In the latest PGF round, Hawke’s Bay company The Development Hub was granted funding for its Initiate Rangatahi (18-24 year olds) and Initiate Wahine Toa (+24 year olds) programmes, says founder and managing director, Sarah-Jo Barley.

“This investment means that we can run an additional eight programmes and help more Hawke’s Bay women develop their self-confidence and self-belief to create the future that they choose.

“The Development Hub team is proud of the work we do in the Hawke’s Bay community and humbled that through this PGF investment that we can do so much more both this year and next.

“We’re grateful to have our work recognised, and for the support of our funders and the businesses that we partner with,” says Ms Barley.

With programmes focusing predominantly on women, The Development Hub (TDH) provides a hand up, and proven practical support to help access education, employment or training opportunities. To date, more than 180 local individuals have attended TDH programmes.

Tailored training and support helps candidates to develop their strengths and the foundation skills they need to get the opportunity they want. Ongoing support means they’re more likely to stay on track and keep working towards their goals as well as staying in work or training.

“It takes the ongoing support and commitment of a community of government agencies, as well as community and non-government organisations to work with us, to help our people and participate in the success of having the opportunity for all women to be in work, training or education, fully engaged and participating in their communities,” says Sarah-Jo Barley.

“More funding means we can help more people seeking employment or development opportunities, to dramatically increase their chances of achieving their goals and progress both personally and professionally.

“We are also looking for more businesses to partner with us and take on our candidates. The Development Hub can provide work-ready candidates and access to a new group of people that businesses may not have considered previously, with an ease of recruitment and a proven cost-benefit.

“So far more than 50 local businesses have partnered with us for some or all of their staffing needs. We’re grateful for their support and for the important role they play in building stronger and more resilient communities.”

Lee Neville, Economic Development Manager Hastings District Council, says attracting inwards investment from international call centres has been supported by The Development Hub.

“This gives confidence that the region can deliver trained personnel for business. The Development Hub team provide solutions to business needs in Hawke’s Bay.”

The Development Hub is receiving encouraging feedback from funders for the way its programmes are delivered and the outcomes being achieved. Innovative reporting, use of intelligent technology and the intensive pastoral care demonstrated through case studies that continue long after course completion illustrate that The Development Hub is meeting the needs of candidates, businesses and funders. All are tangible measures of quality that meet the requirements of PGF programmes He Poutama Rangatahi and Te Ara Mahi, programmes that focus on education, skills pathways, training and employment.

The Ministry of Social Development East Coast Region congratulates Sarah-Jo Barley and The Development Hub in their success in gaining funding as part of the Provincial Growth Fund, says Annie Aranui, Regional Commissioner, MSD East Coast.

“The Development Hub takes a supportive and strengths based approach to prepare and support women into employment. After attending a course these women clearly demonstrate increased confidence and work readiness. I want to congratulate and acknowledge The Development Hub. It is not just connecting women into employment, it is changing the lives of these women and their children.

“Over the last two years MSD has partnered with The Development Hub to connect mutual clients into sustainable jobs. Sarah-Jo and The Development Hub are valued partners and we are excited about the continued success that this investment will enable and the women they support to achieve,” says Ms Aranui.

The Development Hub is making a difference, says Sarah-Jo Barley.

“Women that complete our courses have a much better chance of finding work or securing training and education opportunities. There is an 80 per cent success rate for those that finish our programmes.

“Our candidates tell us that working is much better than being unemployed and lacking direction. They are proud to be setting a good example for their tamariki and whanau. The changes in our candidates are noticeable and we couldn’t be prouder of our women and their mahi.

“Together with our partners, The Development Hub tackles some of the society’s biggest challenges. Our work is hard, but it is rewarding. We are inspired every day by the women we work with, and passionate about supporting wahine, and through their success, their children, whanau and communities,” she says.

The work of The Development Hub is aligned to Matariki Hawke’s Bay Regional Development Strategy for Economic and Social Growth work area 2; improve pathways to and through employment.

