Waikato Business News July/August 2017

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48 WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS July/August 2017 CHILD FOCUS Rotokauri welcomes new early education centre Quality, sustainability and a welcoming environment are at the heart of Rotokauri Early Education Waikato — Waikato Kindergarten Association's seventh early education centre to open in Hamilton. Located on newly-developed Arthur Porter Drive, this vibrant modern centre has been designed to be an inviting and inspiring environment for children aged three months to five years. your child’s 29 Kindergartens, 6 Early Education Centres, and now Homebased Education through-out the Waikato 20 ECE Hours The association has drawn from its vast experience with Cumberland (Flagstaff), The Park (Hamilton East), Te Rapa, Rototuna and Claudelands early education Waikato centres to create a spacious, stimulating Strengthen Education Unique Programmes Cool 4 School Programme Stimulating Environments More Hours! More Days! Want to know more? www.kindergarten.org.nz 0800 CHILDREN (244 537) Waikato Kindergarten Association environment. Five large separate rooms and designated outdoor playgrounds allow children to grow, learn and socialise, with an abundance of space for them to explore. The association is the only early childhood education provider in Waikato to be an Enviroschools partner, a unique initiative to educate our littlest Kiwis about sustainability, reuse and recycling, and it shows. “We are all about Kiwi kids, with a firm focus on sustainability and education” says Maree Stewart, CEO of the Waikato Kindergarten Association. “Fruit trees will be planted in the landscaped grounds, which children will learn to care for, and then use in food preparation”. The contoured areas will include huts, swings, bike trails, judder bars, zebra crossings, real grass expanses, veggie gardens, water, large sandpits and a host of other features to extend children’s learning. All age groups are catered for throughout the centre, with a dedicated room for transition to school. The young babies' area features first-class facilities, a sleep room with individual cots, and a unique outdoor area to assist in reaching those special milestones. The Rotokauri centre will join Cumberland, The Park, Te Rapa, Rototuna and Claudelands in offering meals prepared by an in-house chef, who cooks daily from a carefully-planned menu which meets the NZ Healthy Heart standards. The children care for edible gardens which contribute to these meals. Waikato Kindergarten Association has an impressive legacy in early childhood education and a proven reputation for successfully managing 29 kindergartens, homebased education centres and, soon to be, seven early education centres. Enrolments are now open. For more details phone 0800 CHILDREN, or visit www.kindergarten.org.nz. Selecting a centre for baby Choosing a centre to care for your baby when you go back to work is not an easy decision. Many firsttime parents are not used to a lot of noise around the house from other children, and so they look for a quiet and calm environment with nurturing carers. Unfortunately, their first impressions of centres are not always good. Many centres are cramped, noisy, and the chaos of too much colour or clutter is typically overwhelming. Dr Maria Montessori (Italy’s first female physician) was an expert in child pedagogy. She recognised that children need uncluttered space - freedom of movement - so that they can roll over, sit up, crawl and walk when they are ready to do so. Montessori classrooms facilitate freedom of movement, exploration, and activities to encourage gross motor skills. Additionally, the baby rooms are designed to facilitate stimulation of the senses with natural materials, they are not cluttered or chaotic, and they are peaceful. Dr Montessori recognised that children thrive on routines and order, and that they develop in their own time frames. She discovered that children have sensitive periods in their life and at these times, they more readily absorb information (e.g. language and movement). Montessori teachers therefore provide activities that are relevant to the individual child’s interests so that by stimulating their interest, children learn concepts quickly and are then thirsty for more knowledge. Dr Montessori also identified that to raise independent children, one should “never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed”. As a policy, we therefore allow our toddlers to walk for themselves once they are able to do so, rather than carrying them around. At Fountain City Montessori, we focus on relationships and so each baby has a primary carer so that you have one person to communicate with about your child’s daily routine. Every Montessori pre-school has a different personality and not all Montessori centres cater to under two-year-olds. But if Montessori sounds like it is up your alley, don’t wait to visit your local centre - spaces are always limited!
WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS July/August 2017 49 Post-settlement iwi making strong returns: ANZ report An extensive financial analysis of 31 postsettlement iwi/hapū shows all recorded a positive profit on commercial assets in the last reported year, with an average return on assets of 8.2 percent. “In unique and challenging circumstances iwi are demonstrating their ability to balance risk and reward to deliver strong commercial outcomes” ANZ head of Māori relationships David Harrison said. By comparison, New Zealand’s 30 largest listed companies had an average return on assets of 7.7 percent and our five largest listed property trusts an average of 5.6 percent for the same period. Te Tirohanga Whānui – the annual ANZ Māori Business research series - this year collaborated with 31 iwi/hapū, with a combined asset base of $4.6 billion. ANZ said the report shows clear evidence of the trend in iwi moving from asset holdings in cash and managed funds into more direct and active investment over time. “For New Zealand businesses looking for ‘transition of ownership’ solutions, a thriving iwi/Māori business sector offers new options with a real point of difference”, said Mr Harrison. “Iwi are looking for opportunities to invest locally, and in a capital constrained environment where we increasingly look overseas for investment, that is a great story for New Zealand.” “We are seeing more collaboration among iwi, not just in sharing information, but also to gain the scale needed to target bigger deals. The new co-investment fund being scoped by Ngāti Awa, the NZ Super Fund, and the Minister of Business, Innovation & Employment is a perfect example.” Ngāti Awa Group Holdings chief executive Geoff Hamilton, who contributed information to the report, said the However there is still headroom for iwi to use more external funding, within prudent levels, to help accelerate their growth. co-investment fund would allow Māori investors to "access and participate in much larger scale opportunities than could be achieved individually". Te Tirohanga Whānui - which delivers a new series of ‘industry’ averages to help iwi review their investment strategies and planning processes – also highlighted low debt to equity ratios with average bank debt to total assets being 14 percent reinforcing the measured approach being taken by most iwi. “However there is still headroom for iwi to use more external funding, within prudent levels, to help accelerate their growth,” asid Mr Harrison. Despite the quantum of assets held by iwi the median assets per tribal member is just $9000 highlighting the enormity of the challenge faced to try and sustainably grow and leverage these assets for all future generations. Iwi who collaborated in the research already have the results and have been using them to help inform their investment decisions. Tainui Group Holdings’ general manager of strategy & finance, Lyndon Settle, commented “this was a most valuable set of insights that has supported our mahi going forward”. Ngāti Kuri Chair, Harry Burkhardt thanks ANZ for “providing an insight into the journey iwi are on around wealth creation”, noting “this was but one KPI we use in our journey to tino rangatiratanga.” Almost all iwi that took part saw value in continuing this collaboration. Koau Capital Partners - providers of contracted management services for several iwi that participated - noted “it would be a valuable resource to have an annual benchmark.” “As the post settlement environment becomes the norm for iwi, each are positioning themselves to make a meaningful difference to their own people – this process though, will have positive flow on effects for New Zealand as a whole,” said Mr Harrison. New electrician training centre in Hamilton Etco, a leading training provider for the electrical industry is to open a new training centre in Hamilton to help meet a nationwide shortage of thousands of electricians. “Hamilton is growing at a faster rate than the national average and there is significant demand for electricians to support the construction, industrial and domestic sectors,” said Etco chief executive Jeremy Sole. Etco has signed a lease for a building on The Boulevard, Te Rapa. The design process is now underway for the centre, which will include state of the art training equipment. The organisation has long-established training centres in Auckland, Wellington, Rotorua and Dunedin, and is also opening a new training facility in Christchurch. “There is a critical shortage of licensed electricians in New Zealand - it’s estimated that 3000 more are needed to meet demand, including in construction,” said Mr Sole. “Currently we have 600 apprentices in various stages of training with etco and we intend to lift that number significantly. “Our new Hamilton training centre will help to meet that local and national demand and we are looking to recruit more apprentices from across the region, providing additional opportunities for young people suited to a career in the sector. “The new centre will be equipped with the most modern learning technology, and learning systems, much of which has only recently become available to the sector.” Etco currently provides night classes several evenings a week in Hamilton operating from rented offices – as well as in 29 other locations around the country. However, Mr Sole said the Hamilton class numbers are higher than its previous Etco chief executive Jeremy Sole. premises could cater for, and all Waikato apprentices currently have to travel to Etco’s Rotorua training centre to undertake block release courses. The Hamilton centre, which is due to open on September 1, will now cater for