educational, business or employment.

Curriculum Vitae Services:

The Agency provides an excellent personal prospectus development programme that looks at skills analysis and individualised layout, the software in-house is capable of high quality presentations.

Educational Services.

Business Services

Business Plan Development & Training
The Agency has been assisting clients with the compilations of business plans for approximately 8 years. We have developed a process that is professional, accurate and satisfactory for banking institutions, accountants and New Zealand Employment Services.

The Mentor Scheme
The mentor scheme is a volunteer programme that encourages existing or retired business people to work alongside businesses for the purpose of lending peer support. An ear to seek advice from and receive guidance.

The Agency works with the Business in The Community Co-ordinator in the area and has access to a variety of mentors at any given time.

Contract Work
The Agency provides the following services to the business and general community.

• Facsimile Service
• Document Binding
• Copy Typing
• Photocopying
• Brochure Development
• Certificates
• Market Research

Business Inquiries

The Agency assists numerous inquiries from offshore and national based companies looking at business opportunities in the district/region.

Community Services

Educational

The Agency will develop an individualised training programme for an organisation on request. We currently provide the following programmes.

• Computer Training
• Organisation Policy Writing
• Basic Book Keeping
• Employment Strategies
• Project Planning
• Governance Training (Marae Based)
• Public Speaking
• Career Strategies & C V Development

Lifestyle Inquiries

The Agency is often requested to provide information for clients looking at residing in the Waikato District.

Events/What's On

The Agency attempts to provide information on upcoming events for the district on request.

Information Services

Waikato District i-SITE Centre - Sponsored by the Waikato District Council.

The Agency is contracted to deliver tourism information for the Waikato District Council at their Information Centre. Since the Information Centre opened for business on December 21st 1996, we have assisted an average of 2000 enquiries per month, these figures are pleasing as staff do not count visitor's unless they have assisted them in some way. We promote the Waikato District Council boundary area.

Promotion of Your Business: If your tourism-related business is based in the Waikato District, we will stock your brochure free of charge.

"What to Do, Where To Go", Directory: This information is stored in a folder in 3 categories: Accommodation, Eating Out and Activities to Do.

Clubs and Organisations Data Base: We have all relevant information on clubs/organisations from the district.

Newsletter: This is produced bi-monthly, it enables operators to inform each other of upcoming events and also updated them of Information Centre services and activities.

What's Happening Board: This is available to promote an activity that may be happening within your business, school, club/organisation, etc.

Monthly Business Promotion: Each month, one business from the district has a promotional display in the Centre, free of charge, in the District. Operators provide photos of their business, samples of products and may even bring in equipment.

NZ Host Database: This programme allows visitors to make booking in our Centre, for accommodation, restaurant, activities, etc for anywhere in New Zealand.

Tourism Trails: Various trails of the Waikato District are being different being established, to promote to the domestic market (New Zealanders).

Network Services

The Agency has developed strong links with the following service providers and professionals and wishes to acknowledge their support.

• Members of the Enterprise Central Network
• Gavin Ion - Chief Executive Waikato District Council
• Peter Harris- Mayor Waikato District Council
• Faye Clark - Hamilton Libraries
• Ross Jones - Regional Manager - Careers Service
• Sandra Perry - CEO Opportunity Hamilton
• Richard Brooking - Maori / Pacific Island National Strategy Manager
• Work and Income Staff
• Claire Mewes - Hauraki Enterprise Agency
• Evan Nathan - Te Puni Kokiri
• Staff of NZ Employment Services - Huntly, Ngaruawahia, & Hamilton
• George Brown - Education Training and Support ETSA
• Lindsey Tische - Member of Parliament
• Tai Moana - Chairman Hora Hora Marae Trust