For more information:
Sarah-Jo Barley 022 368 8771

About The Development Hub
The Development Hub works with its candidates (predominantly young women 18-24, and women 24+ returning to the workforce) to help them develop a more positive future through employment, training and education opportunities. TDH programmes provide the tools and help to enable our candidates develop their self-confidence and self-belief to create the future that they choose. Through personal and professional development our candidates are work-ready, excited, encouraged and empowered to flourish. Our success is driven through partnerships with government, business and community organisations. Together, we support people, business and communities. To date, more than 180 people have completed our programmes and more than 50 businesses have partnered with us for some or all of their staffing needs.

About Initiate Rangatahi and Initiate Wahine Toa programmes
Initiate Programmes run over four weeks from our offices in Hastings. Places are limited to 12 candidates to provide group support and 1:1 mentoring. Programme content includes outdoor activities and learning modules that support personal and professional development.
Candidates are expected to have full attendance and be punctual, presentable and ready to engage. CV, cover letters, interview techniques and understanding employer expectations are key to securing job opportunities and much of the focus is practical and provides the necessary foundation skills and tools to be competitive in the job market.

Personal development includes goal setting, budgeting, confidence building, public speaking and understanding one’s own barriers and solutions to employment. Understanding the “why” for our candidates is the first step to pursuing a successful future, be this first home aspirations, small business ownership or careers in certain fields. Varied and engaging activities encourage self development, self -belief, motivation and the confidence required to get into a job or opportunity and stay in it.

Strong links to government agencies, employers and businesses along with support providers and community organisations mean we can link the candidates to the right professional services that they so often require.

Did you know that we have helped more than 160 people (mainly women) into employment, education or training?

We’re delighted to be given the opportunity to share throughout our community a write-up about what it is that we do here at The Development Hub along with our successes and purpose as a business.

Our article features on page five of the latest edition of e-pānui from Business Hawkes Bay. You can access and read this article from the link below: https://www.businesshb.nz/asset/downloadasset?id=6c53715d-ce01-47b4-b308-4686d553488c

Ko te Mana Wahine, Ko te hā Ko te oranga, Te hei mauri ora.

The strength within a woman is to breathe life into many!

Four weeks of personal and professional development? Four weeks of cv writing, confidence building and job hunting? WHY..

As a woman between the ages of 25-60 you never expect to be selected to go on a journey of personal development for yourself. Why? Because we as mums, wives, sisters, and aunties are so selfless, focusing on our Whanau and friends that we often forget about ourselves. Just managing to get by and struggling is something many wahine go through every day. We forget that in order to progress, for the betterment of our Whanau, we have to remember to love ourselves, too.
At The Development Hub we are greeted by an awesome team. We felt instantly accepted. Everyone is eager to know who you are? What makes you who YOU really are? Which is something you don’t come across all too often. You quickly find out that this environment is ready to empower and inspire us to be the Wahine Toa we naturally are, but often forget, because our day to day lives are already so hectic. We’ve actually lost touch with who we are.

To be uplifted and given the gift of self-discovery for ourselves is truly a gift. Many people don’t get the chance to do this. To re-discover our own self confidence and self worth, to be taken care of by others who are not your family and yet feel so loved and accepted by everyone, makes this journey to self-discovery an easy way to know WHO I AM!, WHO WE ARE!, and that together we as WAHINE TOA can achieve all things possible again with the help of the team at The Development Hub.

To learn more about The Development Hub programmes contact us at 0800 DEV HUB, or hello@thedevelopmenthub.nz or drop in and see us at Level 1, 118 Queen Street East

Why is it that often when we get an opportunity to do more with our lives, we struggle to get on board?

The road to adulthood… How do we go about it? What steps do we need to take and why don’t I know all the answers?

