The Diversity and Inclusion with Businesses Award recognises the outstanding contribution businesses or social enterprises within the Selwyn district have made by adapting business models or practices to promote, recruit, retain, employ and/or train those that face additional barriers. These could include, but are not limited to; physical, cultural and those with dependents.
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LINCOLN MEDIA LIMITED
Lincoln Media believe that diversity and inclusion are not just buzzwords but are essential components of a successful business. As Asian business owners, they have made it their mission to create a workplace that is welcoming and inclusive to all. They have taken steps to ensure business practices are inclusive and equitable, such as actively seeking out diverse perspectives when hiring, and providing ongoing training and support to ensure team members feel valued and included. Lincoln Media also strives to create a work environment that is accommodating of different needs, from providing flexible work arrangements to ensuring spaces are accessible.
VINTAGE FEST NZ
Vintage Fest NZ (VFNZ) was started and run in 2022 to provide an inclusive vintage community event. This has been facilitated by creating a space of belonging, acceptance, support, and opening the event and Australian wide with Miss Vintage Australasia (MVA). MVA is a space where women of all ages, shapes, ethnicities, and sexual orientations are encouraged, supported and uplifted. VFNZ and MVA have created a large sense of belonging and family, and has also supported local Selwyn businesses inside and outside of the event.
FOOD ART SCIENCE
Monika runs inclusive cooking classes for the community through Food Art Science. Target groups include home-stay mums, men, senior members of the community, children from 5+ and youth. Classes run during the week as well as in weekends, so everybody can join in the fun. Monika caters to many different needs of the community including different ethnicities (Europeans, Kiwis, Filipino and Chinese), and people with special needs including Autistic people. People come with their partners or friends and everyone is included at all different phases of their lives.
WAITAHA SCHOOL
Waitaha is a Specialist School for ORS funded students aged from 5-21 years. The school is co-located with Te Uru Tarata School (Lemonwood Grove) in Rolleston. The core business of Waitaha School is to prepare young people with disabilities for the community and at the same time prepare the community for young people. Waitaha School works innovatively to support diverse learners beyond the Specialist Education setting. They are learner/community focused and believe that young people can, do and will contribute to their local community through positive participation and engagement - working, living and playing in the Selwyn district.
AFFINITY GYMNASTICS ACADEMY INCOPORATED
Affinity Gymnastics Academy works with local schools to create inclusive pathways for participants with physical and mental impairments to be involved in gymnastics. Each school attends weekly sessions for students with learning and physical disabilities. Affinity’s programmes are fully inclusive and feedback from the schools and parents are that the tailored programmes have been hugely beneficial to student’s mental and physical wellbeing. Participants are challenged and given activities that empowers them to learn and grow. Affinity was the only Gymnastics Club in the South Island to participate in the Halberg Games for young people with physical or visual impairments.
G&T CATERING
G&T Catering is a hospitality business with a focus on serving others, particularly people in the Selwyn community, and reflecting the community. G&T Catering has adapted the business over the last nine years to include people who face a range of barriers including cultural, religious beliefs, age, sex, or people with a disability. The current team is made up of people from all the above groups, giving them a fantastically varied and welcoming team culture, and one that reflects the community.
NEW MOOLAND LIMITED
Chris and Jodi and have been working with the Ministry of Social Development for the last two years in Canterbury, providing employment to people who have addiction challenges or low self-esteem and social issues. They spend time training them into farming and provide mentoring for up to six months after successful employment. They welcome applicants into their home and they become part of the family while training.
CALCULATE.CO.NZ
The goal of the calculate.co.nz website is to assist people facing barriers in getting answers to questions on financial, tax, and lending inquiries as well as a multitude of other tools. The free-to-use website has helped over 250,000 New Zealanders in the last year with the complexities of personal finance and lending, contributing to the nation's financial literacy and economic well-being. The site is run out of West Melton, Selwyn.
NEW ZEALAND POLICE
New Zealand Police delivers services that ensure communities are safe and feel secure. The Diversity Officer role (DLO) is a portfolio role held by officers working to support, advise and guide Police staff on Rainbow matters and promote diversity and inclusion within our Rainbow Communities. DLO’s present and raise awareness of our role to external and partner agencies, attend Rainbow events and challenge homophobia and transphobia both in the workplace and community. Recently the DLO Network launched The Next Genderation, an employee-led network to support transgender, gender-diverse and non-binary Police employees across the motu.
CONNECTED.GOVT.NZ
The purpose of the Hiwa Wāhine Series was to inspire and connect with women across a range of ethnicities, age groups and experiences. The three seminars were delivered in August 2022 to increase women’s work readiness, help them to consider employment and self-employment options, and to build self-esteem and confidence. The series was delivered using a whakawhanaungatanga approach – where 12 speakers shared their career stories, the challenges they faced and overcame, and empowering tips when applying for work. This initiative was a partnership between Connected.govt.nz, Selwyn District Council Libraries, Ministry of Social Development, and businesses, support agencies and training providers.
MY HOME CHEF LIMITED
My Home Chef was founded by Chef Rita more than 10 years ago to provide private chef services and catering. During the years, Rita's vision, along with the business approach, changed to focus on teaching and educating others for healthy cooking. In the last few years, Rita has focused her efforts on providing cooking classes for young people with special needs, teaching them skills and assisting with finding a job in hospitality when possible. The cooking classes are professional, and Rita teaches them health and safety, cooking principals, different cooking and baking techniques.
BUSY BUMBLES
Busy Bumbles has been operating in Selwyn for almost 15 years, offering affordable, conveniently-located and flexible before and after school care and holiday programmes. During this time, they have continued to adapt their offering with a focus on diversity and inclusivity, and serving members of our community who may be otherwise under-represented. In recent years, this has included specific services for children with additional needs, neurodiverse children, at-risk children, low-income families and schools, and families seeking options for bilingual learning and a greater focus on Te Reo Māori.
HATO HONE ST JOHN
Hato Hone St John has an established Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Network that has multiple portfolios including but not limited to the Rainbow community. The Council focuses on fostering and promoting a workplace that values uniqueness. They have many rainbow identifying and transgender St John members, as well as patients, so it is essential that all people feel valued, considered, and can feel comfortable being themselves. As an organisation, Hato Hone St John embraces their people’s unique experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds to advance collective objectives and better help the communities they serve.
JOSHUA FOUNDATION
Chris Allan from the Joshua Foundation is focused upon helping marginalised, vulnerable and underprivileged young people in both the Selwyn district and the Christchurch metro area. He is a youth worker who is passionate engaging, connecting and relating with young people to develop trust and journey through life issues together. Chris is focused on Māori, Pasifika and refugee youth, working with them to ensure their identity and culture is respected, and that they understand New Zealand’s culture and way of life without feeling threatened. Chris also encourages young people to share their culture and their journey with New Zealand youth.