Tomahawk Smaill’s Beachcare Trust is a non profit organisation that aims to develop community supported environmental restoration, education and awareness.
TSBT started in 2000 with the aim of replenishing the local environment by replanting, dune stablisation and catchment care. Since then the trust has been active with dune clean ups, planting days and community engagement.
The nursery, managed by Gaileen Ross will produce around 4000 eco-sourced native plants each year and is the hub of the Beach care movement. As a charitable trust TSBT is always keen for volunteers. As an environmental volunteer with TSBT you can:-
gain hands on learning in horticulture
gain hands on learning in plant propagation,
learn about local native dune species.
Aramoana Conservation Group
The community volunteer team cares for Aramoana beaches and the salt marsh. People are welcome to join the relaxed volunteer team during Spring – Autumn. As an environmental volunteer with TSBT you can:
build team work skills
improve your botanical knowledge
learn about local eco-systems
nurture an appreciation for nature
Orokonui Eco Sanctuary
In less than 10 years, the Orokonui Ecosanctuary has become the only place on mainland South Island of New Zealand where native birds, animals and insects can live a life safe from predators.
Volunteers are provided with direction, a safe walking environment and any equipment and materials needed. Contribute to a project that provides a legacy to future generations, gain new skills and meeting like-minded people. At the moment we need new volunteers for:
Planting and weeding
Pest and fence monitoring
Track building and maintenance
Regular care of habitat areas
Conservation Volunteers Needed, Dunedin NZ
If you’re willing to learn and happy to work outdoors then gather your friends and workmates and come help out as a conservation volunteer. For more information on volunteer work opportunities check out our volunteer marketplace.
If the right job is not here yet then simply create your talent profile and receive volunteer opportunities that match your talent, skills and interests as they are posted.
If your a community or charitable trust that needs volunteers please register a profile to promote volunteer work on our website.
I found Sir Ken Robinson’s Ted talk immensely inspiring and encouraging but it leads me to wonder why did it take me so long (15yrs) to choose my passion and talent over my need for achievement?
…we make very poor use of our talents…I meet all kinds of people who don’t think they are really good at anything…who don’t enjoy what they do they, they simply go through their lives getting on with it, they get no great pleasure from what they do, they endure it rather than enjoy it… but I also meet people who LOVE what they do…it isn’t what they do, it is who they are…their most authentic self… Sir Ken Robinson”
My talents and aspirations didn’t align because I was self centered and vain. Now, I was blessed to be raised in a family that nurtured my talents, surrounded by people that assured me that I could do anything I wanted. The education system, with which I am now thoroughly disenchanted was – up until I was about 15 years old – an environment in which I thrived upon learning and the ongoing recognition of academic, sporting and cultural achievement.
Yet for a long time now I have not lived up to the potential, that others saw in me. Despite the fact that I studied, worked and strived to become a better person, I was so self centered and focused on my own goals and achievements that I could not see opportunities to do what I most aspired to – help people and effect change – passing me by.
Over the last year, working as an aspiring social entrepreneur, I’ve recognised that I had things round the wrong way. Even as lately as January 2009, I thought that if I could make myself “a better person” then I could help others. Yet it now seems so apparent that only by helping others first will I ever be the person I aspire to.
The How: Helping Others Employ Their Talents
Using social networking to create a community in which people can feel OK about promoting and sharing their talents
“…natural talents: human resources are like natural resources, they are often buried deep. You have to go looking for them, they’re not just lying around on the surface you have to create the circumstances where they show themselves…” Sir Ken Robinson
This is not going to be an easy cause to gather people to and therein lies the challenge: to effect the national mind set.
We kiwi’s are not known for our self promotion, why would we when tall poppy syndrome is so alive and well in this country, ready to cut back down to size those that are too confident, too successful or aspire to lofty goals. One way I have found to overcome this barrier of talking about talents and strengths is simply to ask:
what are your interests?
what do you like to do?
what are you passionate about?
what interests would you want to share with other people?
By creating a talent profile and sharing you passion, talents, interests and values with the world we can match you with opportunities to LOVE what you.
Business Week recently lead with a story entitled The Lost Generation discussing the effects of the existing job crisis on young people in the USA.
the continuing job crisis is hitting young people especially hard – damaging both their future and the economy…studies show that an extended period of youthful joblessness can significantly depress lifetime income
As today’s figures show, youth unemployment is also a problem here in New Zealand. Yet, suggestions around creating a sub minimum wage to encourage employers to take on young people does little to empower or improve their future earnings potential. It simply undervalues their time, skills and talent and feeds into the downward spiral of lower lifetime income.
