News
Winner of the 2011 Business Enterprise Centre (BEC) National Awards for Best Home-Based Business.
Posted on Friday, 11 November 2011 | Permalink
Balancing business and family wins award
A love for horses and sheer perseverance in overcoming challenges has resulted in a nationally-recognised business award for a north-east Tasmanian family.
Proud-Aid is a specialist service business to treat chronic tissue injuries in horses – and the recent winner of the 2011 Business Enterprise Centre (BEC) National Awards for Best Home-Based Business.
Business owners and operators Michael and Raylene Taylor, of Bridport, said the process to formulate and eventually register the product did not come without its immediate challenges. It took five years of clinical trials and a major investment before reaching the consumer market.
“When we initially sought recommendations from scientific bodies we were told it was ‘too technical’ or ‘too expensive’ for us to achieve,” Raylene said.
“With four kids and all the horses back at home, it was a bit of a gamble, but we knew the product worked and we were committed, so we just went for it.”
And now, Proud-Aid is the only known fully registered product with the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) that is available for sale to the general public in Australia.
Raylene said the ongoing assistance and support provided by Business & Employment, part of the O group, was fundamental to the growth of Proud-Aid.
“I worked closely alongside John Brown (Launceston BEC Manager) to establish and develop the business from the ground up,” she said.
“John helped us devise a business plan, guided us through the launch stage and provided us with a solid contact base for access mentoring.
She said the series of workshops she attended focused on strategies to effectively manage the marketing and advertising aspects of retail operation.
With the direction of Business & Employment, Raylene also sought the advice of leading entrepreneurs to create the business’s online platform and help promote traffic to the website.
“Seeking out professional guidance made me realise how important it is to have knowledge of the industry and properly research the market,” she said.
“While I might not have a business degree, I have discovered that simple is always best.”
State Manager for Business & Employment Thom Lloyd said the Proud-Aid product was an “Australia first” and may soon be exported overseas.
“Critical to their success has been the extraordinary belief and commitment that Raylene and Michael have shown towards the development of their business,” he said.
“Combined with their innovative use of modern technology, the Taylors’ have developed a unique business that will continue to grow in the future.”
For Raylene, success is even sweeter from a home-based business which means “we are able to work the hours we want in an environment that suits our family life.”
Business & Employment provides information and advice to small business around Tasmania at no cost, and is a member of the BEC network that represents some 100 small business help organisations across Australia.
Mentor Services acknowledged again for community achievement.
Posted on Monday, 7 November 2011 | Permalink
Business Mentor Services Tasmania (BMST) was nominated for the Business Enterprise Award at the 2011 Community Achievement Awards for the third successive year. BMST is part of O group, a partnership that brings together the power of many minds to deliver simple business, employment and training solutions to all Tasmanians.
Andrew Windle (State Manager, BMST) and a team of 3 Mentors attended the 2011 Tasmanian Community Achievement Awards dinner held at the Launceston Grand Chancellor Hotel on October 28th 2011. In the final run to the line BMST was pipped at the post by Bruny Island Cheese. Nevertheless, it certainly was a very proud moment for all those involved in mentoring and suitable acknowledgement for all the thousands of businesses that BMST mentors have helped over many years of service to the Tasmanian community.
From L – R : Andrew Windle (State Manager, BMST) with BMST Mentors Christine Hepburn, Suz Haywood and Thom Lloyd.
NGT Tasmania wins the Industry Collaboration Award
Posted on Thursday, 1 September 2011 | Permalink
On Friday 19th August 2011, NGT Tasmania was awarded the Industry Collaboration Award in partnership with Seafood Training Tasmania, CHOOSE employment and Huon Aquaculture at the 2011 Tasmanian Training Awards.
As part of the O group, one of Tasmania’s largest not-for-profit organisations, NGT Tasmania is a major employer of trainees and apprentices in Tasmania. NGT Tasmania also provides a complete range of staff related training and services.
Collaboration has been the primary service focus of all O group businesses, with the development of our Best Combination of Services approach. The Huon Aquaculture initiative which won the Industry Collaboration Award is a wonderful example of collaboration to win accolades, but more importantly to provide fantastic outcomes for employers and jobseekers.
L to R: David Hind (Skills Tasmania) presenting the Industry Collaboration Award to Greg Faull (NGT Tasmania)
L to R: Damian Smith (O group), James Garde (Seafood Training Tasmania), Greg Faull (NGT Tasmania), Jason Massie (CHOOSE employment), Rory Byrne (Seafood Training Tasmania), Frances Bender (Huon Aquaculture Group), Tim Ritchie (O group), Ian Nelson (Huon Aquaculture Group), Michael Ryan (CHOOSE employment)
Multiple Wins for Big Bickies
Posted on Thursday, 1 September 2011 | Permalink
Big Bickies has won multiple medals in the 2011 Royal Hobart Fine Food Awards.
Big Bickies was awarded the Gold Prize for Caramel Slice and Muesli Slice and the Bronze Prize for Melting Moments and Passionfruit Melting Moments, against a total of 960 competitors from fine food establishments and bakeries. This is the second year in a row that Big Bickies has achieved multiple medals in this competition, which is a testament to the amazing work that the Big Bickies staffs are doing.
