At BizCover we seek to recognise and reward small businesses owners who go above and beyond for their customers. In addition to providing goods and services, many small businesses often provide personalised care. For business owners such as Abbey, a family and community-centred approach is their top priority.
The $2000 BizGiver grant aims to better the lives of small business owners and facilitate growth through a product or service. During the selection process, we encourage small business owners to share their story and tell us how winning the prize would help them improve their business. To choose the winner, we invited the BizCover staff to vote for who they think should receive the grant.
Congratulations to Revelation Canterbury Sports, the winner of this round of BizGiver New Zealand. We interviewed Abbey Akurangi about her passion for assisting rangatahi and whanau and how the grant will benefit her club. Abbey has had Public Liability insurance with BizCover since February 2021. We are proud to support her and her business!
Here is her story.
Why did you start your business?
Revelation Canterbury Sports offers a whānau ora (family and community-led) approach that supports whānau to achieve their aspirations in life. It places whānau at the centre of decision making and supports them to build a more prosperous future.
Revelation Canterbury Sports started as a sports club that engaged with the local community by having touch rugby teams in the summer, and netball for young women in the winter. It did not take long to see that the needs of the rangatahi (young people) were not being fulfilled by mainstream health, education, and social services. We began to support the rangatahi by giving them a whānau ora approach to sport, unlike other clubs in the Christchurch region. Whereas many sports clubs focus on just sport, we offer a nurturing environment that supports our members in their everyday lives too.
We have a large focus on assisting rangatahi and whanau as many of our members come from low socio-economic families. After 7 years in this community, we have made strong connections with the people as well as organisations who work in the social sector.
Why did you enter the BizGiver competition? Why did you wish for your particular wish?
We entered the BizGiver competition because of the amazing opportunity BizCover was offering to promote small businesses. In addition, we also wanted to connect with and support the other small business owners who entered. We wished for a new computer so that our organisation could continue to hold online conferences to educate young people on health, nutrition and mental health throughout the year to ensure we are supporting them in all aspects of their lives.
How will winning this prize help your business?
Receiving this wish will directly support us in planning for our next wananga (Maori educational forum) and allow us to apply for funding to run new initiatives in the community. Everything we do is for…
– The development of rangatahi to become confident leaders, self-sufficient, self-motivating, and able to solve problems,
– Promoting a strong support system for rangatahi,
– Giving whanau the opportunity to train alongside their rangatahi,
– Networking with the Maori community,
– Helping with school fees, or gaining scholarships to private schools,
– Helping young people to represent their region and country in their chosen sport,
– Give them the skills to find employment,
– Guidance by a kauapa maori / whanau ora roopu (Maori values).
Why do you love your job?
I love my job because I know and believe our rangatahi are the future. We want rangatahi and their whanau to be supported in reaching their full potential and to become Māori leaders in their communities. We want to grow strong, resilient, healthy, confident leaders who feel balanced in their tapa wha (wellbeing) in life. We want to awhi (care for) them and their whanau in navigating life and pursuing their goals.
What does being a small business owner mean to you?
It doesn’t just mean the world; it means so much more than that. It means we are contributing to our people. It is such a beautiful community to be in. Others that have small businesses in our local community are so willing to share their resources and knowledge. The whole experience has been a blessing.
Where do you see your business in 5 years’ time? What are your growth goals?
Our goals are for our karapu Revelation Canterbury Sports are to:
– Continue to provide a safe haven for rangatahi and whānau,
– Continue to engage with the community through sport,
– Be able to hold wananga regularly,
– Assist coaches to receive higher qualifications in their sports,
– Pay staff so they can afford to dedicate more time to our club,
– Expand the sporting codes we can provide and include Māori sports such as Ki-O-Rahi,
– Be equipped with resources to develop rangatahi skills to their full potential,
– Be financially self-sufficient,
– Continue to support whanau in pursuing their goals in and outside of sport,
– Deliver programs in schools about sport with a whānau ora approach,
– Build a club room and indoor training venue for multiple sporting codes,
– Hold national tournaments for rangatahi to display their hard work and engage with other rangatahi in their chosen sport.
What are the biggest challenges your business faces? Will winning the prize help?
Right now, the biggest challenge is to keep connecting with rangatahi through covid. Sport has always been our way of engaging, but with covid restrictions a lot of community sport has been cancelled. Some whanau are struggling financially, which means that sport is a luxury.
Winning this prize means we can remain connected with our rangatahi and also plan ahead, apply for funding, and research ways we can support all rangatahi to achieve their goals in life.
What have been your biggest achievements?
Our biggest achievement was supporting a team of young women, some who had never left their city, to travel to Australia. They competed in a netball tournament AND THEY WON!
To find out more about Revelation Canterbury Sports, please click this link:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Sports/Revelation-Canterbury-Sports-191259428303664/
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