We see ways to empower young people, support Gen Y’s potential, harness their talents and help them discover their place in the workforce
“…We seem to have focused wrongly on building CV’s rather than building businesses…” Sam Morgan
We currently have a wealth of talented young people preparing themselves to be employed rather than cultivating talents which could drive economic growth through the creation of new business and new jobs.
Things are changing on the education front but we believe there is opportunity to provide additional tools to help young people transition from study to work.
The solution we are offering incorporates work experience, education and elements of the traditional CV
1. We want to encourage Volunteer Work Experience as a means to build confidence and valuable work skills so we are facilitating a system of Time Trade (a.k.a Time Banking) to encourage, recognise and reward volunteer activity.
2. A Peer Mentoring Community connecting Graduates with recent Alumni who can share with students of the same / similar discipline their experience of the study / work transition and highlight the real life opportunities available in the marketplace.
Where to look, who to talk to, which skills are important etc. Existing examples include the future in tech initiative to which we hope Time Trade could be applied as a tool for rewarding their career ambassadors.
3. We are using social networking tools and talent profiles to allow young people to build a living work history, a CV with a wealth of testimonials to their talent, skill and work ethic. A talent profile against which they can also be matched with volunteer and paid work opportunities.
Youth unemployment is a major issue but it’s reassuring to know that there are many community based organisations stepping up to help keep young people engaged in productive activity despite the fact of high unemployment.
I chose to study extramurally so that I could apply my business education across a range of business settings and discover where my talents lay.
However, when I finally completed my degree and set out to find full-time employment (my apprenticeship in business ownership) potenial employers began to question why I had already worked in so many roles.
Back in 2003, before it became widely recognised as a common Gen Y work trait, my CV already listed more roles over five years than my mum held over a thirty year working life:-
Gymnastics Instructor, Tauranga YMCA
Holiday Programme Leader, Tauranga YMCA
Civil & Criminal Law Clerk, Tauranga District Court
General Administration & Customer Service, FIL Agrichemical
Part Time Financial Administration, Harmer Parr Financial Planners
Market Research Contract, Private Interests
Junior Reporter, Oceansider Community News
Frontline Sales, Greenpeace
Business Developer, Bartercard NZ
Bay of Plenty Marketing Representative, Hewlett Packard
The problem was full time study combined with working 30+hours a week, rather than proving a strong work ethic or general intelligence, indicated to potential employers a lack of loyalty or worse. Fours year study, did little to prove my discipline or perserverance, all it served was to get me on a level playing feild with every other graduate.
WorkNoWorKnow
It’s a conundrum that many students face.
First we must choose either to Work Now which research shows will hinder future long-term prospects or
Forego earnings and take on student debt in order to be in the “Know” and compete for jobs that require no more than a high school education.
On choosing the second option – education and the pursuit of knowledge – we still must Work Now to get by in more than survival mode. Yet in most cases the type of work we can get – hospo, cleaning, labouring – does almost nothing to reflect our true intelligence, or inherent talents.
And in some cases, like my own, even a series of respectable contract jobs can have negative connotations for employers, which begs the question; would I have been better to choose No Work over Work Now?
But of course if you choose the No Work option and elect to focus on study then when you step out in to the working world, which is where the education path leads for most people, you will lack the “work expereince” needed to land the jobs that you’ve studied so hard and long to attain. In the words of Tom Petty
Situation no win
Rush for a change of atmosphere
Work Study Transition
Of the three option 1) work or 2) study or 3) work and study it is easy to recommend that the best option, by far is #3
Do try and find contract work relevant to your degree while studying so that you can gain the work expereince you need to apply your education out in the work force.
If you can’t find paid work expereince, then volunteer with a company that interests you. Volunteering looks great on anyone’s CV and can open doors to work opportunities that are not advertised on seek, trademe jobs or student job search.
Employment is not our only option. Business creation, while higer risk is the much more rewarding alternative.
Here at WorkNow we encourage and support a more entrepreneurial work ethic. Whether you’re starting out and need work expereince or have honed your talent and skills and just need to connect with the right work opportunities, we can help. Register today with our talent community and foster your collective potential.
I am a fan of the solution orientation of think small as a way to address national issues and this morning, reviewing the ever popular issue of “The Recession” I came across the following solution which necessitated a supportive yet alternative response, except I ran out of room there to comment so decided to share my thoughts here…
Some graduates may have found lately that in their respective field they cannot get a job. As the economy is as it is, companies are more reluctant to hire even experienced staff as they do not feel they can afford it, which unfortunately means it’s very difficult for an inexperienced university graduate to get a job. To this end, it may be wise if you are in this situation to consider going back to university and doing a post graduate degree, not only will it give you something to do to fill your time, but it will also give you that advantage over other candidates when the economy settles down and companies are looking to hire again.
