Ms Marsh said course costs were often a barrier for people, but the Wananga removed those barriers by providing fully funded courses. "We also have a fresh approaching to learning - opening and closing classes with a karakia," she said.
Business tutor Barbara Jaques said the courses helped increased confidence and skills, as well as better sector awareness.
She said her courses were full of people who approached the course with just a "sniff of an idea" about how to grow their business or start one from scratch.
"The answers do not always come from the top of the classroom. There is enough diversity and experience in the class for students to offer perspectives to each other."
Ms Jaques said there were only three hours of class work but the bulk of the course work involved practical work.
"Business people often have grand plans swimming around their heads. It might be to start a website, blog or social media site, or to relocate or grow some part of the business.
"But so often service delivery is a priority and leaves business owners time-poor."
The certificate in applied small business growth and development was ideal, she said, to help project manage one of those grand plans.
"The course gets the project plans in place, offering seminars and classroom time to help business owners get to a point of completion with their projects."
"There's a lot of cramming and jamming involved in completing this course and we do ask that participants only apply if they can commit to finishing the programme," said Ms Jaques.
She said one graduate had written and launched a book, another started a website, while another had planned the relocation of their business.
