COVID-19 is presenting many challenges for businesses but finding out where to get support shouldn’t be one of them. Here is a list of people you can contact if you need some help and some initiatives you can get involved with.
Te Waka
Te Waka are our regional economic development agency and are there to support Waikato businesses which includes us here in the Hauraki District. They have a number of different avenues available to support your business.
Waikato Business Support
Waikato Business Support is a new phone-based support service that provides advice and assistance to businesses affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
Waikato Business Support has been established to help businesses survive, revive and grow post COVID-19.
They can also refer you to the Business Growth team (Regional Business Partners Network – more information below).
Call: 07 929 4623
Find out more: www.waikatobusinesssupport.nz
Regional Business Partners Network
If you want to contact the Business Growth team directly, you can. Our local advisors are Peter Davey and Colleen Litchfield.
As part of the Government response to COVID-19 they have announced a $4 million regional support package for SMEs which will be delivered using the Regional Business Partners Network.
Te Waka’s Business Growth Team will deliver this programme with the support of the service provider network, regional organisations and district councils.
Call: 07 857 0538
Email: businessgrowth@tewaka.nz
Find out more: www.tewaka.nz
Waikato NXTSTEP
Searching for a new job or looking for new staff? Waikato NXTSTEP is a free job-matching website for the Waikato Region to support business owners and employees through COVID-19.
Find out more: waikato.nxtstep.co.nz
Webinars
Te Waka are running a whole range of free webinars to provide you with facts, support and inspiration from subject experts.
Find out more: www.waikatobusinesssupport.nz/webinars
Mighty Local
Mighty Local is a Waikato wide promotion supporting buy local which ranges from retail offerings to online fitness and wellness.
Find out more: www.mightylocal.co.nz
Evolve Hauraki (Hauraki District Council, Te Waka, GO Waihi, Positive Paeroa and Positively Promoting the Plains)
LOVEHAURAKI
LOVEHAURAKI is all about supporting our local businesses and connecting customers to their offerings.
If you would like to share what your business is doing, you can register to have it added to the page on www.lovehauraki.nz
Business Bites #5 – Shine Online
This will be the fifth Business Bites event and is all about supporting our local businesses. This time it will be focused on how to get your business online, whether that be setting up your own online shop, selling through another platform or marketing your product or service on social media.
Find out more: www.facebook.com/events
Central Government information
The COVID-19 website is always a good place to get the latest information.
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Hauraki District Libraries
Even when our libraries are closed, they are still able to provide you with free access to thousands of newspaper and magazine titles from New Zealand and around the world. Newspapers include the New Zealand Herald and Bay of Plenty Times, as well as The Waihi Leader. Magazine titles cover a range of interest areas including, business, lifestyle, health and hobbies. A great way to keep up-to-date.
Get access to free newspapers and magazines available on our libraries website.
Once our libraries are open to the public again, they will again be offering free use of our APNK computers as well as access to WiFi and scanning. Printing will also be available for a fee.
Find out more: Free computing and Wifi in our libraries.