My Comment
“We are already the most highly educated generation in the workforce (+) yet the study work transition dilemma still exists. Further education doesn’t solve the problem for graduates it merely postpones it. Wait to be hired!? Guys, we need to think Entrepreneur vs. Employee. Why wait in line to be employees when we can determine our own future?
While education is undeniably an advantage the issue which compelled me to comment is simply that the problem as stated “it’s very difficult for an inexperienced university graduate to get a job” is not solved by telling them to continue on the same path, further education.
We need education applied in combination with our natural strengths our entrepreneurial spirit and tech know how.
As a combination we then have:
With education – the knowledge to create and transform ideas;
With entrepreneurship – the ability to risk and achieve and;
With technology – the tools to find connect and work together in new collaborative ways
Why be dependent on traditional “employment” when we can determine our own future in the workforce by becoming the next generation of talented entrepreneurs vs. employees? With the right team and a good idea building a company need not be as risky as it has been made to look. Begin by finding and connecting with talented others, somewhere like a talent community
1. Time Trade is specifically for the exchange of services
This means you trade in time and talent only; not goods or products. Here’s a couple of questions that might help you build your Time Trade profile
What three things do you think you do best?
What are your talents and skills
Are there any talents or skills you’d like to teach?
Are there any skills you’d like to learn?
What are your interests? Could you share your interest with others?
If you could do your dream job what would you do?
What could you volunteer to do or learn that would put you one step closer to that dream job?
We are all gifted with talents that are of value in a Time Trade community because Time Trade recognises that our life experiences, our knowledge, everything we are – from what we know to what we don’t know – creates value with which to help others.
2.One Hour Time = One Hour Time “Credit”
Here is a list of some of the kinds of services that members can exchange. Education
Entrepreneurship is not yet considered a viable alternative to the professions because, as Sam Morgan noted November 2008, New Zealander’s tend to view entrepreneurship as a niche, high risk, slightly crazy alternative to employment.
This sentiment permeates New Zealand’s culture as was confirmed when I spoke to students attending the Otago University Career fair about news of a trend in New Zealand towards private contracting instead of employment.
When asked whether they would consider private contracting as an alternative to employment some did not consider it a viable option while those that did support the alternative noted that it’s often seen as too risky.
Our education system undermines the development of a more entrepreneurial culture by encouraging our smartest people towards “safe, secure professions” such as lawyers, accountants, and doctors.
“We seem to have focused wrongly on building CVs rather than building businesses” Sam Morgan
As a result we have a wealth of talented people preparing themselves to be “employees” rather than cultivating talents which could drive economic growth through the creation of new business and new jobs.
Aotearoa NZ, Past Achievements.
We would do well to remember more often that our small pacific nation has lead some of the best innovations and achievements of the last century.
Rutherford split the atom, Hamilton built the first jet engine. We were the first to allow women the right to vote and our spirit of adventure inspired Sir Ed to summit the tallest peak on earth.
More recently, Sam Morgan and Trademe introduced us to a new world of buying and selling online and Stephen Tindall and the Warehouse forced us to reconsider our need for plastic bags. History proves, we are an innovative nation.
Present, Our Entrepreneurial Nation
Entrepreneurship is one of our economic strengths. In 2008 Auckland was voted the most entrepreneurial city of the OECD. The same research in 2006 identified Maori as the third most entrepreneurial people in the OECD yet we still promote the fallacy that entrepreneurship is too “high risk” without qualifying or highlighting any of the benefits of risk vs reward.
Future of Entrepreneurship
Gen Y demographic research shows that more than any previous generation Gen Y has a more flexible and entrepreneurial approach to work. The traditional dependency on employers has begun to weaken as more and more young people recognise the potential we have to connect with others in order to create our own forms of work.
While our entrepreneurial and flexible approach to work demands of us greater self-reliance in return we reap the ability to shape our own future rather than “comply” or “conform” to the expectations of a workforce that often fails to utilise our talent or understand our work ethic.
Inspire Encourage & Support Change
Rather than bemoaning the generational differences we suggest it is time to inspire and encourage a more entrepreneurial culture to support the development and growth of talented “business owners & teams” rather than just “employees” .
Educate and promote the economic, lifestyle and personal benefits of a more entrepreneurial culture
Encourage and support entrepreneurship as a viable alternative to the traditional “professions”
It irks me that people and media feel justified in deriding our generation. Almost daily I read about how lazy, fickle, disloyal and demanding generation Y is yet so rarely is voice given to the truth that we Gen Y have different attitudes, and workplace expectations to the existing generations.