more local demand as well as some from other areas. Etco apprentices are employed by the organisation for the duration of their apprenticeships and placed with host employers in placements that ensure they gain skills and experience in a variety of domestic, commercial and industrial settings. All training costs, apprentice salaries, annual leave, sick leave and pay during block release are covered by Etco. “Demand is such that every one of our apprentices is currently in a placement,” said Mr Sole. “We have a 95 percent completion rate and our apprentices typically achieve 10 percent higher grades in their exams than others do elsewhere in the sector. “We are also unique in the level of support and pastoral care we provide to our apprentices – which is underlined by the positive feedback we receive from host companies. Etco manages the apprenticeship from beginning to end and our coordinators, who visit apprentices in the workplace, are also registered electricians.” Etco is a wholly owned subsidiary of Master Electricians New Zealand, established to provide employment and training for the electrical industry in New Zealand. Refuge calls for donations and help Do you have second hand furniture that could benefit a local woman in need? Or good quality preloved clothing, bedding and linen to help a deserved family make a new home? Waikato Women’s Refuge – Te Whakaruruhau is putting the call out for help this winter, to support women and children Waikato Women’s Refuge family violence specialist Lottie Siaosi. who have fled violent situations. The refuge, which has helped more than 4000 Waikato women escape violent and abusive relationships in the past year, is asking for people to donate household items or volunteer to help victims of domestic violence set up their new homes. “We need bedding and linen, furniture, kitchen items, irons, vacuum cleaners, clothing – all the things that people require when they need to set up a home from scratch,” says Lottie Siaosi, a family violence specialist at one of Waikato Women’s Refuge’s residential crisis houses. “When families have to move out of their home due to domestic violence, often they have to get out fast and often they can’t go back,” says Lottie, who has worked with families at the refuge for more than a decade. “We want to help give our women and children a fresh start, without the financial burden. If we can provide them items to help set up their new home, it is a huge help to them.” The refuge’s crisis service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week providing advice and support to women and children escaping family violence. Their five Hamilton safe houses accommodate around 60 women and children a week. They also provide transitional accommodation and support to families as they look for a more permanent home. Lottie says refuge staff and their families often volunteer their time to help women and children move house, and could use more “helping hands” and “strong helpers” to facilitate packing and moving. “We pack down houses, put everything into storage, and then when a suitable home is found we then have to move a woman and her family into the new house,” says Lottie. “We appreciate any ‘manpower’ or ‘womanpower’ we can get. We also need people with vehicles – moving vans or trailers – to volunteer to help our families move. Any help is gratefully received.” Donations of toiletries, non-perishable grocery items and cash were also appreciated by the refuge. “Often when a woman is leaving in a hurry in the middle of the night, she comes to the safe house without even a tooth brush or tooth paste, and those are necessities for our families,” says Lottie. Waikato Women’s Refuge CEO Ruahine Albert says the organisation is grateful for the support it receives from the community. “Our services are unfortunately always in demand, and we rely on the generosity of funders, donors and volunteers to help women and children who need our help,” says Albert. Waikato Women’s Refuge recently received $1105 from Z Eastside customers through the Z Good in the Hood fundraising campaign. “It’s wonderful to receive this cash injection, especially with the recent school holidays,” says Raewyn Curtis, team leader of the community crisis team for Waikato Women’s Refuge. Raewyn said there were about 21 children in their safe houses at the moment, and the extra money helped fund some special school holiday activities and outings, including trips to the hot pools and museum. “Any support we can give our mums and families means so much to them, and to us,” says Raewyn. The Waikato Women’s Refuge – Te Whakaruruhau was established in 1986 by a group of local Māori women as a response to family violence. Since then it has grown from a one-bedroom flat into five safe houses across Hamilton City and provides 24/7 crisis services as well as working with families to create long-term change in the domestic violence scene. Its approach is holistic and family-centred, and includes working with men who are willing to change. Waikato Women’s Refuge takes an integrated approach to family violence working with a variety of agencies, but it is not connected with the national women’s refuge collective. People can contact the refuge to donate items, or to volunteer their time and support. Please phone 07 855 1569. If you need help from Waikato Women’s Refuge, phone the crisis line on 07 855 1569. Help is available 24 hours a day. For more information see waikatowomensrefuge.co.nz or follow TeWhakaruruhau on Facebook and Instagram.
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Waikato Business News July/August 2017

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