One of the major hurdles to employment in remote communities is that there are not enough jobs for the residents and, in Far North Queensland, many of these jobs are seasonal contracts in the dry season.
Remote Microenterprise Development
RISE Ventures has a dynamic Microenterprise Development team who works with our local teams to establish small businesses, and support local people to set-up their own businesses. We believe that this is one of the best ways to create jobs, upskill local people, create economic independence and contribute to thriving communities.
Sole Traders
Our Microenterprise Development team supports sole traders to establish their own enterprise, including ABN registration, finance training, writing contracts, grants for essential equipment and ongoing support in the running of their business.
We also connect them to services such as Many Rivers who offer free workshops and mentoring.
Small Businesses
RISE Ventures has established a number of small businesses in Kowanyama and Pormpuraaw including the Kowanyama Bakery, Arts ‘N’ Craft Retail Store, the Pormpuraaw Café and lawn mowing and cleaning businesses. The Microenterprise team manages their establishment, operations and employs local staff.
The team also supports local people to establish their own small businesses and trains these new business owners in all aspects of running a profitable business.
The Kowanyama Community Co-Operative
Over the past 12-months, the RISE Ventures Microenterprise Development has worked with the Kowanyama Council, local RISE team and community members to establish small businesses in Kowanyama.
The long-term vision was always to create a community owned and run co-operative which small businesses and sole traders would sit within.
After months of community consultations and planning the structure and asset transferal, the community voted in favour of the co-op and a Board was formed.
This means the Kowanyama businesses established by RISE Ventures will be run by the community, for the benefit of the community.
As well as creating employment and providing much needed services for the town, the growth of the co-op creates a self-sufficient economy.
Read the full story about the journey of the Kowanyama Co-Op