Gen Y are disloyal
If you lead, we may follow. But keep in mind our concept of leadership 2.0 involves asking questions, connecting and collaborating not the archaic methods of power and control that ruled 80’s management theory.
“…For leaders who have the privilege of ushering the new generation into the workforce recognise immediately that traditional approaches to leading, communicating and delegating are likely to be met with passive or active resistance by Gen Y.
As a leader it is time for you to adapt your style by offering ideas and inviting feedback instead of issuing commands. Emphasize group work and encourage brainstorming. Forget the ‘we’ve always done it this way’ approach and encourage individuals and teams to find new and improved ways to conduct the work of your business…” Source
We saw Silence of the Lambs. Quid pro quo. We understand that employers need us as much as we need them.We move on when there is little or no sense of mutual benefit or when it appears that our values and goals diverge.
We seek leaders that inspire, support and encourage our personal growth and development.
We want to feel that we work to contribute to something meaningful.
We will find new and improved ways to increase effectiveness, efficiency and productivity in business.
Gen Y are unrealistic about pay expectations
Yes, I can see that to those that did not have to pay for an education our pay expectations may seem disproportionate. Yet, education has burdened our generation with billions of dollars worth of student debt. Is it unrealistic of us to aspire to be debt free within the next 15 years?
Gen Y workers are demanding & always wanting something different.
Gen Y seek challenge and variety in the workplace. Why? well let’s consider the education system. Not only does it offer us a myriad of choices, it’s an environment where variety, challenge and change are the status quo. Where performance expectations are established at the outset and tested, measured and rewarded.
Is it unrealistic to expect that work might present a greater opportunity for such variety and challenge? or that work expectations be established at the beginning for us to work towards. Or does our education system simply fail to prepare us for the realities of today’s working world?
Gen Y workers are self-focused and lazy
The reality for us is that, unlike earlier generations, work is not our life. Work is important to us but we’ve been taught that it is better, for our health, to work to live, rather than live to work.
In addition to work we may also be juggling study, friends, family, sport, other paid and unpaid work commitments. Hence the need for flexibility. Remember: if there’s a clash in the work-life balance, life inevitably wins.
Gen Y Entrepreneurs
Love us or hate us 10 years from now we will represent almost 40% of the New Zealand workforce. Maybe it’s time to accept that aspects of our work ethic, our ability to adapt quickly and easily to change for instance, are more suited to modern living.
Our entrepreneurial spirit makes us increasingly willing and able to take risks, our education has armed us with knowledge and insight and today’s technology allows us to connect, share and collaborate in new, more effective ways.
To those that expect us to be so desperate for employment, during this recession, that we will just come into line and act more like you, you may be disappointed to find we are indeed well equipped to adapt and not as dependent on traditional “employment” as previous generations have been.
Today we recognise that we always have the option of working for ourselves. With the right team building a company need not be as risky as it has been made to look. And anyway, what do we really have to lose at this point except, of course, our massive student debt.
Next Generation Work
At Worknow we encourage entrepreneurship, knowing it to an effective, efficient and productive work model with which to drive our knowledge economy. Create your talent profile today
I came across thinksmall and a conversation on tall poppy syndrome which raised the issue of our cultural tendency to:-
pulls kiwis down for high achieving, and jumps on those who fail on the way
Two solutions were already proposed:
Recognising & Awarding World Class Kiwi’s
Learning to Laugh at Ourselves
Entrepreneurial Education
I love solutions so I mentioned one that has the potential to make a great difference. Entrepreneurial Education a la Onehunga High. Not only because this is a great example of much needed educational reform but because Tall Poppy Syndrome has strong connotations, for me, of high school.
Ashamedly, it was during my high school years that I learned, experienced and participated in this type of ignorance hence I believe schools have a large part to play in allowing this attitude to develop.
Our education system is designed to help establish cultural norms and it is time that the New Zealand Curriculum Framework adapted and aligned itself with a future of work which I believe will be more entrepreneurial, sustainable and flexible.
By educating young people about entrepreneurship, having students read / study / develop case studies about World Class Kiwis that they admire, schools could develop a culture that recognises
success benefits everyone and
making mistakes is part of success
Student Mentor Community
Let’s connect today’s students with our World Class Kiwis who can mentor, inspire and encourage entire classes via live video conference, webinars and podcasts. Let’s create a community that connects and develops high achieving entrepreneurs in a collaborative, supportive environment. Let’s create the antithesis to Tall Poppy Syndrome.
Worknow
Developing communities that encourage entrepreneurship and collaboration and support sustainable, flexible ways of working.