As youth, we are not as ‘put together’ as we may seem. There are times we feel we have done well at this and failed miserably at that. However, when you’re on a journey to discover yourself, its best done with people who can guide you along the way. That’s where The Development Hub’s Initiate Rangatahi Programme has made such a difference, and helped me get on track and set some big, hairy audacious goals.

Early this year I was selected for the Initiate Rangatahi Programme along with 11 other young wahine. We met at 100 Queen St East, Hastings – the office of The Development Hub – and we were connected as a group. We were met by a team dedicated to helping us to develop ourselves, personally, professionally and ultimately into employment. And man did we all want jobs!

Instantly we were surrounded by encouraging people in a comfortable environment where you felt like you belonged, you were heard, you were seen for all your strengths and all your challenges! And it was the help with the challenges, they call them barriers, where we could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The Development Hub offered services and knowledge that made us realise there was more to job searching than what we already knew. They made us see that we could have careers, meaningful ones, doing jobs that we loved and that we could be valued members of businesses and our community. All of the activities benefited us as young women and broadened our minds to the world of employment, buying our first homes, and nailing our lives!! We instantly became confident in taking steps towards the journey of discovering ourselves.

From my crew, 11 out of the 12 of us got jobs, and we are still working with our pal to help her in her journey. It frikkin worked, the programme worked. And I am a testament to it, because I got the best job. I am working at The Development Hub now, helping other young wahine, just like me…until I become the first Māori Female Prime Minister in New Zealand.

We began here at The Development Hub with hope that we would leave with full-time jobs, however, as the four weeks went by, we realised we were leaving with much more than that! We were leaving with life lessons, career skills and long-lasting friendship with ladies who were once strangers.

“Ka pū te ruha, ka had te rangatahi.”
As an old net withers, a new net cast a-fishing.”

If you would like to learn more about The Development Hub programmes contact us at 0800 DEV HUB, or hello@thedevelopmenthub.nz or drop in and see us at Level 1, 118 Queen Street East

At the Development Hub we have the opportunity of working with mothers, and have seen some amazing transformations through our Integrate, Enable and Initiate Wāhine Toa programmes.

Mothers are the backbone of many families; at The Development Hub we have the had pleasure of working with more than 70 mothers with children under 18 years old. Many of these wahine have faced hardship and challenging situations but show resilience, perseverance and courage. We have the chance to get a deeper understanding of the challenges our mothers face on a daily basis.

These ladies are an absolute joy to work with. They believe and understand the kaupapa of our programme. They grew personally and professionally, were eager to change their lives and pursue all opportunities available to them. They found motivation, confidence and built lasting friendships with their peers and tutors. For many of them standing in front of people introducing themselves was out of their comfort zone, but after being on our programme they stood tall and proudly shared their visions for the future. They have designed lives that align to their new goals that better support their tamariki.

We have established relationships with several Hawke’s Bay employers who understand that split shift work to enables mothers to balance caring for their children with providing for their whānau. The pride, self-confidence and personal growth we have seen in these wahine is astounding. Now they can see that being a working māmā is possible.

We are excited to continue working with these ladies and see what their futures have in store.

If you know a Mum who is keen to return to the workforce, but needs a little help to take the first step, contact us at 0800 DEV HUB or via email: hello@thedevelopmenthub.nz

The benefit of these fantastic women working together as a group is that they are there to support each other not only during work but after hours. Over the season the ladies work together to cover each other’s shifts when needed, and they help each other practically with transport, childcare and friendship. Offering parents flexible hours of work is often a win-win. Businesses get workforce flexibility, additional coverage to meet peak demands and capable staff while parents have the opportunity to join the workforce while still maintaining family balance.

See our video link below for feedback from our candidates.

https://youtu.be/hzSZ4kBtUTg

The Development Hub seeks to change lives, the lives of the people we work with, the clients we contract, and the businesses we consult to.

At the Development Hub we are passionate about linking people with opportunities, and driving change through the successful creation, design and implementation of Work Readiness Programmes.