Recently the national Chambers of Commerce network rolled out First Steps, a website packed with resources to help business owners and managers deal with the challenges they face every day. The idea for First Steps was born during the Covid pandemic, a once-in-a-generation event that tested everyone — and especially businesses that had to shut their doors, support their staff, and adapt to rapid-fire technological change. (A decade of transitioning to online commerce happened in a number of months.)
But anyone who owns or runs a business knows it is a hard job even in the best of times, so First Steps is being promoted by Chambers around Aotearoa, to provide tools and advice that can help foster resilience and wellbeing in the workplace. On the website (www.firststeps.nz) you'll find advice, podcasts with well-known business people and experts, professional resources, and even a quick quiz that can help you work out how to get the most out of First Steps. A directory of providers is another resource, offering one-to-one and personalised help.
(Given that First Steps started in Auckland, the current list of providers is big-city-centric, and the Gisborne Chamber would love to see local organisations sign up to support Tairawhiti businesses. If you have resources, or can provide counselling, workshops, physical training or nutrition advice, consider joining First Steps and becoming an accredited provider. All the information is on the First Steps website, or get in touch with us at the Gisborne Chamber, and we'll put you in contact with the First Steps team.)
It's exciting seeing issues like mental health and wellbeing within the business community getting the attention they deserve. I read an article the other day about the Brewers Guild of New Zealand who have partnered with The Good Fight to fund 20 of their members to complete a Mental Health First Aid course with St John Ambulance. The Good Fight is a group that works with breweries here to undertake projects that create positive change and wellbeing in their industry, and this programme is funded by sales of a beer brewed by the Garage Project called All of the Things. The idea is that Mental Health First Aid won't just help the people who do the training, who like everyone in hospitality have had a pretty grim time over the past few years, but will trickle out to their workplaces, families and communities.
It is an inspiring idea, and it got me thinking about local businesses that go the extra mile to support mental health initiatives — not only implementing them in their workplaces, but supporting them financially. Chamber member Ritchie Civil Engineering established a Suicide Prevention fund with The Sunrise Foundation last year, after one of their employees took their own life. Working with Mates of Tairawhiti to work through their grief at the loss of a friend and colleague, the owners Derek and Rebecca Watson decided to create an endowment fund and encourage other businesses and individuals to donate money that will be invested in perpetuity, with the returns being given out as grants to support Tairawhiti-based programmes and organisations dealing with suicide.