As part of the O group of companies, Big Bickies is a social enterprise that operates a self funding, not-for-profit commercial kitchen. This kitchen is staffed by people with workplace support needs and supervised by a qualified Patisserie Chef. Big Bickies employs staff under award conditions in a safe and fully supported environment where they can learn about the workplace, learn new skills and help them to transition into open employment.
In-roads into financial wellbeing
Posted on Wednesday, 31 August 2011 | Permalink
Ending the debt cycle and building financial wellbeing for disadvantaged Tasmanians will be a special focus for a national pilot program launched in Tasmania recently.
The pilot program, In-roads, is a partnership between the O group and Community Sector Banking (CSB) - Australia’s first and only banking service specialising in the not-for-profit sector.
• O group chief executive officer Andrew Billing, In-roads general manager John Giles and relationship manager Ken Langston at the recent announcement.
The pilot scheme, funded under the Federal Government’s Community Development Financial Institutions program, aims to improve the financial knowledge and resilience of vulnerable individuals and their families.
O group is making the scheme available through its CHOOSE employment sites statewide.
“In-roads offers fair, affordable and appropriate loans and education to members of the community who as a result of having no credit history may not be serviced by the mainstream banks,” O group chief executive officer Andrew Billing said.
“It also builds financial knowledge and resilience for people we work with.
“The personal loan program is designedto help people get their lives back on track.
“In-roads also provides tailored, realistic education, helping people make sound financial decisions.
“For some people, it’ll be their first formal loan, so it’s crucial to know the basics, especially budgeting and managing repayments.”
CSB executive director Peter Quarmby said In-road’skey strength was the partnership with local not-for-profit organisations such as O group who had a successful track record in providing services to communities all over Tasmania.
“People are applying through an organisation they know and trust, understands their circumstances and has enormous local credibility,” he said.
“In-roads is part of a long term strategy to assist vulnerable Australians out of the poverty cycle.”
Women across the State wow judges
Posted on Tuesday, 30 August 2011 | Permalink
The inaugural Women Entrepreneur Awards were recently celebrated across Tasmania.
Organised by Business & Employment, a member of the O group, the awards attracted 29 finalists from the North, North West and South, covering a vast array of services and products from growing garlic to sell into mainland supermarkets to consulting services to museums.
Special guest Hon Rebecca White MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business was on hand to present the awards.
O group CEO Andrew Billing said it was an event that had all the hallmarks of superb collaboration. “It brought together the best of state government initiative to encourage innovation from the ECT program with local networks and the drive from the Office of Women Tasmania.”
Awards convenor Thom Lloyd, state manager for Business & Employment, (a major Enterprise Centres Tasmania organisation) said the finalists were clear testament to the ingenuity and resilience of Tasmania’s women…”developing rich concepts and nice markets in value-added products that can be shared beyond Tasmania.”
“We encourage any women with an idea for a business to take that the next step and contact one of our small business consultants across Tasmania” said Mr Lloyd.
Sue Atkinson (top left) being presented with the 2011 Tasmanian Woman Entrepreneur Award (South) by The Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business Hon Rebecca White MP.
Rosie Mackinnon (top left) being presented with the 2011 Tasmanian Woman Entrepreneur Award (North) by The Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business Hon Rebecca White MP.
Emma Pinner (top left) being presented with the 2011 Tasmanian Woman Entrepreneur Award (North-West) by The Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business Hon Rebecca White MP.
Assistance for North East Small Businesses
Posted on Thursday, 4 August 2011 | Permalink
On 1st August 2011, Small Business Minister and Labor Senator for Tasmania, Nick Sherry and Member for Bass, Geoff Lyons MP, launched the $100,000 North East Tasmania Small Business Advisory Services (SBAS) Natural Disasters Assistance (NDA) project.
Business Solutions (a business unit within Business & Employment) is a recipient of SBAS NDA funding. As part of the O group, one of Tasmania's largest not-for-profit organisations, Business Solutions has access to a complete range of services in training, employment and small business advisory, available for all Tasmanians.
The main aim of this service is to improve the knowledge and business skills of small business operators in North East Tasmania whose businesses have been adversely impacted by recent natural disasters. These businesses can access tailored, free or low-cost one-on-one mentoring with specialist consultants.
Business Solutions has consultants in the Hobart, Launceston, Devonport and Scottsdale, assisting over 6,400 businesses across Tasmania.
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(L - R) Geoff Lyons (MP for Bass), Alan Alwood (Business & Employment), Senator Nick Sherry, John Brown (Business & Employment)
Click here for more information.
Social Enterprise Means Business for O group
Posted on Wednesday, 8 June 2011 | Permalink
CHOOSE Cafe serves great coffee and fresh products
What is social enterprise and what does it look like? These questions have been put under the spotlight in the last few weeks by visiting USA social enterprise expert Dr Dave Rendell, hosted by O group, Tasmania’s largest not-for-profit (NFP) organisation.
According to Dr Rendell, in the US, social enterprise activities are strong contributors to service delivery and social change. It not only has the ability to generate earned income to support an NFP organisation’s mission, it creates huge opportunities for disenfranchised people in our communities to improve their lives through valued employment.
In Tasmania, O group has supported the positive application of social enterprise through its CHOOSE Cafes and Big Bickies commercial kitchen operations.
Supervised by a qualified chefs, these successful businesses are staffed by people with workplace support needs who are employed under award wage conditions and encouraged to find their feet before entering the mainstream, local workforce.
Angela Wells spent just over two years with Big Bickies before finding her dream job in mainstream employment.
“I found a job working in Disability and Aged Care which was a career goal of mine” Angela explained.
When Angela was first referred to Big Bickies through CHOOSE employment, she only spent one day in the kitchen before being offered a job. “I was taught kitchen skills and with ongoing support, I have learnt many other general workplace skills.”
Angela was part of the team that created the Big Bickies award-winning Melting Moments at last year’s Fine Food Awards. “I made them and packaged them...and tried not to eat too much.”
O group’s two other social enterprises, CHOOSE Cafe at Inveresk, Launceston and Windsor Community Precinct, Riverside, also provide employment opportunities for people with support needs.
“CHOOSE Cafés and Big Bickies clearly show how when communities work together we can achieve more for people with disabilities and support needs,” Andrew Billing, O group CEO said.
Or, as Angela emphatically claims, “It’s no doubt that the ongoing support from everyone at Big Bickies helped me get where I am today”.
For more information about social enterprise opportunities, contact CHOOSE employment, part of the O group. Visit www.chooseemployment.org.au.
Tasmania’s largest HR group backs call to dust off the welcome mat
Posted on Wednesday, 11 November 2009 | Permalink
A key opportunity for Tasmania lies in the ability of our service industries to create a higher yield. Locals and visitors alike can be encouraged to spend in the State through better service and higher standards of product choice and presentation. The call by the AHA to dedicate a focussed effort on the role of hospitality in key service industries is a welcome addition to the State’s strategic potential.
“The decision to appoint Michelle O’Byrne as Minister for Hospitality has been endorsed by the AHA and we support the focus that will bring on the services sector generally , not just the Tourism and Hospitality industry” said O group CEO Andrew Billing.
“Clearly the education and skill of all service workers is at stake here” said Billing. We are in a global market place with plenty of competition so the focus this announcement brings underlines the need to benchmark ourselves not against yesterday’s situation but tomorrow’s challenge – we need to be on the front foot in this state when it comes to great service and great hospitality.
The O group has c 10,000 small business clients, many of whom rely heavily on repeat customers and visitors. “We want to ensure our clients have the best opportunity to grow their business in Tasmania. The recent visitor trends indicate an annual Tasmanian population of c. 1.5 M people and that new level of total customers for the State brings a tremendous boost to the notion of “year round” viability to many innovative and established service activities that our clients have developed in Tasmania.”
“We applaud the AHA for the drive and success to inform the government of this need and the State for the commitment to enable the strategy with the appointment” said Mr Billing.
O group named Employer of Choice in Tasmania
Posted on Wednesday, 11 November 2009 | Permalink
Tasmania’s O group Inc. was added to the Honour roll of Employer’s of Choice in a ceremony lead by Hon. Lisa Singh, MP Minister for Workplace Relations in Hobart Nov 9 2009.
O group is the first Not for Profit (NFP) organisation to receive this award and they join past winners - Vodafone Hutchison Australia Pty Ltd, SEMF Pty Ltd, Hazell Bros Group Pty Ltd, WHK Group-Tasmania, Fairbrother Group and for 2009 Austal Shipping, Launceston City Council and Sinclair Knight Merz P/L.
O group Inc. is the collaboration of a range of well known, prolific Tasmania NFP businesses and companies including Business & Employment, NGT, Findstaff.biz, Developing Potential Aust, Business Mentor Services Tasmania and Choose Employment. O group has some 160 direct employees and more than a dozen locations across the State providing employment, recruitment, training and business help services. They also provide training to a diverse range of clients on mainland Australia.
CEO Andrew Billing places his staff squarely as the reason the organisation has been well recognised.
“It started as a journey in 2003 when we had chronic staff turnover – from that date to now we have “put our ears on” and listened to staff and even pushed them for feedback, comments, suggestions and engagement. “We do not implement everything but we try to give everything a fair hearing. We also treat staff as individuals when it comes to being able to address their work/life balance needs, which seems at odds with a large employer but clearly, it works for us”. Billing went on to say that the organisation got a signpost result they were on the right track in 2007 when they won a National Work & Family Award in Sydney. “The State EOC award is a tremendous boost to our staff and organisation that strives to achieve more for Tasmanian jobseekers, employers and businesses said Mr Billing.
Enquiries
Exec Manager Corporate Services - Gail Wilson
gail.wilson@ogroup.org.au
For more information on work life balance, visit Balancing Australia www.balancingaustralia.com.au
